AB 571, as introduced, Gatto. Agricultural pest control: citrus disease prevention.
Existing law creates the California Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee in the Department of Food and Agriculture to, among other things, develop a statewide citrus specific pest and disease work plan. Existing law provides for a monthly assessment to be paid by producers, as defined, which are deposited in the Citrus Disease Management Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund. Moneys in the Citrus Management Account is available upon appropriation by the Legislature for specified activities relating to citrus disease prevention.
The bill would appropriate $5,000,000 from the General Fund to the Citrus Disease Management Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund, and would make those funds available for expenditure by the department, without regard to fiscal year, for the purposes of combating citrus disease or its vectors. The bill would make a legislative finding and declaration relating to the need for funds to combat citrus disease and its vectors.
Vote: begin deletemajority end deletebegin insert2⁄3end insert.
Appropriation: yes.
Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 5911 of the Food and Agricultural Code
2 is amended to read:
(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the
4citrus killing diseases, Huanglongbing, citrus leprosis, citrus
5variegated chlorosis, and citrus canker, and the associated vectors
6present a clear and present danger to California’s citrus industry,
7as well as to other commodities and plant life.
8(b) This article is intended to establish an industry-funded
9program to assist in combating citrus specific diseases, vectors,
10and pests when found in California.
11(c) This article is not intended to create new mandates or
12circumvent state and federal authority on citrus or other agricultural
13commodities.
14(d) This article is not intended to
establish a precedent, or to
15supersede or supplant in any way federal, state, or local government
16funding of efforts to combat citrus diseases and other pests in this
17state.
18(e) The prevention and management of citrus diseases is a matter
19of public interest. The provisions of this article are enacted for the
20protection of the citrus industry and in the exercise of the police
21power of the state for the purpose of protecting the health, peace,
22safety, and general welfare of the people of this state.
23(f) The Legislature finds and declares that the California citrus
24industry creates one billion eight hundred million dollars
25($1,800,000,000) in citrus fruit, another one billion two hundred
26million dollars ($1,200,000,000) in economic activity, and employs
27an estimated 25,000 people in the state.
28(g) The Legislature finds and declares that there is an ongoing
29need for at least five million dollars ($5,000,000) annually in
30research and programs to combat citrus disease and its vectors
31in California.
Section 5913 of the Food and Agricultural Code is
33amended to read:
(a) There is hereby created the Citrus Disease
35Management Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture
36Fund.
37(b) The Citrus Disease Management Account shall consist of
38money from federal, industry, and other non-General Fund sources.
P3 1Money from federal, industry, and other non-General Fund sources
2shall be available upon appropriation by the Legislature for the
3sole purpose of combating citrus specific pests, diseases, and their
4vectors.
5(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), the sum of five million
6dollars ($5,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General
7Fund to the Citrus Disease Management Account in the
8
Department of Food and Agriculture Fund, and shall be available
9for expenditure by the department, without regard to fiscal year,
10for the purpose of combating citrus disease or its vectors.
CORRECTIONS:
Digest--Vote key line.
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Corrected 6-4-13—See last page. 99