California Congressmen Urge Action to Protect Wildfire Prevention Goat Herds
California Congressmen, including Tom McClintock, have sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom and other state leaders, urging immediate action to address the expiration of California's overtime exemption for commercial goat herders. The exemption, which expired on July 1, 2026, previously allowed goat herders to receive a monthly wage similar to sheep herders. Without this exemption, goat herders are now subject to standard agricultural worker rules, including an hourly minimum wage and overtime pay. The Congressmen warn that this policy change threatens the goat herding industry, which plays a vital role in wildfire prevention and vegetation management across the state. Goat herders are crucial for reducing vegetation that can fuel wildfires, and the new labor rules could force many operations to close. 
