BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AJR 29
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 9, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Cathleen Galgiani, Chair
AJR 29 (Allen) - As Introduced: February 24, 2012
SUBJECT : Pollinators.
SUMMARY : Memorializes the United Stated Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA) and the California Department of
Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to act quickly to protect honeybees
(bees) by banning neonicotinoid products that harm pollinators.
Specifically, this bill :
1)States that California agriculture is a major industry
responsible for one in 10 jobs in the state.
2)States that migratory beekeepers have provided a critical
service to the United States (US) and California economy by
pollinating a wide variety of crops.
3)States bees are the most economically valuable pollinator in
the US, adding over $15 billion in economic value to
agriculture each year.
4)Declares that one in three bites of food we eat is dependent
on bees pollination.
5)States that California produces more than half of the world's
almonds and from 1.3 million to 1.5 million bee colonies are
rented for almond production.
6)States that in 2006, bees in the US started disappearing in
large numbers and was labeled colony collapse disorder (CCD).
7)Declares that many interacting causes, such as pathogens,
habitat loss and pesticides, are likely contributors to CCD.
8)Declares there are multiple factors that contribute to CCD,
including pathogens, habitat loss and pesticides.
9)States immune system damage is a critical factor that may be
the cause of CCD.
10)Declares since 2006, commercial beekeepers report annual
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losses double normal numbers.
11)States bees are a keystone indicator species and their
decline suggests broader environmental degradation, and, that
a majority of biologists believes that bee population decline
and impact on biodiversity is a greater threat then global
warming.
12)States USEPA has identified neonicotinoids pesticides as
being highly toxic to bees.
13)States that Bauer CropsScience announced the removal of
almonds from the crops that imidacloprid (a neonicotinoid)
products may be used on, due to its impact on bees.
14)States that both USEPA and DPR are tasked with evaluating
pesticide threats to pollinators before pesticides are
marketed in California, but both agencies rely on industry
studies and fail to adequately study pesticide problems as
they arise in the field.
15)Declares that several European countries have taken action to
protect pollinators and the State of New York has banned the
use of neonicotinoid products in order to protect bees.
16)Resolves that the California Legislature urges USEPA and DPR
to act quickly to protect bees by banning neonicotinoid
products that harm pollinators.
17)Resolves that the California Legislature urges USEPA and DPR
to create a timeline and action plan to address pesticides,
chiefly neonicotinoids, which pose harm to pollinators.
18)Resolves that the California Legislature urges DPR and the
California department of Food and Agriculture to promote
healthy environments for all pollinators through existing and
new funding sources.
19)Directs the Clerk of the Assembly to send copies of this
resolution to the Governor, Secretary of the Senate and the
author for distribution.
EXISTING LAW authorizes the Director of DPR to prescribe the
conditions under which pesticides may be used, as specified.
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FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : Bee pollination is responsible for $15 to $20 billion
in added crop value, particularly for specialty crops such as
almonds and other nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables. About
one mouthful in three in our diet, directly or indirectly,
benefits from honey bee pollination. While there are native
pollinators, honey bees are more prolific and the easiest to
manage for the large scale pollination that US agriculture
requires. In California, the almond crop uses approximately 1.3
million colonies of bees, roughly half of all honey bees in the
US.
The number of managed honey bee colonies has dropped from five
million in the 1940s to only 2.5 million today. At the same
time, the need for hives to supply pollination service has
risen. Bee colonies are trucked farther and more often than in
the past.
Bee colony health has been declining since the 1980s. The
spread into the US of varroa and tracheal mites, in particular,
created major new stresses on honey bees. Other stressors
include habitat loss, lack of genetic diversity and pesticides.
Beginning in October 2006, some beekeepers began reporting
losses of 30-90% of their hives. While colony losses are not
unexpected during winter weather, the magnitude of loss suffered
by some beekeepers was highly unusual. This phenomenon has been
termed CCD. The main symptom of CCD is a hive that includes all
of the following: 1) No, or a low number, of adult honey bees
present in the hive, and, 2) A live queen in the hive, and, 3)
No dead honey bees in the hive. Often there is still honey in
the hive and immature bees are present.
Supporters point to several recent studies that link a class of
systemic pesticides, neonicotinoid, to weakening bee's immune
systems. Supporters, while recognizing that pesticides are not
the only factor acting as a stressor on bees, state that the
recent studies indicate that neonicotinoid are shown to be a
critical impact on bee health and contribute to CCD.
Neonicotinoids are a class of neuro-active insecticides
chemically related to nicotine. The neonicotinoids were
developed because they show reduced toxicity compared to
previously used organophosphate and carbamate insecticides.
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Most neonicotinoids show much lower toxicity in mammals than
insects. Neonicotinoids are the first new class of insecticides
introduced in the last 50 years, and the neonicotinoid
imidacloprid is currently one of the most widely used
insecticides in the world.
Supporters, in a review of current studies on bee health, state
the sub-lethal exposure of neonicotinoids to bees is a cause for
concern. While many neonicotinoids are classified as acutely
toxic to bees, single high-dose exposures are less common than
sub-lethal exposures faced by bees as they forage. Supporters
state it is this sub-lethal exposure that can cause altered
behavior and undermine immunity in bees.
Opponents state that with USEPA scheduled to review all uses of
neonicotinoid starting this year, it is premature to suggest
banning the use of neonicotinoid in all situations.
Furthermore, in 2009, DPR began a reevaluation of pesticide
products containing neonicotinoids. The reevaluation process is
still ongoing with local field data being collected and has yet
to be fully reviewed by DPR, and as such, the process has not
been completed. Opponents suggest that promoting more
scientific review and supporting the ongoing review of
neonicotinoid by USEPA and DPR is a better way of examining this
issue.
Both citrus and winegrape growers have expressed concerns about
a complete ban of neonicotinoid. These growers use neonicotinoid
to combat pests, such as the asian citrus psyllid and the glassy
winged sharpshooter, that has a significant impact on citrus
crops and winegrapes, respectively. Without the use of
neonicotinoid, these growers are concerned that the control of
these and other pests will requires less sensitive chemicals.
There are several technical and clarifying amendments the
committee may wish to consider:
1)Page 2, line 4 and 5, strike WHEREAS, In 2006, honeybees in
the United States began disappearing in large numbers, a term
coined and replace with Each year since 2006, commercial
beekeepers have reported annual losses of 26-36%, more than
double what is considered normal. This phenomenon has been
termed
2)Page 2, strike lines 12 thru 14.
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3)Page 2, line 39-40, after the words "New York" strike has
already banned neonicotinoid products and replace with has
declined to register some neonicotinoid products .
As stated in this resolution, imidacloprid has been withdrawn
for use with almonds in California. According to supporters,
"Bayer's call to halt imidacloprid's use on almonds was prompted
by concern from California's Department of Pesticide Regulation
(DPR). In 2009, the agency observed two serious problems with
Bayer's product." With the removal of imidacloprid use in
California for almonds, the leading user of commercial bees, the
committee may wish to consider the following two issues:
1)With DPR's ongoing reevaluation of neonicotinoids, it appears
California's regulatory process, in this instance, is working
well and adequately addressing issues related to this
pesticide. If this is the case the committee may wish to
consider an amendment to delete page 2, lines 34 thru 36 as
follows: However, these agencies have relied on industry
studies and failed to adequately study problems with
pesticides as they arise in the field .
2)Furthermore, as almost half the commercial bee hives in the US
are used to pollinate California almond crops, one of the key
purposes for this resolution, protecting bee health, is being
addressed positively by current regulatory process. Is it
necessary for California to call for the wholesale ban of
neonicotinoid or allow DPR's regulatory process to proceed?
The committee may wish to consider the following amendments:
a) Page 3, line 3, after the words "expeditiously to",
insert complete the reevaluation of neonicotinoids a timely
manner and develop practices that ;
b) Page 3, lines 4-5, after the word "honeybees", strike by
prohibiting the use, marketing, or sale of neonicotinoid
products deemed hazardous to pollinators. ; and,
c) Page 3, lines 2-5, after the word "EPA", strike and the
CDPR to create a clear timeline and plan of action for
addressing pesticides that pose harm to pollinators,
especially neonicotinoids; and replace with continue with
its risk assessment review process regarding honey bee
health to ensure these important pollinators remain a
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viable part of our eco-system and follow California's lead
in reevaluating neonicotinoids;
RELATED LEGISLATION :
SJR 49 (Ortiz) Res. Chapter 137, Statutes of 2002, memorialized
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), members of Congress, the U.S. Secretary for Health and
Human Services and the President to seek release to the state
Department of Health Services of California-specific data from
the 1999 and the 2002 CDC's "National Report on Human Exposure
to Environmental Chemicals."
ACR 117 (Laird) of 2008 would have memorialized CDFA, DPR, the
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and any other
applicable state departments and agencies involved in the light
brown apple moth (LBAM) eradication effort, of the need to
address the unresolved health, scientific, and efficacy issues
concerning the 2007 LBAM eradication effort. This resolution
was held in the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
HR 23 (Monning) of 2010 requested that USEPA acts to protect
public health and the environment by requiring the disclosure of
inert ingredients in pesticide products. This resolution was
adopted by the Assembly.
SR 35 (Leno) of 2010 urged the Governor to: 1) request USEPA to
require identification of hazardous inert ingredients as soon as
possible, ultimately leading to the disclosure of all inert
ingredients, the disclosure of a particular ingredient that
would not cause competitive harm, and 2) continue to support the
public's right to know every ingredient in pesticide products.
This resolution was adopted by the Senate.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California State Grange
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Cornucopia Institute
EcoFarm
Organic Consumers Fund
Pesticide Action Network, North America
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Opposition
Agricultural Council of California
Almond Hullers and Processors
American Pistachio Growers Association
California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers
California Pear Growers Association
California Seed Association
California State Floral Association
California Association of Pest Control Advisors
California Association of Winegrape Growers
California Chamber of Commerce
California Citrus Mutual
California Cotton Ginners and Growers Associations
California Cut Flower Commission
California Farm Bureau Federation
California Grape & Tree Fruit League
California Rice Commission
California Tomato Growers Association
California Women for Agriculture
Family Winemakers of California
Nisei Farmers League
Western Agricultural Processors Association
Western Growers Association
Western Plant Health Association
Wine Institute
Analysis Prepared by : Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916)
319-2084