California / Food and Agriculture

Agency file

Food and Agriculture

Source file: California — State Employee Compensation (SCO Payroll Data Warehouse, CPRA) / ingested Jul 4, 2026

The Food and Agriculture supports agriculture — farming, food safety, livestock, and rural development programs.

In 2025, this agency had 2,156 employees with median total compensation of $63,690; the highest distinct record was $252,718.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $146.8M
Employees: 2,156
Median total: $63,690
Highest record: $252,718

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

-$11,023$180,666+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 2,156 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($63,690) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $65,006 (95%)
Overtime — $1,159 (2%)
Other — $1,923 (3%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$12,070

$33,882

$63,690

$95,504

$127,073

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $127,073 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $12,070. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Environmental Scientist

272 · $86,328

Agricultural Technician III (Seasonal)

203 · $26,116

Agricultural Technician I (Seasonal)

155 · $14,563

Associate Governmental Program Analyst

139 · $77,708

Plant Quarantine Inspector

96 · $58,687

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Trend

Year over year

How this department's total payroll, headcount, and median pay changed across the 3 published years.

Year	Total payroll	Employees	Median pay
2023	$133.8M —	2,196 —	$54,554 —
2024	$145.1M ▲ 8.4%	2,313 ▲ 5.3%	$57,243 ▲ 4.9%
2025	$146.8M ▲ 1.2%	2,156 ▼ 6.8%	$63,690 ▲ 11.3%

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Jody Lusby

C.E.A./Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$172,041

Base pay: $168,321
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $3,720
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $172,041
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $14,453
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0140027500002
Salary Total: $14,019
Total Pay: $172,041

Jody Lusby works as a C.E.A. for Food and Agriculture. Their status is full-time. Jody earned $172,041 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is M01.

Rachelle Kennedy

Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$171,937

Base pay: $171,437
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $500
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $171,937
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S10
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $14,876
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0187070756001
Salary Total: $15,025
Total Pay: $171,937

Rachelle Kennedy holds the role of Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory) at Food and Agriculture. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $171,937. Their bargaining unit is S10.

Tyson Porter

Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$171,634

Base pay: $67,465
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $104,169
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $171,634
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S10
Work county: Fresno
Middle name: E

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $13,100
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0184740764001
Salary Total: $13,493
Total Pay: $171,634

Tyson Porter is a Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) at Food and Agriculture. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $171,634. They are represented by S10.

Arima Kozina

C.E.A./Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$171,520

Base pay: $157,297
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $14,223
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $171,520
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $14,453
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0140017500001
Salary Total: $14,019
Total Pay: $171,520

Arima Kozina holds the role of C.E.A. at Food and Agriculture. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $171,520. Their bargaining unit is M01.

Rachael O'Brien

Deputy Secretary for Legislative Affairs/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$171,166

Base pay: $147,889
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $23,277
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $171,166
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: E97
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: E

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $14,378
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0180010007001
Salary Total: $13,947
Total Pay: $171,166

Rachael O'Brien holds the role of Deputy Secretary for Legislative Affairs at Food and Agriculture. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $171,166. They are represented by E97.

Courtney Albrecht

Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$170,240

Base pay: $170,240
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $170,240
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: E48
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $15,602
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0144660756001
Salary Total: $14,162
Total Pay: $170,240

Courtney Albrecht is a Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory) at Food and Agriculture. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $170,240. Union affiliation: E48.

Matthew Kaiser

Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$169,961

Base pay: $169,361
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $600
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $169,961
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: E48
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: C

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $15,602
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0184720756002
Salary Total: $14,413
Total Pay: $169,961

Matthew Kaiser is a Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory) at Food and Agriculture. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $169,961. Their bargaining unit is E48.

Marcee Yount

C.E.A./Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$169,739

Base pay: $166,619
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $3,120
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $169,739
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $14,307
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0187127500001
Salary Total: $13,878
Total Pay: $169,739

At Food and Agriculture, Marcee Yount serves as a C.E.A.. They work full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $169,739. Union affiliation: M01.

Michelle Pham

Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$169,680

Base pay: $165,327
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,354
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $169,680
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S10
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $15,256
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0184720756001
Salary Total: $14,093
Total Pay: $169,680

Michelle Pham is a Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory) at Food and Agriculture. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $169,680. Union affiliation: S10.

Ricardo Gaitan

Veterinarian Specialist (Meat Inspection)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$168,889

Base pay: $135,513
Overtime: $30,124
Other pay: $3,252
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $168,889
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R10
Work county: Sacramento

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $11,647
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0141400180002
Salary Total: $11,789
Total Pay: $168,889

At Food and Agriculture, Ricardo Gaitan serves as a Veterinarian Specialist (Meat Inspection). They work full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $168,889. Their bargaining unit is R10.

Kathy Diaz-Cretu

C.E.A./Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$168,621

Base pay: $168,321
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $300
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $168,621
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M01
Work county: Sacramento

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $14,453
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0145017500001
Salary Total: $14,019
Total Pay: $168,621

Kathy Diaz-Cretu holds the role of C.E.A. at Food and Agriculture. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $168,621. They are represented by M01.

Brenda Lanini

Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$166,842

Base pay: $166,842
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $166,842
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S10
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $15,272
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0184040756001
Salary Total: $14,108
Total Pay: $166,842

Brenda Lanini is a Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory) at Food and Agriculture. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $166,842. They are represented by S10.

Alireza Javidmehr

Research Scientist IV (Epidemiology/Biostatistics)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$166,735

Base pay: $137,299
Overtime: $29,436
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $166,735
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R10
Work county: Sacramento

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $11,826
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0141105609001
Salary Total: $11,767
Total Pay: $166,735

Alireza Javidmehr works as a Research Scientist IV (Epidemiology/Biostatistics) for Food and Agriculture. Their status is full-time. Alireza earned $166,735 in 2025. They are represented by R10.

Nilan Watmore

Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$166,077

Base pay: $166,077
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $166,077
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S10
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: C

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $14,529
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0143620756001
Salary Total: $14,674
Total Pay: $166,077

Nilan Watmore holds the role of Environmental Program Manager I (Supervisory) at Food and Agriculture. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $166,077. They are represented by S10.

Janamjeet Sohal

Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$165,591

Base pay: $162,591
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $3,000
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $165,591
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S10
Work county: Santa Clara
Middle name: K

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $13,493
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0146940764001
Salary Total: $13,628
Total Pay: $165,591

Janamjeet Sohal works as a Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) for Food and Agriculture. Their status is full-time. Janamjeet earned $165,591 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is S10.

Yesica Torres

Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory)/Food and Agriculture

2025 total comp

$164,991

Base pay: $164,991
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $164,991
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S10
Work county: Los Angeles
Middle name: G

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $13,493
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0146870764001
Salary Total: $13,828
Total Pay: $164,991

At Food and Agriculture, Yesica Torres serves as a Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory). They work full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $164,991. They are represented by S10.

Natalie Ward

Veterinarian (General)/Food and Agriculture

2024 total comp

$164,747

Base pay: $115,186
Overtime: $48,989
Other pay: $572
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $164,747
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R10
Work county: Tulare
Middle name: S

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,593
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 0141120177004
Salary Total: $9,881
Total Pay: $164,747

Natalie Ward is a Veterinarian (General) at Food and Agriculture. They work full-time. 2024 total compensation came to $164,747. They are represented by R10.