Approximately 65 percent of the soil associations in the county have the capacity to produce varying amounts and types of agricultural commodities. Typically, gentler slopes can produce the largest crop variety including strawberries, irrigated vegetables, row crops, and citrus. The steeper the elevation, the more rooted the crops must be, which tends to favor tree nuts, avocados, and citrus crops. The remaining 35 percent of soil associations in the county either cannot support agricultural production due to slope, soil composition, access to water, elevation, or the capacity for production is minimal.
Mineral Resources are defined as naturally occurring inorganic materials in the earth’s crust that are of economic value and can be extracted. Mineral resources in Ventura County consist primarily of aggregate resources, more commonly known as construction grade sand, gravel, and stone. Other mineral resources within the County include clay, shale, gypsum, silica sand, limestone, and phosphate. The location of Mineral Resource Zones and petroleum resources in the county are described and illustrated in Section 8.4, “Mineral Resources,” of the Background Report,