New commissioner has vision for agriculture in Riverside County

(Riverside County News Release, July 9, 2003)

When he was just a teenager, John Snyder got his parents' OK to dig up every square inch of their backyard and plant one of the city's most diverse vegetable gardens. Maybe it was the satisfaction of watching the small crop blossom that hooked Snyder on agriculture.

"Nothing like a fresh-picked, vine-ripened tomato to give you that immediate sense of satisfaction," said Snyder, Riverside County 's new agricultural commissioner. "You put something in, you get something out."

His interest in agriculture grew into a job caring for exotic plants at a local nursery. Although he enjoyed the work, "I wanted to do something more important," Snyder said.

For a short time, Snyder worked in the agricultural commissioner's counterpart in Los Angeles County before joining Riverside County 's office in 1983. Since August 2000, he has been the county’s sealer of weights and measures, verifying the accuracy of gasoline pumps, grocery scales and other commercial measurement devices.

In July 2003, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors appointed him agricultural commissioner. Snyder, 45, replaced Agricultural Commissioner James Wallace, who retired in April 2003.

One of Snyder's greatest concerns is making sure agriculture remains competitive and viable within Riverside County 's vision for the future. In a world where exotic diseases threaten wine grapes, citrus crops and poultry, government must regulate industries and sometimes restrict the movement of certain high-risk commodities, he said.

“But not over-regulate and over-burden farmers to the point where they spend more time filling out forms and sitting through meetings than they do farming,” Snyder said.

Through community outreach, he wants to promote locally grown produce and develop more certified farmers' markets.

"I want people to know that the ag industry has an advocate in Riverside County ," Snyder said. "I'm here to represent their interests within the county's vision."

The Riverside County Integrated Project -- a three-pronged plan that covers transportation, habitat conservation and land-use planning -- provides for continuing agricultural uses as the county develops.

In his role as an advocate, Snyder intends to identify issues and maintain contact with legislators to keep the agricultural agenda fresh in their minds. The issues include pesticide use, the availability of labor and farmers' access to affordable utilities.

Snyder was born in Cuba, N.Y., and moved with his family to Orange County when he was 2 years old. He is a graduate of Cal Poly, Pomona, and lives in Riverside with his wife, Ellen, and their two children, Evan and Julia.