People just don't understand.

That was the message repeated again and again by local growers who spoke to a panel of California agricultural officials Monday.

"The general public must understand us in order to appreciate us," Santa Paula cattle rancher A.E. Sloan told the panel, which included California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura and State Board of Food and Agriculture President Al Montna.

"Improved awareness from the general public will be the only thing that stems attacks from interest groups on family farmers and ranchers that make it significantly more difficult to operate a successful business here in comparison to neighboring states or other countries," Sloan said.

The "listening session" at the Oxnard Performing Arts and Convention Center was one of several scheduled in various cities as Kawamura travels up and down the state seeking public input for his "California Agricultural Vision." It is intended to be a public policy guide that will forecast state and national investment priorities through the year 2030.

"With all the challenges our industry faces, this opportunity to create and implement a blueprint for agriculture over the next 20 years is unprecedented," Kawamura said.

Montna said it "will not be a document to gather dust, but an action plan to secure the viability of this industry for today and years to come."

"The biggest hurdle to achieving this vision is lack of understanding by the average person of the challenges of agriculture," Sloan said.

Dulanie Ellis-La Barre of the Ojai Valley Green Coalition said she has seen a growing trend of people wanting to know where their food comes from, how it's grown and who grows it after food contamination scares, but such events can devastate a whole segment of the agriculture industry.

Speaking on behalf of the Ventura County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture, Marjie Bartels also spoke about public awareness.

"Very few people today have a direct connection to a farm," she said. "Urban children do not know where their food comes from. People often take for granted the abundant supply of food that is readily available to them year-round. While they appreciate the beauty of the farm landscape, they forget that that is a farmer's family business, and that their support is essential to that farmer's success."