BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2174|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 2174
Author: Alejo (D)
Amended: 6/14/12 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE : 7-0, 6/19/12
AYES: Cannella, Rubio, Berryhill, Evans, La Malfa, Vargas,
Wolk
SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE : 7-0, 7/2/12
AYES: Simitian, Strickland, Blakeslee, Hancock, Kehoe,
Lowenthal, Pavley
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 5/29/12 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Fertilizer: reduction of use
SOURCE : California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
Clean Water Action
Community Water Center
DIGEST : This bill identifies the University of
California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), the California
resource conservation districts (CRCD), other institutions
of higher education or other qualified entities to develop
programs in the areas of technical education and research
for more agronomically sound uses of fertilizer materials
and to minimize environmental impacts of fertilizer use.
ANALYSIS :
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Existing law:
1. Requires that every person who manufactures or
distributes fertilizing materials obtain a license from
the Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) (Food and
Agricultural Code (FAC) Section 14591).
2. Authorizes CDFA to impose a fee on a licensee who sells
and distributes bulk fertilizers of up to one mill
($0.001) per dollar of sales of fertilizing materials
for the purpose of funding research and education
regarding the use and handling of fertilizing materials,
including, but not limited to, any environmental effects
(FAC Section14611).
This bill identifies the UCCE, the CRCD, other institutions
of higher education, or other qualified entities to develop
programs in the following areas:
1. Technical education for users of fertilizer materials in
the development and implementation of nutrient
management projects that result in more agronomically
sound uses of fertilizer materials and minimize
environmental impacts of fertilizer use, including, but
not limited to, nitrates in groundwater and emissions of
greenhouse gases resulting from fertilizer use;
2. Research to improve nutrient management practices
resulting in more agronomically sound use of fertilizer
materials and to minimize environmental impacts of
fertilizer use, including, but not limited to, nitrates
in groundwater and emissions of greenhouse gases
resulting from fertilizer use; and
3. Education to increase awareness of more agronomically
sound use of fertilizer products to reduce the
environmental impacts resulting from the overuse or
inefficient use of fertilizing materials.
Background
According to a 2012 report to the Legislature by the
University of California, Davis Center for Watershed
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Sciences, the primary (96%) man-made source of nitrate
contamination is cropland treated with synthetic fertilizer
or animal manure, where nitrogen not removed by harvest,
air emission, or runoff, may leach from the root zone into
groundwater below.
This information is not new. In 1988, the Director of CDFA
appointed a Nitrate Working Group comprised of scientists
from the University of California, state agencies and
industry with the goal of studying the nitrate problem
relating to agriculture in California. Their 1989 report,
"Nitrate and Agriculture in California," identified
locations where nitrate groundwater levels were elevated,
analyzed the mechanisms of nitrate movement through the
soil, reviewed the potential of fertilizer best management
practices, and examined the problem of animal production in
relation to nitrate pollution.
The CDFA Nitrate Working Group report concluded with five
recommendations; the fifth recommendation was to "establish
a research and demonstration project on nitrate control
through irrigation, fertilizer and manure management."
In response to these findings, the Fertilizer Research and
Education Program (FREP) was established in 1990 to provide
funding for research and education regarding the use and
handling of fertilizing material, including but not limited
to, any environmental effects. FREP is funded through a
mill fee on the sale of fertilizer materials, currently set
at mill ($0.0005), which equates to approximately $1
million annually. The mill fee can be adjusted at the
discretion of the Secretary of CDFA not to exceed 1 mill
($0.001) per dollar of sales.
According to CDFA's FREP Web site, in the past 20 years,
the $12 million assessment has funded 160 technical,
research, and education projects focused on agronomic
efficiency in the management of nutrients, precision
irrigation and fertilization through irrigation practices,
and soil and fertilization interaction. During this time,
FREP's focus has expanded to include research on many of
California's important and environmentally sensitive
cropping systems including almonds, tomatoes, cotton,
citrus, wine grapes, horticulture, lettuce, and other
cool-season vegetables.
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2012 priorities include:
Comparisons of economically viable and commercially
ready, integrated fertility-water-soil management
approaches that preserve soil and water quality.
Nutrient requirements for high-value specialty crops or
emerging new crops in highly environmentally sensitive
areas.
Devising innovative techniques to improve fertilizer use
efficiency.
According to the CDFA Nitrate Working Group's 1989 report,
due to the complexity and diversity of the factors that
affect nitrate contamination from agriculture, there is no
simple solution that can be applied throughout the state.
Continued research and technical education is needed to
advance the knowledge and understanding of agronomically
sound use of fertilizer materials in order to establish
local nitrate best management practices and ensure the
safety of drinking water.
Comments
According to the author's office, state funding for
technical assistance programs has been significantly
curtailed in recent years. This bill provides access to
approximately $1 million of existing, underutilized funds
collected under FREP to specifically support research and
technical education programs developed at California
research institutions, or other qualified entities, that
result in more agronomically sound use of fertilizer
products. These programs could result in cost savings
through a likely reduction of fertilizer use, and reduce
contamination of the state's watersheds that threaten the
safety of drinking water.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 7/5/12)
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California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (co-source)
Clean Water Action (co-source)
Community Water Center (co-source)
California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers
California Chamber of Commerce
California Climate and Agricultural Network
California Farm Bureau Federation
California FarmLink
California Grain and Feed Association
California Grape and Tree Fruit League
California Pear Growers Association
California Rice Industry Association
California Seed Association
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Dixon Ridge Farms (Winters)
Ecological Farming Association
Full Belly Farm (Guinda)
Hedgerow Farms (Winters)
Lundberg Family Farms (Richvale)
Swanton Berry Farm (Davenport)
Western Growers Association
Wm. Bolthouse Farms, Inc. (Bakersfield)
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : Proponents state, "Declining
technical assistance resources for the California growers
undermines the needed information exchange between our best
science advisors and our agricultural industry.
Reinvesting in technical assistance for California growers
is needed now more than ever as the natural resource and
stewardship issues facing growers have grown more complex
while funding for Cooperative Extension, the Resource
Conservation Districts and ag colleges has declined.
Programs like FREP are most effective when they can provide
meaningful assistance in our communities. AB 2174 will
help move the program to address some of the 21st century
challenges agriculture and our communities confront."
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 5/29/12
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall,
Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson,
Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Beth
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Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Grove,
Hagman, Halderman, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger Hernández,
Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight,
Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza,
Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen,
Norby, Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino,
Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao,
Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cedillo, Fletcher, Hall
MEL:m 7/5/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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