Ventura County’s Board of Supervisors has taken an important first step toward making Central Coast agriculture more competitive in the 21st century.

In a preliminary vote, the board allowed up to 200 acres of composting operations on agricultural land, as long as the benefit is mainly to agriculture.

This is a big win for Agromin, its partners and CEO Bill Camarillo, who argued successfully that recycling green waste will allow agribusinesses to operate with fewer pesticides and consume less water. The approval opens the door for Agromin to explore other technologies, including a waste-to-energy conversion that could provide low-cost methane to provide electric power and power for vehicles.

Thinking about the future of agriculture in Ventura County and California, reducing water use, reducing pesticide and herbicide runoff and achieving energy self-sufficiency are really big deals. The board has correctly realized that preserving Ventura County’s agricultural heritage means allowing growers to innovate and invest in new technology.

Betting the farm on a greener and more efficient agricultural industry will turn out to be a winning wager.