Farm Bureau of Ventura County

What Farm Bureau of Ventura County does

Farm Bureau of Ventura County (FBVC) is a nonprofit, membership-driven agricultural organization founded in 1914 that represents farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses across Ventura County, California. Operating from its Ventura headquarters with a lean staff of approximately five led by CEO Louise Lampara and governed by an elected 13-member Board of Directors, FBVC delivers advocacy, regulatory compliance support, publications, and member benefits. Its core commercial offering is a tiered membership program spanning Associate ($250/year), Agricultural ($500/year), Commercial ($750/year), Young Farmers & Ranchers ($150/year), and Premium tiers up to the Founder's Circle at $4,500/year, with Premium tiers enabling employee enrollment discounts.

The organization's most strategically significant asset is the Ventura County Agricultural Irrigated Lands Group (VCAILG), a wholly-owned operating subsidiary established in 2006 that functions as the Regional Water Quality Control Board's approved unified discharger group for the county's irrigated agriculture. VCAILG enrolls over 1,400 landowners covering approximately 90% of Ventura County's ~86,000 irrigated acres and has overseen more than $20 million in collective regulatory compliance spending since inception. The program runs on the Clearwater data management platform, a web-based system used for member enrollment, TMDL compliance tracking, Farm Evaluation surveys, Notice of Intent generation, and parcel management. FBVC also publishes Ag Alert (weekly via California Farm Bureau), Central Coast Farm & Ranch (quarterly), and a bimonthly newsletter, and operates pest-defense coordination through the Ventura County ACP-HLB Task Force established in 2010.

FBVC generates revenue through recurring membership dues across all tiers and per-acre VCAILG assessments ($8.77-$27.47 per acre depending on watershed), with additional modest revenue from publication advertising and grant-administration partnerships. Its go-to-market is community-led — built on 110+ years of local presence, word-of-mouth referrals, multi-generational family operator networks (visible across board families including Duda, Grether, Klittich, Terry, Laubacher, Pereira, and Beardsley), and federated affiliation with California Farm Bureau Federation and American Farm Bureau Federation. The customer base spans more than 100 commodities from small conventional and organic operations to large premium members including Limoneira, Tanimura & Antle, Reiter Affiliated Companies, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Terry Farms, Good Farms, Otto & Sons Nursery, and Deardorff Family Farms.

Name

Farm Bureau of Ventura County

Legal name

Farm Bureau of Ventura County

Website

https://farmbureauvc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Farm Bureau of Ventura County is a 110-year-old nonprofit membership organization supporting Ventura County farmers and ranchers through advocacy, tiered memberships, publications, and the VCAILG water-quality compliance program covering 90% of county irrigated acreage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Advocacy and Water Quality Compliance Services

NAICS

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Regulatory Compliance, Permitting & Audit Readiness (Food Safety, Environmental, Labor) (AFACAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Rights, Permitting & Compliance Services (Allocations, Reporting) (AFACAFAM)

Keywords

• Agricultural advocacy services
• Farm membership programs
• Water quality compliance
• Irrigated lands regulation
• Agricultural publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Ventura

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Farm Bureau generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues at multiple tiers: Associate Membership ($250/year), Agricultural Membership ($500/year), Commercial Membership ($750/year), Young Farmers & Ranchers ($150/year), and Premium Memberships ($750-$4,500/year). These dues fund advocacy, educational programs, publications, and member services.
2. VCAILG Assessments: The Ventura County Agricultural Irrigated Lands Group (VCAILG) charges annual assessments to agricultural landowners for water quality monitoring program compliance. Costs vary by watershed, ranging from approximately $8.77 to $27.47 per acre annually. Since 2006, VCAILG members have collectively spent over $20 million on regulatory compliance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Farm Bureau of Ventura County is a nonprofit membership organization that provides agricultural advocacy, tiered membership programs, publications, and water quality compliance services to Ventura County farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses. Its core subsidiary, VCAILG (Ventura County Agricultural Irrigated Lands Group), delivers collective regulatory compliance for water quality and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements, covering approximately 90 percent of the county's irrigated acreage. The organization also publishes agricultural news and operates an online business directory for the ag community.

Product overview

Farm Bureau of Ventura County is a nonprofit membership-driven organization offering a portfolio of membership programs, publications, and water quality management services. The core offering includes tiered membership programs (Agricultural, Associate, Commercial, Young Farmers & Ranchers, and Premium tiers) that provide access to advocacy services, publications, and member discounts. The organization also manages VCAILG (Ventura County Agricultural Irrigated Lands Group), providing water quality compliance services including the Clearwater data management platform, Nitrogen Management Planning tools, TMDL compliance support, and educational workshops. Publications include Central Coast Farm & Ranch (quarterly magazine), Farm Bureau Newsletter (bimonthly), and Ag Alert (weekly). The organization also provides a business directory and crop data resources for the Ventura County agricultural community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VCAILG: Ventura County Agricultural Irrigated Lands Group - a water quality compliance program managed by Farm Bureau to help growers comply with state and federal water quality regulations

Products and services

• Clearwater Data Management Platform Web-based data management system used by VCAILG members to manage enrollment, track compliance status, process Farm Evaluation surveys, notify members of TMDL exceedances, generate Notice of Intent (NOI) forms, and manage regulatory requirements for water quality compliance.
• Agricultural Membership Membership tier for farmers and ranchers who receive income from agricultural production, providing advocacy, business services, Ag Alert subscriptions, FBVC Email Newsletter, and Farm Team political action benefits at $500 per year.
• Associate Membership Membership tier for individuals who wish to support local farming but are not employed in agriculture, offering subscriptions to Central Coast Farm & Ranch and various commercial discounts at $250 per year.
• Commercial Membership Membership for businesses in the agriculture industry, providing promotional opportunities including listings in the online business directory and Central Coast Farm & Ranch directory at $750 per year.
• Young Farmers & Ranchers Program Program for young professionals aged 18-35 in the ag industry, offering leadership training, networking opportunities, and discounted Agricultural Membership rates at $150 per year.
• Premium Membership Tiers Premium membership levels including Commercial ($750/year), Gold Seal ($1,000/year), Diamond ($1,750/year), Platinum ($2,000/year), and Founder's Circle ($4,500/year), offering enhanced recognition and employee membership benefits.
• Central Coast Farm & Ranch Magazine Quarterly magazine published by Farm Bureau of Ventura County covering news, features, photography and commentary about agriculture in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, distributed free to Farm Bureau members.
• Farm Bureau Newsletter Bimonthly newsletter providing information and announcements about topics important to Ventura County's agricultural community, including news from UC Cooperative Extension and other partner organizations.
• Ag Alert Newspaper Weekly agricultural newspaper published by California Farm Bureau, distributed as a benefit to Farm Bureau members. The most widely read agricultural publication in California.
• VCAILG Water Quality Management Program Ventura County Agricultural Irrigated Lands Group program helping growers comply with state and federal water quality regulations through collective monitoring, reporting, and Best Management Practice implementation. Covers approximately 90 percent of the county's irrigated acreage.
• Business Directory Online directory of Farm Bureau member businesses and service providers supporting the agricultural community, organized by categories including Ag Tech, Farms, Packers & Shippers, Fertilizer, Irrigation, and more.
• Education Workshops Agricultural education opportunities including workshops and classes to help VCAILG members meet annual education requirements (minimum 2.0 hours of approved water quality education per year).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,400 agricultural landowners representing approximately 90% of county's irrigated acreage enrolled in VCAILG compliance program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe partnership between Farm Bureau and UC Cooperative Extension dates back to 1914 when the Smith-Lever Act established federal-state-local cooperation to bring agricultural research to farms. Farm Advisors from UCCE provide educational programs, research support, and technical expertise. UCCE staff contribute to VCAILG workshops and BMP resources.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA agency providing conservation planning and technical assistance. NRCS staff serve as Technical Service Providers for TMDL compliance Track 2 Management Practice Plans. Dawn Afman serves as District Conservationist for Ventura County office in Oxnard.
• Ventura County Resource Conservation District (RCD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal conservation district that administers grant programs including CCWAMMP (Calleguas Creek Watershed Agricultural Management Measure Program) and IIMRLN (Interactive Irrigation Management to Reduce Leaching of Nitrogen). Jamie Whiteford serves as District Scientist.
• California Farm Bureau FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide organization with chapters in 56 counties. Affiliation provides access to state-level policy advocacy, publications including Ag Alert newspaper, and California-specific member benefits programs.
• American Farm Bureau FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization of farmers and ranchers with member organizations in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Provides national-level policy advocacy and resources for California Farm Bureau affiliates.
• Farm Employers Labor Service (FELS)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFarm Bureau members receive $100 off subscriptions to FELS products and services including farm employment-law summaries, newsletters, safety seminars, sexual harassment prevention training, and bilingual labor-relations assistance.
• Nationwide InsuranceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive insurance provider of California Farm Bureau since 1926. Offers members discounts on farm insurance, automobile, home, pet, travel, powersports, commercial, life insurance, and workers' compensation.
• Water Agencies (Calleguas, Casitas, United Water, Fox Canyon, etc.)coreOthersPartnership with local water agencies including Calleguas Municipal Water District, Casitas Municipal Water District, Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency, United Water Conservation District, Ventura County Watershed Protection District, and others for water supply and quality management.
• Ventura County ACP-HLB Task ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTask force established in 2010 by Farm Bureau and industry stakeholders to coordinate response to Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) invasion and prevent Huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Coordinates with California Department of Food and Agriculture and USDA APHIS.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• California Farm Bureau Federation: State-level parent federation of which Farm Bureau of Ventura County is a member, with chapters in 56 counties. Directly comparable as the immediate umbrella organization providing state-level advocacy, Ag Alert publication, and member benefit programs to the Ventura County chapter.
• American Farm Bureau Federation: National federation with member organizations in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Comparable as the federated parent providing national policy advocacy channels to Ventura County through California Farm Bureau, serving the same farmer-rancher constituency.
• Western Growers Association: California and Arizona-based agricultural trade association representing specialty crop growers including many Ventura County members (berries, leafy greens, citrus). Comparable as a peer providing advocacy and member services to the same large commercial agricultural operations in the region.

Direct peers

• Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau: Adjacent county Farm Bureau that co-publishes Central Coast Farm & Ranch magazine with Farm Bureau of Ventura County. Comparable as a peer serving overlapping Central Coast growers with similar advocacy and member-benefit programs.
• Farm Bureau of San Luis Obispo County: Neighboring county Farm Bureau chapter in California's Central Coast region with analogous membership structure, advocacy programs, and agricultural service offerings. Directly comparable peer serving a similar commodity mix and grower base adjacent to Ventura County.

Regional players

• California Association of Winegrape Growers: California state commodity-specific advocacy organization. Comparable as a peer organization providing policy advocacy and grower representation in California agriculture, with overlapping but not identical constituency.
• Ventura County Agricultural Association: Local Ventura County agricultural trade association with overlapping board members and grower constituency (e.g., Director Danny Pereira served as chairman 2003-2004). Directly comparable peer organization serving similar local agricultural policy and advocacy functions.

Emerging players

• Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF): California-based organization advocating for sustainable agriculture and family farms. Comparable as a peer organization focused on advocacy and education for California farmers, though more oriented toward sustainable/regenerative practices than commodity advocacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FarmBureauVC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/farm-bureau-of-ventura-county
• Xx.com/farmbureauvc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Farm Bureau of Ventura County