To: Board of Supervisors
From: Agricultural Commissioner
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Approval of Cooperative Agreement No. 20-0281-000-SG, known as the Bee Safe Program with the California Department of Food and Agriculture in the amount of $4,951.95
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve Cooperative Agreement No. 20-0281-000-SG, known as the Bee Safe Program Contract with the California Department of Food and Agriculture;
2. Authorize the Chair to sign the original agreement, then return the signed agreement to the Agricultural Commissioner's office for processing; and
3. Grant a waiver from the provisions of the Nuclear Free Ordinance.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), General Fund
DISCUSSION:
The waiver from the provisions of the Nuclear Free Ordinance is requested because the State of California will not modify its "cooperative agreements" to accommodate local ordinances. The Agriculture Department receives annual subventions from CDFA to offset local costs associated with enforcing certain state-mandated programs administered locally by the commissioner's office.
Existing state law recognizes the importance of managed honeybees. Per the California
Food and Agricultural Code (FAC), "a healthy and vibrant apiary industry is important to
the economy and welfare of the people of the State of California. Protection and
promotion of this important industry is in the interest of the people of the State of
California." (FAC Division 13, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 29000). Under state law, county agricultural commissioners are granted authority in the FAC to enforce various apiary and pest prevention laws including registration, identification, placement of hives and inspection and abatement of pests. All these requirements are measures intended to ensure the vitality of the beekeeping industry and to prevent bee pests from being introduced into...
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