BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 625
Page 1
Date of Hearing: June 13, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Cathleen Galgiani, Chair
SB 625 (Hernandez) - As Amended: May 30, 2012
SENATE VOTE : 35-0
SUBJECT : Nursery Stock.
SUMMARY : This bill requires the Secretary (Secretary) of the
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to
prescribe cleanliness standards for nursery stock in California
and allows the Secretary to develop an audit-based certification
system (ABCS) for nursery stock shipments. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Reduces the refund amount from 50% to 25% to those applicants
who later decide they will not engage in the sale of nursery
stock.
2)Allows the Secretary of CDFA to develop and implement an ABCS.
3)Requires an ABCS to address the control and management of
plant pests, and lessen the risk of movement of plant pests in
nursery shipments.
4)Requires an ABCS be a risk based system using current
scientific and industry data, and includes best management
practices, as specified.
5)Requires the Secretary of CDFA to prescribe standards of
cleanliness for nursery stock, as specified.
6)Makes other technical changes.
EXISTING LAW authorizes CDFA to adopt cleanliness standards for
nurseries that includes keeping nursery stock free of harmful
pests, methods of treatments for various pests, quarantine and
disposal of infected nursery stock, and measures to ensure that
nursery stock in California is relativity free of pests. County
Agricultural Commissioners are authorized to enforce the
cleanliness standards and to inspect nurseries for pests.
FISCAL EFFECT : This bill has been keyed fiscal by Legislative
SB 625
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Counsel.
COMMENTS : Individuals in California who sell plants for
planting, propagation, or ornamental purposes, such as cut
flowers and greens, must pay an annual license fee. The revenue
generated from the license fee supports the nursery inspection
program, a program that ensures nursery stock meets prescribed
standards for pest cleanliness. CDFA's website states that the
mission of the Nursery Program is to prevent the introduction
and spread of agricultural pests through nursery stock.
According to the author, most plant pest quarantines impact the
nursery industry and restrict the movement of products, which
creates significant economic harm. Currently, nurseries are
required to incorporate pest management practices on a pest by
pest basis which results in significant costs and duplication of
effort. The author states an ABCS approach, as proposed in this
bill, would allow nurseries that incorporate current pest
management practices to avoid some of the distressing results of
quarantines placed on nurseries when new pests are found in the
state.
Currently, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
has a voluntary ABCS, the US Nursery Certification Program
(USNCP), for nurseries that export product to Canada. USNCP
started in 2006 as a pilot program. USNCP uses an ABCS, named
Phytosanitary Management System, to minimize pest risks so that
plants consistently meet Canadian import requirements. USNCP
works by allowing a certified facility to use various pest risk
management measures throughout its plant production process that
includes: documenting plant production and pest management
practices, auditing and reviewing the plant production system,
and determining pest prevalence throughout production. The
certified nurseries self-certify the nursery products to be pest
free. The certified nurseries provide records and submit to
inspections and audits.
A March 2011 evaluation of USNCP by the Horticultural Research
Institute (HRI) concurred that a systems-based approach like
USNCP has the potential to prevent pest infestations that
end-point inspections cannot. Furthermore, HRI reported
responses from USNCP's participants suggest that while the
start-up costs of entering USNCP are high, the benefits to the
nursery industry and the larger environment are important.
These benefits included time saved in the certification process,
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new strategies to mitigate plant pests, and market recognition
of pest free products.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers
Dave Wilson Nursery
Sunlet Nursery, Inc.
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916)
319-2084