The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved David Sanford as the County’s next Agricultural Commissioner.
Sanford has served as the Deputy Agricultural Commissioner since 2016.
He will lead a department responsible for a range of activities including pest management, weights and measures, pesticide enforcement and oversight of agricultural programs such as farmer’s markets and the annual Crop Report.
“I’m very happy to see David assume this new role,” County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios said. “He brings a wealth of local experience working with the agricultural community and has served admirably since stepping in as interim Agricultural Commissioner in February.”
Sanford has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science from UC Davis.
He previously served as Deputy Agricultural Commissioner in Monterey County before coming to Santa Cruz County in 2016, where he oversaw the Pesticide Use Enforcement Program and the Crop Statistics and Organic Registration program, while also helping supervise the Direct Marketing Program, among many other duties.
“I’m grateful to the Board of Supervisors for their vote and look forward to leading this department on a permanent basis,” Sanford said in a prepared statement. “I look forward to working with all sectors of the community to cultivate partnerships, nurture growth, protect the environment and safeguard the bounty of our agricultural heritage.”
