The Overview

If you run a goat-grazing operation in California, your workers can now be paid under the same alternative monthly-wage structure as sheep herders, at least through the end of 2028. California's AB 187 became law when Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed it Sept. 18. ​

California's overtime law had raised minimum wages for sheep and goat range herders by about 250 percent over six years, making the hours and resulting wage requirements difficult for ranchers to manage, according to California Agriculture journal.

What the Law Does

The law extends to goat herders, until Jan. 1, 2029, the alternative monthly minimum-wage structure that already applies to sheep herders employed on a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week on-call basis, and covers meal and rest periods, lodging, and other working conditions. Employers must post the relevant wage rules in a language the herder understands, in a place easily read during the workday. Under existing state law, employers who underpay sheepherders face a civil penalty of $100 per underpaid employee for each pay period, plus recovery of the unpaid wages, and $250 for any subsequent violation.

KQED reported that goat-grazing companies use herds to reduce vegetation that fuels wildfires, and that a California Farm Bureau estimate put one goat herder's potential annual earnings at about $240,000 under the wage requirements previously in effect.

Legislative Status

The Committee on Budget carried the bill as its sole sponsor. The Assembly passed it 53-17 on March 20, 2025. The Senate passed it 40-0 on Aug. 31, 2026, and the Assembly concurred the same day, 76-0. The law took effect immediately upon signing by the governor.

The Sacramento Bee reported the change was relief requested by goat-herding companies and would preserve grazing that helps prevent wildfires. The California Farm Bureau said the law reenacted the alternative monthly minimum-wage structure for goat herders. The California State Association of Counties said the law restores wage parity between sheep and goat herders, according to the association's report.

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