AB 1039, as introduced, Committee on Agriculture. Pest control: biological control organisms.
Existing law authorizes the Department of Food and Agriculture, with the prior approval of the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State Department of Health Care Services, to reproduce or distribute biological control organisms that are not detrimental to the public health and safety that are known to be useful in reducing or preventing plant or animal damage due to pests or diseases.
This bill would prohibit the Department of Food and Agriculture from reproducing or distributing biological control organisms that are detrimental to the environment and would require the Department of Food and Agriculture to receive prior approval from the State Department of Public Health instead of the State Department of Health Care Services.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 405 of the Food and Agricultural Code
2 is amended to read:
(a) With the prior approval of the Department of Fish
2and Wildlife and the State Department ofbegin delete Health Care Services,end delete
3begin insert Public Health,end insert the department may reproduce or distribute
4biological control organisms that are not detrimental tobegin insert the
5environment orend insert the public health and safety that are known to be
6useful in reducing or preventing plant or animal damage due to
7pests or diseases.
8(b) The department shall not engage in the production of
9beneficial organisms when those
organisms are available in
10sufficient amounts for purchase from commercial sources.
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