BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE Senator Anthony Cannella, Chairman BILL NO: AB 634 HEARING: 06/21/11 AUTHOR: Huber FISCAL: No VERSION: 02/16/11 CONSULTANT: John Chandler Vertebrate pest control: carbon monoxide. BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW Current law prohibits killing any animal with carbon monoxide gas. SB 1659 (Kopp), Chapter 751, Statutes of 1998, banned the use of carbon monoxide for killing animals in California. The Department of Food and Agriculture is responsible for managing California's vertebrate pest control program. In the early 1900s, few rodenticide products were registered or available for agricultural use in California. To address the vertebrate pest problems, the California Legislature passed AB 2776 in 1990 that (1) established a research program to control vertebrate pests; (2) formed a Vertebrate Pest Control Research Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee); and (3) funded the research program with a $0.50 per pound assessment on vertebrate pest control materials sold or distributed by the county. The program controls vertebrate pests that pose a significant threat to the welfare of the state's agricultural economy and the public. PROPOSED LAW AB 634 allows the use of carbon monoxide for the control of vertebrate pests. COMMENTS 1.According to the sponsors, AB 634 would allow California's farmers and ranchers to use carbon monoxide for the control vertebrate pests like gophers and ground squirrels. Vertebrate pests cause California an estimated $500 million in annual crop loss. In 1998 when SB 1659 (Kopp) banned the use of carbon monoxide on animals, it was largely addressing the use of a carbon monoxide chamber at animal shelters. The bill did not discuss the use of carbon monoxide for pest control. AB 634 would provide farmers with an additional tool for rodent control that was eliminated because of SB 1659 (Kopp). 2.The Senate Rules Committee has double referred this bill to AB 634 - Page 2 the Senate Environmental Quality Committee as the second committee of referral. Therefore, if this measure is approved by this committee, the motion should include an action to re-refer the bill to the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality. PRIOR ACTIONS Assembly Floor 60-0 Assembly Agriculture 9-0 SUPPORT Agriculture Council of California California Association of Pest Control Advisors California Association of School Business Officials California Cattlemen's Association California Certified Organic Farmers California Chamber of Commerce California Farm Bureau Federation California Grain and Feed Association California Grape and Tree Fruit League California Seed Association California Warehouse Association Community Alliance With Family Farmers Pacific Egg and Poultry Association PAW PAC Pina Vineyard Management, LLC. 25 Individuals OPPOSITION None received