Sierra Bancorp Declares $0.11 Cash Dividend.

PORTERVILLE, Calif. -- Sierra Bancorp (Nasdaq:BSRR), parent of Bank of the Sierra, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.11 per share, representing an increase of 22% over the quarterly dividend paid a year ago. The dividend will be paid on May 20, 2005 to shareholders of record as of May 6, 2005.

Sierra Bancorp is the holding company for Bank of the Sierra, which is in its 28th year of operations and is the largest independent bank headquartered in the South San Joaquin Valley. The Bank has $1.0 billion in total assets and currently maintains eighteen branch offices and two agricultural credit centers. In its July 2004 edition, US Banker magazine ranked BSRR as the nation's 16th best performing publicly-traded community bank in the nation, based on three-year average return on equity. More information about Bank of the Sierra is available on the Bank's web site, www.bankofthesierra.com.

The statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. Readers are cautioned not to unduly rely on forward looking statements. Actual results may differ from those projected. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including but not limited to the bank's ability to maintain current dividend payments or increase dividend payouts to shareholder, its ability to continue to generate record financial results, changes in economic conditions, interest rates and loan portfolio performance, and other factors detailed in the Company's SEC filings. Sierra Bancorp undertakes no responsibility to update or revise any forward-looking statements.