To: Board of Supervisors
From: Agricultural Commissioner
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
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Standard Agreement No. 21-0388-000-SG, known as the High-risk Pest Exclusion Agreement in the Amount of $16,825.97
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1 Approve Standard Agreement No 21-0388-000-SG, known as the High-Risk Pest Exclusion Program contract with the California Department of Food and Agriculture;
2. Authorize the Chair to sign the original agreement, and direct the Clerk of the Board to return all copies to the Agriculture Department for further 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)
DISCUSSION:
The Agricultural Commissioner’s Office receives annual subventions from CDFA to offset the local cost of enforcing certain state-mandated programs. The High-Risk Pest Exclusion program intends to prevent or limit the spread of harmful or invasive plant diseases or insect pests. Standard Agreement No. 21-0388-000-SG provides $16,825.97 in funding to Humboldt County for inspection of high-risk plant material at parcel terminals (U.S. Post Office, United Parcel Service and Federal Express), air freight forwarding facilities and nursery stock shipments.
Under authority of the California Food and Agriculture Code (Sections 2282.5, 6303, 6401 and 6403), agriculture department staff conduct inspections of plant products for live pests and profile plant shipment invoices to verify compliance with state quarantine requirements. County high-risk inspections are one local component of the state-wide CDFA Pest Exclusion Program that inspects shipments of plant products at ports, airports, border inspection stations and other commercial or public points of entry to California. When necessary CDFA advises and coordinates state, federal and county personnel in response to confirmed or potential pest introductions to prevent or limit infestations of known serious agricultural or environmental pests. The types of plant products inspected by county staff are nursery stock, fruits, vegetables, cut flowers and animals shipped for the pet trade. Plant shipments found to be out of compliance or infested with pests are rejected and then either returned to the owner, held pending proof of quarantine compliance or destroyed.
Additional inspection pathways covered under this agreement include: beehives, Gypsy Moth inspections on articles covered by the federal domestic quarantine, post entry quarantine, specialty warehouse and markets, trucked plant product shipments and inspections for the recently introduced Spotted Lanternfly.
The waiver from the provisions of the Nuclear-Free Ordinance is requested because the State of California will not modify its Standard Agreements to accommodate local ordinances.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of Standard Agreement No. provides $16,825.97 for High-Risk Pest Exclusion activities from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. Payments to Humboldt County are made in arrears and based on monthly invoices and upon meeting contractual requirements. Revenue and expenditure accounts for FY 2021-22 were previously funded in anticipation of this agreement, therefore no supplemental budget accompanies this request. This item comes to your Board after the effective date of July 1, 2021, due to delays receiving the agreement from CDFA.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by enforcing laws and regulations to protect residents.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
CDFA
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board discretion
ATTACHMENTS:
One complete Standard Agreement No. 21-0388-000-SG
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-3
Meeting of: 7/28/2020
File No.: 20-907
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