By admin 
California’s goat herder companies received the relief they requested from the California Legislature at the close of the 2026 session last week, a move that will preserve grazing that helps prevent wildfires.
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Lawmakers extended a temporary state labor law until Jan. 1, 2029, that allows goat herders to be paid under the same structure as sheep herders. The structure permits goat and sheep herder companies to pay their agricultural workers — who are on duty around the clock — a unique minimum monthly salary: around $2,934 in regular wages and approximately $1,887 in overtime wages. Other businesses are required to pay overtime based on hours worked.
The labor law, which had expired July 1, would have required companies to significantly increase goat herder pay, which businesses and their advocates in the agriculture industry warned could lead to companies shutting down or pivoting to sheep. Goat grazing businesses said they could have faced annual wage costs of around $240,000 per herder because of overtime requirements.
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It is unknown how many of California’s 500,000 sheep and 125,000 goats are used for targeted grazing, but labor advocates and grazing companies agree it is and increasing.
The Legislature already extended the law once in 2023 with Senate Bill 143.
California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass celebrated the news in a statement, saying that it will “keep goats available for wildfire fuel reduction.”
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“Common sense prevailed there, and we’re grateful for it,” Douglass said.