Editing Oxnard, California (section)

===Agriculture===
"The areas studied showed a high percentage of Group I soils, primarily located on the relatively flat [[Oxnard Plain]]. The [[Oxnard Plain]], because of these high-quality agricultural soils, coupled with a favorable climate, is considered one of the most fertile areas in the world."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.camarillo.ca.us/govt/PlanGenPlanPDF/backgrnd.pdf |title=City of Camarillo General Plan |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326223103/http://www.ci.camarillo.ca.us/govt/PlanGenPlanPDF/backgrnd.pdf |archive-date=March 26, 2009 }}</ref>

In 1995, SOAR (Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources) was initiated by farmers, ranchers, and citizens of Ventura County to keep land in the [[Oxnard Plain]] from development.<ref name=Schniepp>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-feb-07-me-5826-story.html|title=An Economist Looks at SOAR|first=Mark|last=Schniepp|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=February 7, 1999|access-date=September 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222094310/http://articles.latimes.com/1999/feb/07/local/me-5826|archive-date=December 22, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Strawberries====
[[File:Strawberry field.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Strawberry field]]
The [[Oxnard Plain]] is well known for its [[Strawberry|strawberries]]. According to the [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]], Oxnard is California's largest strawberry producer, supplying about one-third of the State's annual strawberry volume.<ref>[http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FruitAndTreeNuts/fruitnutpdf/Strawberries.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207005243/http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FruitAndTreeNuts/fruitnutpdf/Strawberries.pdf|date=February 7, 2015}}</ref> From the end of September through the end of October, strawberries are planted and harvesting occurs from mid-December through mid-July in Oxnard. The peak harvesting season in California runs from April through June when up to 10 million pint baskets of strawberries are shipped daily.<ref>[http://www.strawberry-fest.org/pressroom/2007_releases/07_STRAWBERRY_TRIVIA.doc] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030034610/http://www.strawberry-fest.org/pressroom/2007_releases/07_STRAWBERRY_TRIVIA.doc|date=October 30, 2008}}</ref> The state of California supplies over 85 percent of U.S. strawberries, with the U.S. supplying a quarter of total world production of strawberries.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Charles |first=Dan |date=May 17, 2012 |title=The Secret Life Of California's World-Class Strawberries |work=NPR News |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/05/17/152522900/the-secret-life-of-californias-world-class-strawberries}}</ref>

The annual [[California Strawberry Festival]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://castrawberryfestival.org/|title=Home|publisher=California Strawberry Festival|access-date=January 18, 2020}}</ref> features vendors as well as food items based on the fruit such as strawberry nachos, strawberry pizza, strawberry funnel cake, strawberry sundaes, and strawberry champagne.<ref>{{cite news|title=Excitement continues at Day 2 of Strawberry Fest |first=Anne |last=Kallas |date=May 17, 2015 |work=[[Ventura County Star]]|url=http://www.vcstar.com/news/local-news/oxnard/excitement-continues-at-day-2-of-strawberry-fest_36776137 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.strawberry-fest.org/festival/festival-food.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313125944/http://www.strawberry-fest.org/festival/festival-food.html|date=March 13, 2009}}</ref>

[[Pests of California strawberry|Pests that attack this crop]] are economically impactful in this town.<ref name="NatIPM-Cal-straw"/> Much of the research and effort is expended here and in [[Watsonville, California|Watsonville]] and [[Salinas, California|Salinas]].<ref name="NatIPM-Cal-straw"/> Economically significant insects include the Greenhouse Whitefly (''[[Trialeurodes vaporariorum]]'').<ref name="NatIPM-Cal-straw">{{cite web | access-date=August 14, 2022 | date=2022 | title=2021 Pest Management Strategic Plan for Strawberry in California | website=[[Regional Integrated Pest Management Centers]] Database | url=http://ipmdata.ipmcenters.org/source_report.cfm?view=yes&sourceid=2468}}</ref>

====Cannabis====
{{further|Cannabis in California}}
In 2018, 80% of the voters approved a cannabis tax.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/2020/01/28/ventura-put-marijuana-sales-tax-november-ballot/4597059002/|title=Will Ventura get marijuana businesses? November sales tax measure could open the door|last=Biasotti|first=Tony|date=January 28, 2020|newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]]|language=en|access-date=April 24, 2020}}</ref> The city council adopted a "go slow" approach upon the legalization of recreational cannabis in California.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2019/10/23/oxnard-marijuana-dispensaries-downtown-shopping-center-possible-location/4054554002/|title=Oxnard shopping centers, downtown possible sites for marijuana dispensaries|last=Leung|first=Wendy|date=October 23, 2019|newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]]|language=en|access-date=October 24, 2019}}</ref> Companies must be licensed by the local agency and the state to grow, test, or sell cannabis and the city may authorize none or only some of these activities. Local governments may not prohibit adults who comply with state laws from growing, using, or transporting marijuana for personal use. After an initial ban, businesses focusing on manufacturing, testing, and distributing cannabis were allowed to apply for a permit to operate in July 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leung |first=Wendy |date=June 5, 2019 |title=Oxnard council gives approval to allow cannabis manufacturing, testing, distributing |url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2019/06/05/oxnard-approves-cannabis-manufacturing-testing-distributing/1347324001/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607180254/https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2019/06/05/oxnard-approves-cannabis-manufacturing-testing-distributing/1347324001/ |archive-date=June 7, 2019 |access-date=June 6, 2019 |newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]] |language=en}}</ref> An initial process in May 2020 to select retail proposals was challenged by unsuccessful applicants.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Oxnard ready to begin process of selecting marijuana retail business|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/2020/05/20/marijuana-retail-business-dispensaries-cannabis-pot-weed-oxnard-california/5203667002/|last=Leung|first=Wendy|date=May 20, 2020|newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]]|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2020}}</ref> After revising the city ordinance, the council decided in September 2020 to allow ten retail licences to be issued.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Leung|first=Wendy|date=September 17, 2020|title=Oxnard council agrees to add cannabis retail permits, saves spots for local businesses|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2020/09/17/oxnard-marijuana-retailers-permits-local-businesses-pot-weed-dispensaries/5787334002/|access-date=September 18, 2020|newspaper=Ventura County Star|language=en-US}}</ref> A social equity component to maximize the ability for communities of color to benefit from the new industry as owners and investors and managers and employees as allowed by state law was not included.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Leung|first=Wendy|date=September 11, 2020|title=50 marijuana retailers vie for Oxnard permits; city weighs local preference|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2020/09/11/marijuana-retailers-oxnard-weighs-local-preference-permitting-pot-weed/5754191002/|access-date=September 11, 2020|newspaper=Ventura County Star|language=en-US}}</ref> The city requires dispensaries to be a minimum of {{convert|600| feet}} from schools or daycare centers.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Varela|first=Brian J.|date=December 15, 2021|title=Despite opposition, Oxnard cannabis dispensary moves closer to opening|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2021/12/15/despite-opposition-oxnard-cannabis-dispensary-moves-closer-opening/6405047001/ |access-date=December 16, 2021|newspaper=Ventura County Star}}</ref> A special-use permit was approved for a retail store in an Oxnard Shores neighborhood shopping center in February 2022 amidst organized opposition from the neighborhood.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Varela|first=Brian J.|title=City approves cannabis dispensary for Oxnard Shores amid flurry of public debate|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2022/02/22/oxnard-shores-dispensary-approval-ventura-county-holisitics/6896752001/|access-date=February 25, 2022|newspaper=Ventura County Star|language=en-US}}</ref> The first dispensary in the city opened in the downtown area in December 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Varela |first=Brian J. |date=December 20, 2022 |title=Artist Tree: Oxnard's first cannabis dispensary opens doors |url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/2022/12/21/oxnards-first-cannabis-dispensary-the-artist-tree-opens-doors/69742277007/ |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=Ventura County Star |language=en-US}}</ref>