Ventura County Agricultural Association (VCAA) was established in 1970 as a non-profit business trade association under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(5).
VCAA offers two forms of membership: Regular and Associate. Regular Membership is offered to those companies who are directly involved in the growing, packing and shipping of agricultural commodities. Associate Membership is offered to those companies who provide support services to regular members of the Association. These include, but are not limited to, farm labor contractors, transportation, irrigation, pesticide application, insurance, banking institutions, and occupational medical providers.
The composition of VCAA’s regular membership is diversified and includes a variety of agricultural and horticultural commodities, including strawberries, nursery stock, lemons, celery, tomatoes, raspberries, avocados, cut flowers, peppers, valencia oranges, as well as citrus, strawberry, vegetable and avocado packing/processing operations. Membership is limited to qualified organizations conducting business in either Ventura or Santa Barbara Counties.
The Association provides a wide variety of services to its membership. VCAA offers such information services as monthly newsletters, wage surveys, labor, safety and employment law seminars, legislative and immigration law updates, as well as State and Federal compliance guidelines and policies.
Through strategic alliances with outside consultants and associations, VCAA provides certified training in the areas of CPR-first aid, tractor and forklift driver training, hazardous materials, worker protection standards, ergonomics and pesticide handling.
A major asset to membership in VCAA is your access to the Association’s President and General Counsel, Rob Roy, with respect to labor and employment law issues. Mr. Roy is respected as one of the foremost agricultural labor and employment law attorneys in the State. His specialized legal services include representation of clients before the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Department of Industrial Relations, Department of Fair Employment & Housing (DFEH), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Employment Development Department (EDD), the U.S. Department of Labor, as well as all of the State and Federal courts in California.
Mr. Roy provides legal counsel with regard to wrongful termination, sexual harassment and discrimination cases. He also represents members in union elections, contract negotiations, grievances and arbitration proceedings.
Employee Handbooks, Injury & Illness Prevention Programs, Heat Illness Policies and miscellaneous employment policies for drug testing, family medical leaves, pregnancy disability and related employment subjects are also prepared by Mr. Roy for VCAA members. The foregoing services are strictly limited to members of the Association in good standing.
Membership in VCAA is initiated by completing an application and submission to the VCAA Board of Directors for approval. Once approved by the Board, applicants will be notified of their acceptance and access to the foregoing services.