To: Board of Supervisors
From: Agricultural Commissioner
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Approval of Cooperative Agreement No. 25-0431-024-SF, Sudden Oak Mortality Regulatory Program Contract in the Amount of $27,592.09
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve Cooperative Agreement No. 25-0431-024-SF known as the Sudden Oak Mortality Regulatory Program contract with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA); and
2. Authorize the Chair to sign the original agreement, and direct the Clerk of the Board to return the signed agreement to the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office for further processing; and
3. Grant a waiver from the provisions of the Nuclear Free Ordinance.
Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Core Services/Other
Strategic Plan Category: 9999 - Core Services/Other
DISCUSSION:
The Agricultural Commissioner’s Office receives annual subventions from CDFA to offset the local costs of enforcing certain state-mandated programs. Cooperative Agreement No. 25-0431-024-SF provides funding to Humboldt County for the Sudden Oak Mortality Regulatory Program.
Phytophthora ramorum, the pathogen that causes the plant disease known as Sudden Oak Death (SOD), has caused widespread die-off of several native tree species (Tan Oak, Coast Live Oak and Black Oak) in California and Oregon since it was first identified in the mid 1990’s. Since the discovery of an SOD infestation in the Redway area in 2002, Humboldt County has been subject to federal and state quarantine restrictions on plants and plant parts covered by the quarantine (California Code of Regulations, Division 4, Subchapter 6, Section 3700, & Code of Federal regulations, Section 301.92). Numerous host plants for SOD are important to the wood products and nursery industry. There are currently more than 120 plants regulated as hosts for SOD.
Through the mechanism of compliance agreements between plant products producers and Humboldt County, the SOD program provides a regulatory process that permits the movement of plants and plant products subject to state and federal SOD quarantines. Agriculture Department staff conduct regular surveys of local plant nurseries and collect plant samples for laboratory testing to determine that commercial plant products are free from the SOD pathogen. Through intensive visual inspections of host species and laboratory testing, the SOD program ensures that nursery stock, wood products, green waste and compost produced in Humboldt County are not responsible for artificially spreading the SOD pathogen. The entire scope of work conducted by Humboldt County to ensure producer compliance with SOD quarantines includes quarantine enforcement, eradication, trace-forward/trace-back investigations, communication with industry, and training. The request for a waiver from the provisions of the Nuclear Free Ordinance is requested since the State of California will not modify its cooperative agreements to accommodate local ordinances.
This agreement comes to your Board after the July 1 effective date due to delays in receiving this agreement from CDFA. All costs associated with the SOD Regulatory Program are billed to CDFA monthly and payment is made in arrears to Humboldt County.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
CDFA-Agricultural Commissioner 1100-261
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
|
Expenditures (1100, 261) |
FY25-26 |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$27,592.09 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$27,592.09 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
|
Funding Sources (110, 261) |
FY25-26 |
|
State/Federal Funds |
$27,592.09 |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$27,592.09 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
All costs for personnel, mileage and supplies will be reimbursed by the agreement. Cooperative agreement No. 25-0431-024-SF provides $27,592.09 for agriculture department activities related to the SOD regulatory program from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. The adopted budget for fiscal year 2025-26 includes sufficient appropriations in Fund 1100, Budget Unit 261 in anticipation of this agreement, therefore no supplemental budget accompanies this request.
STAFFING IMPACT:
There is no impact on staff.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board may choose not to approve the agreement. However, this is not recommended as this is a state mandated program, and the county would not be reimbursed for SOD regulatory activities.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Cooperative Agreement No. 25-0431-024-SF
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: June 17, 2025
File No.: 25-746