More Farm Jobs Lower Kern County, Calif., Unemployment in July.(Originated from The Bakersfield Californian)

Aug. 17--A strong gain in farm employment helped Kern County register a drop in the unemployment rate for July, according to state statistics released Friday.

Unemployment dropped to 11.6 percent in July, compared to 12.4 percent in June and 13.3 percent in July 1995, the Employment Development Department reported.

In Kern County, gains in the farm payrolls were up 5,900, primarily due to the peak season from harvesting grapes, said EDD labor analyst Sarah Parker in Bakersfield.

She said the grape harvesting will continue through October. July also included harvesting melons, carrots and garlic.

The farm employment overshadowed the loss of jobs in local education, which is down 4,500 due to the summer recess, she said.

Other industry segments remained fairly stable, she said.

When compared to July a year ago, farm employment gained more than 8,400 jobs, while nonfarm payrolls gained 100 jobs. The largest employment gains over the previous year were noted in trade (up 1,000) and services (up 600).

Retail trade alone was up 700 jobs from a year ago. Job losses were largest in government (down 1,000) and mining, which includes oil-related work, (down 400).

Meanwhile, California's unemployment rate fell to 7.1 percent in July from a revised 7.2 percent in June as the state added 22,300 non-farm jobs, officials said.

The rate, which reflects the fourth consecutive monthly decline, is the lowest since January 1991, when it was 7.0 percent. California's unemployment rate peaked at 9.7 percent in late 1992.

The decline narrowed the still-substantial gap between California and the rest of the nation. The U.S. rate rose a 10th of a percentage point to 5.4 percent in July as the nation added a fewer-than-expected 193,000 jobs.

Over the past year, California has added 334,000 jobs for an increase of 2.6 percent, better than the 2.1 percent gain overall in the United States, said Ted Gibson, chief economist for the state Finance Department.

Gibson said the latest figures confirm the state's economy is continuing its slow but steady recovery from the recession.

Unemployment rates declined in most San Joaquin Valley counties in July compared to June and the previous July.

Only Kings County showed an increase in the rate from a year ago, up 0.7 percent to 13.4 percent. That was the same rate Kings County had in June. Tulare County was the only area where joblessness increased from June, going up 0.6 percent.

Here are the July 1996 preliminary statistics for each valley county compared to revised June figures and revised figures for July 1995:

Kern -- 248,700 people employed, 32,700 unemployed for an 11.6 percent unemployment rate compared to 12.4 percent in June and 13.3 percent in July 1995.

San Joaquin -- 219,500 people employed, 26,000 unemployed for a 10.6 percent unemployment rate compared to 11.5 percent in June and 12.4 percent in July 1995.

Stanislaus -- 176,400 people employed, 26,600 unemployed for a 13.1 percent unemployment rate compared to 14.9 percent in June and 15.2 percent in July 1995.

Merced -- 71,400 people employed, 12,100 unemployed for a 14.5 percent unemployment rate compared to 15.7 percent in June and 16.1 percent in July 1995.

Madera -- 44,020 people employed, 7,030 unemployed for a 13.9 percent unemployment rate compared to 14.2 percent in June and 14.6 percent in July 1995.

Fresno -- 327,800 people employed, 44,500 unemployed for a 12.0 percent unemployment rate compared to 12.4 percent in June and 13.0 percent in July 1995.

Kings -- 35,140 people employed, 5,430 unemployed for a 13.4 percent unemployment rate compared to 13.4 percent in June and 12.7 percent in July 1995.

Tulare -- 136,600 people employed, 25,400 unemployed for a 15.7 percent unemployment rate compared to 15.1 percent in June and 17.0 percent in July 1995.

The Associated Press and Bloomberg Business News contributed to this report.

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(c) 1996, The Bakersfield Californian. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News.