Last year, San Diego Supervisor Anderson and I partnered on a program called the Agriculture Pass, designed to assist commercial livestock and agriculture operators in a wildfire or other disaster.

The Ag Pass allows certain people access to evacuated areas to care for their crops and animals, helping to ensure their safety and well-being.

We launched the program in phases, beginning with commercial cattle, equestrian operations, and managerial employees in the unincorporated area. I am happy to announce that we approved the plan to deploy phase 2, including all other commercial agriculture and livestock operations, at yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

During emergencies, I have heard countless stories of farmers and ranchers who decided to stay on their property to protect their assets because they feared they would not be allowed back in to care for their crops or animals.

With the Ag Pass program in place, we hope to encourage more operators to evacuate instead of risking their lives by staying behind. Ranchers and farmers are critical to our economy and communities. San Diego Agriculture provides over 16,000 jobs and has an economic impact of just under $3 billion in the local economy. We must be able to meet their needs in the event of a fire or natural disaster.

By expanding the Ag Pass program to include all commercial agriculture and livestock operations, we are taking a proactive step to ensure the safety of our farmers and ranchers and their livelihoods. This program will provide peace of mind for these operators during times of crisis and help them better protect their crops and animals.

Jim Desmond

– San Diego County District 5 Supervisor