focused walkthroughs—before problems arise. In his 15 years in the field, he said that offer has never once overwhelmed an office with calls. He’d welcome the day it does. “If everything comes up and we roll up to an inspection and everything’s great, that means we’re doing something right on education and continuing outreach,” said Greer. Cregan echoed that sentiment, encouraging growers to view their local commissioner’s office as a partner rather than simply an enforcement agency. “I would love to see a relationship with our farming community where they look at us as a resource of knowledge and are willing to come ask those questions,” she said. As California agriculture continues to navigate evolving regulations, emerging pest threats and growing public scrutiny, agricultural commissioners remain one of the industry’s most pivotal support systems. Their work touches nearly every stage of production, from helping prevent invasive pests and diseases to facilitating exports, ensuring marketplace fairness and providing growers with the tools and information needed to remain compliant and competitive. Much of that work happens quietly, and success is often measured by what doesn’t happen: a pest outbreak that never spreads, a shipment that reaches its destination without delay or a grower who avoids a costly compliance issue because they asked a question before a problem developed. Greer insisted that growers should know their commissioner by name—and shouldn’t hesitate to call. “Do you know your ag commissioner? You should. Call them up; they’ll do whatever you need. That’s their job.” At its core, the mission, as Greer puts it, has never changed: to protect and promote agriculture, and to support the growers who make California’s food system possible. Note: California growers looking to better understand the resources available to them are encouraged to contact their local county agricultural commissioner’s office or visit the CACASA website.
58 Counties, One Mission The role of an ag commissioner looks a little different in every corner of the state, which is precisely why California relies on this county-based system. Cregan, outgoing president of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA), said balancing these local needs with statewide consistency is one of the profession’s greatest challenges—and one of its greatest strengths. “Uniformity can be difficult because we all have different commodities and different sized counties,” said Cregan. CACASA helps bridge those differences by bringing commissioners representing all 58 counties together to coordinate enforcement, discuss emerging issues and share how statewide decisions affect individual regions. The association divides the state into five area groups that meet monthly, giving commissioners and their deputies an opportunity to exchange best practices and address challenges before they become larger problems. “It brings us all together,” said Cregan. “It provides the forum to share those impacts and discuss how statewide decisions affect counties that may be very different from one another.” While enforcement remains an important part of the job, all three commissioners emphasized that compliance, not citations, is the ultimate goal. County offices regularly host educational workshops, continuing education opportunities and regulatory updates while also serving as a resource for growers seeking guidance on specific questions. In Tulare County, Greer’s team hosts “Pest Day,” an annual community event that drew around 450 attendees this year, including growers, school district staff, applicators, farmworkers and community members, for a half-day of education on current pest pressures, regulations and safe chemical handling. “We’re very committed to helping folks stay educated and be in compliance,” said Greer. That philosophy shapes much of the day-to-day interaction between commissioners’ offices and growers. Greer said many growers are surprised to learn commissioners are willing to provide assistance—even informal, compliance-
34 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com October – December 2026
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