VENTURA, Calif. – On Tuesday, September 12, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, through unanimous vote, appointed Korinne Bell to the position of Agricultural Commissioner. Bell’s appointment was made following the retirement of the previous Agricultural Commissioner, Ed Williams, in August. Bell has served 17 years in the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, the last 7 of which she has served as the Chief Deputy Agricultural Commissioner.
“Korinne was born and raised in the community, and she’s developed relationships and partnerships across so many areas”, said Matt LaVere, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We have all the confidence in the world that she is going to move this department forward and expand its already great reputation.”
During Bell’s nearly two decades with the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, she’s climbed the ranks from Agricultural Inspector Biologist to Chief Deputy Agricultural Commissioner. During her tenure, she has worked in and overseen programs that include Pesticide Use Enforcement, Pest Exclusion, Certified Farmers’ Markets, Organics, Standardization, the Pierce’s Disease Control Program, Agricultural Disaster Assessment, and the publication of the annual Ventura County Crop & Livestock Report. Bell currently manages a portfolio of 30 diverse programs and leads a team of over 70 dedicated employees. Her responsibilities encompass personnel management, management of compliance with safety protocols as the agency’s safety officer, as well as serving as public information officer for the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office. Additionally, Bell continues to oversee environmental analysis for land use projects involving agriculture and her related role as staff for the Ventura County Agricultural Advisory Committee. She played a key role in the merger of the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office with the Ventura County Weights & Measures Division in 2022.
Bell holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and a Master of Education degree from Azusa Pacific University.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community and county as the next Agricultural Commissioner,” said Bell. “I am wholeheartedly committed to the department’s mission to protect and promote agriculture and equity in the marketplace. I also do not take lightly the responsibility of this office and its role for ensuring the welfare of the public, our agricultural industry, and the environment. I am dedicated to continuing to positively shape the future of agriculture in Ventura County.”
The Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office works to protect and promote agriculture and consumers in the region. By working together with all Ventura County stakeholders, the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office builds the necessary structures for long term success for the agriculture industry.
Throughout California, there are 55 Agricultural Commissioners in 58 counties. They are part of a network of regulatory agencies in charge of enforcing regulations for the agriculture industry, collecting fees for providing services to the industry and public, and are funded by federal, state and county governments. Locally, the County Board of Supervisors appoints the commissioner to a four-year term.
