Santa Barbara County Ag Commissioner Cathy Fisher on gave a preliminary peek at the damage sustained by growers due to recent fires and floods, estimating during a forum in Santa Maria that losses so far have totaled nearly $20 million. “We’ve had a tough time in this county the last couple of years,” Fisher said, noting the Alamo, Whittier and Thomas fires that burned in 2017. There were 39 farmers who suffered a combined $12 million or more in direct losses from the Thomas Fire, Fisher said. “I anticipate this number will go up,” she said. Last month’s flooding and mudslide caused more than $6 million in losses and affected 37 farms, many of which were also affected by the fire, she added. “Actually, a couple of farmers, they’re looking at 90-percent losses, which they may never recover from,” she added. Other challenges facing the ag industry include the advent of legalized marijuana, she added. “It will be interesting how this new industry will settle in our country and the role the ag department will have,” she said. The state has issued more than 170 temporary licenses to potential cannabis businesses looking to launch in Santa Barbara County, with that number putting the county behind only Humboldt County, Fisher added. She said her staff has started gathering data to produce the 2017 crop report, using information provided by growers and used by various sectors, including financial institutions and disaster relief. Source - https://www.noozhawk.com