Santa Barbara County has a new Agricultural Commissioner.
Jose Chang has worked in the field for nearly two decades. He’s worked in the agricultural commissioner’s office in Napa, and then Monterey Counties since 2006. His family worked in the industry and he studied agriculture at UC Davis.
Chang will oversee a department with more than three dozen employees and a $7 million budget. The agency is responsible for helping to keep the county’s $1.9 billion dollar agricultural industry on track.
He’ll replace Cathy Fisher, who’s retiring after 12 years on the job.
