BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2714 Page 1 Date of Hearing: March 30, 2016 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE Bill Dodd, Chair AB 2714 (Cooper) - As Introduced February 19, 2016 SUBJECT: Pest control: Pierce's disease: funding. SUMMARY: Appropriate an unspecified amount from the General Fund (GF) to the Pierce's Disease (PD) Management Account in the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Fund. Specifically, this bill: 1)Makes legislative findings and declarations related to PD, the importance of the California wine industry, and the need for funding the PD Control Program (Program). 2)Appropriate an unspecified amount from GF for the PD Management Account. EXISTING LAW: Created the PD Program, within CDFA, in order to fight PD and its primary vector, The Glassy Winged Sharp Shooter (GWSS). The PD/GWSS board was created to assess grape growers, and direct expenditure to research and combat PD and its vectors. FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. AB 2714 Page 2 COMMENTS: In the late 1990s, PD threatened to cause damage to grapes due to the arrival of GWSS. GWSS carries the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which causes PD in grapes, almonds, oleander, and citrus fruits. When a plant develops PD, its ability to draw in moisture is hindered and the plant will either die or become unproductive. In response, the Legislature enacted a legislative package that created the advisory task force on PD issues in 1999. In 2001, the Program was created by AB 1394 (Wiggins), Chapter 103, Statutes of 2001, to fight the spread of PD and find solutions for PD and GWSS. SB 1650 (Chesbro), Chapter 485, Statutes of 2004, made technical and substantive changes to the Program, and added a referendum process for the continuance of the Program and its related assessments, to be approved by a majority of the participants. The Program is currently funded from federal and industry funds, and grape grower's assessments. The last GF appropriation was just under $4 million and it was cut during the 2011/2012 budget reductions. Before 2011, the Program operated for 12 years as a model for how state, federal and industry funds could be used in collaboration to tackle issues important to agriculture. For this twelve year time period, the state contributed approximately $67 million, with an average contribution of $5.6 million annually. The author points out California winegrape growers are seeing a AB 2714 Page 3 significant increase in pest and disease spread across the state. It was reported that more than 200,000 GWSS were trapped in Kern County in 2015. This is the highest number of GWSS reported in Kern County since monitoring began in 2001. Furthermore, the recent spread of PD in the North Coast is unprecedented and warrants significant concern. While there is no population of GWSS in the North Coast to act as a vector for PD, the rise in the disease is likely due to weather, an increase in blue-green sharpshooter population, other vectors, or some combination of these factors. Funds from the PD/GWSS Board Program are being targeted at determining the cause of this recent spread. According to the author, the wine industry is important to the state of California's economy and lifestyle, generating an economic impact of more than $60 billion annually, creating more than 330,000 fulltime jobs, and preserving agricultural land, open space and family farms. The sponsors state it is important that the state take an active role in protecting the winegrape industry. Supporters added "With an economic recovery well under way, now is the time to recommit state funding and support to combat PD and other pest and diseases that affect winegrape production in the state." The author's office is in discussion with the Administration to determine an appropriate funding level from the state for the PD program. RELATED LEGISLATION: AB 822 (Roth) will appropriate $5 million from the General Fund to the Citrus Disease Management Account in the CDFA Fund for the purpose of combating citrus disease or its vectors. This AB 2714 Page 4 bill is set be heard in the Senate Agriculture Committee on March 29, 2016. AB 1642 (Chesbro), Statutes of 2013, Chapter 231, extended the operative date of the PD Program to March 1, 2021. AB 571 (Gatto) of 2013 would have appropriated $5 million from the General Fund to the Citrus Disease Management Account in CDFA for the purpose of combating citrus disease or its vectors. This bill was vetoed by Governor. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION: Support California Association of Winegrape Growers (sponsor) Family Winemakers of California Opposition None on file. Analysis Prepared by:Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084 AB 2714 Page 5