It was a pleasure to be a “Berry Sponsor” for the Ventura County Ag Week Awards Luncheon, held at the Agricultural Museum today in Santa Paula. With annual crop sales totaling more than $2.1 Billion, Ventura County is a powerhouse in terms of crop production. Farmers, agricultural entities, and water users are an important part of my practice. Honoring the work they do is what this week is all about and we are happy to be a part of it.
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2019 Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards
Melissa Sayer attended the 2019 Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards Dinner and was featured as one of the 2019 Finalist recipients in the Professional Services category. Matilija Law would like to congratulate all of the women entrepreneurs honored.
Top 50 Women in Business
We are pleased to see Melissa Sayer included in the Pacific Coast Business Times’ Top 50 Women in Business for 2019.

Photo credit: Viktor Budnik
https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2019/03/22/top-50-women-in-business-winners-announced/
Feature in Family Circle Magazine
I am pleased to see Family Circle Magazine adapt to the needs and concerns of working women. In this month’s magazine featuring 26 practical tips for job success, I’m among the professional women interviewed on “Tips for Career Success from A to Z”. Even though my career is established and my kids are grown, I still discovered a few new ideas for myself.
The full article is available at:
https://www.familycircle.com/family-fun/tips-career-success-z/
Frost, Rain, and Reflection
I took a break from the law practice today to enjoy how green everything had become on our ranches here in Ventura County. For my husband and I, and my agricultural clients, the business of agriculture is 24/7. With freezing temperatures expected on several nights recently, there was yet another round of late night and early morning freeze patrol. Although it might seem counter-intuitive, irrigating during very cold nights can help counteract freezing conditions. The water is warmer than the cold air which raises temperatures at critical points to prevent frost damage.
Despite contending with freezing temperatures , I am happy to report that with the current rainfall, Ventura County had been downgraded from a “moderate drought” rating to “abnormally dry”. While this trend is encouraging, United Water Conservation District officials report that even though Lake Piru’s water level has doubled over the last two months, rising more than 30 feet, it is still only 39% full. It would take an additional 180,000 acre feet of water to bring the lake to full capacity. Ventura County District officials state that in order to get completely out of drought conditions, the county will need 10 more storms similar to those that occurred during the first two months of this year.
Even with increased rainfall, water rights for those in agriculture continue to be challenging at best. Farmers and ranchers must navigate a myriad of state, local, and private water rights issues.
But all of that aside, it is nice to take a Saturday to stop and enjoy how green everything has become.