BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 2714


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          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.








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          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  








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          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  








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          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












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