BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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Date of Hearing: June 29, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Bill Dodd, Chair
SB
1354 (Galgiani) - As Amended May 19, 2016
SENATE VOTE: 38-0
SUBJECT: Agricultural pest control: Asian citrus psyllid:
Huanglongbing.
SUMMARY: This bill requires the California Department of Food
and Agriculture (CDFA), upon appropriation specific for this
purpose, to support research activities relating to Asian citrus
psyllid (ACP) and Huanglongbing (HLB) and to work with specified
stakeholders to establish a process for voluntary tracking of
best practices to manage ACP-infested and HLB-infected groves.
The information collected shall be used to establish recommended
management protocols based on best available science and
treatment outcomes. This bill contains an urgency clause.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires CDFA, upon appropriation of funds for that purpose,
to support research activities relating to the ACP and HLB.
These activities shall include, but not be limited to, all of
the following:
a) Finding a cure and/or suppression tactic for HLB;
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b) Development of early detection techniques to identify
diseased trees;
c) Development of resistant rootstocks, scions, or
psyllids;
d) Improved psyllid trapping and control methods;
e) Expanded biological control availability for ACP in
priority areas where there is a reasonable expectation of
success;
f) New horticultural methods to maximize crop production in
the presence of HLB; and,
g) Support for new and existing containment research
facilities for projects investigating HLB.
2)Requires CDFA to, upon appropriation of funds for that
purpose, work with county agricultural commissioners, pest
control advisors, researchers, and/or the Citrus Research
Board to establish a process for voluntary tracking of best
practices to manage ACP-infested and HLB-infected groves. The
information collected shall be used to establish recommended
management protocols based on best available science and
treatment outcomes.
EXISTING LAW: Existing law establishes the California Citrus
Pest and Disease Prevention Committee (CCPDPC) within CDFA to
advise the Secretary of CDFA on efforts to prevent and manage
citrus pests and diseases. An assessment is levied on citrus
producers and deposited into the Citrus Disease Management
Account (account) for the sole purpose of combating
citrus-specific pests and diseases.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, this bill does not make an appropriation. If the
legislature does fund this program, then it may result in cost
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pressures of unknown magnitude, minimally in the hundreds of
thousands of dollars annually from the General Fund (GF).
COMMENTS: Citrus is a $2 billion industry in California.
California produces 82% of United States' fresh citrus and
directly employs more than 14,000 people. It contributes an
additional $1.2 billion in economic value to California and
supports another 10,000 jobs.
In March of 2012, HLB was found in a Los Angeles-area backyard.
HLB is a bacterial plant disease that destroys the production,
appearance and value of citrus trees, ruining the citrus. HLB
is spread mainly by ACP. To date there is no known controls for
HLB other than removing and destroying infected groves. After a
2005 discovery in Florida, it took only two years for HLB to
transmit to all 32 Florida citrus producing counties and infect
over half of the citrus tree in that state.
Citrus producers have contributed $15 million per year since
2009 and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
spent at least $10 million per year in the last three years to
research, detect and eradicate HLB and ACP in California.
The citrus industry, the University of California, and both the
state and federal governments are working to eliminate and
prevent the establishment of ACP and HLB in California. Much of
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the research is conducted with funding from the citrus industry,
CDFA Specialty Crops Block Grants, and USDA - National Institute
of Food and Agriculture.
In a recent California Senate informational hearing, testimony
stated additional funding is needed to support critical research
projects. For example, California would benefit from the
development of early detection techniques of infected trees.
Florida and Texas did not have this technology available, and
unidentified HLB-infected trees remained in groves and spread
the disease to neighboring trees. Current technology requires
sufficient time, roughly one year, for the disease to build up
in the tree to a detectable concentration. However, California
is in a position where, if early detection techniques are
developed, infected trees (both commercial and residential)
could be identified and removed, or treated, immediately.
Other critical research needs include finding a cure for HLB,
increasing the availability of biological control (release of
non-stinging parasitic wasps), developing resistant trees and
psyllids, and improving psyllid trapping and control, among
others. Current research projects are funded through USDA and
citrus industry grants; however, no GF monies are appropriated
for this purpose. This bill hopes to address these issues, if
funding should be made available.
RELATED LEGISLATION :
SB 822 (Roth), of 2016, will increase the monthly citrus
assessment fee from $0.09 to $0.12 per 40 pound carton. This
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bill is currently in the Assembly Agriculture Committee.
AB 571 (Gatto) of 2013, would have appropriated $5 million from
the GF to the Account within the CDFA Fund for the purposes of
combating citrus disease or its vectors. This bill was vetoed
by the Governor.
AB 604 (De León and Fuller), Chapter 17, Statutes of 2010,
authorized CDFA to spend any monies it had collected in the
Account on citrus specific pest and disease programs through
June 30, 2010.
AB 281 (De León), Chapter 426, Statutes of 2009, established
CCPDPC and the Account within CDFA to prevent and manage citrus
pests and diseases. The Account shall consist of money from
industry assessment fees but may include federal and other
non-GF sources.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
California Citrus Mutual
Opposition
None on file.
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Analysis Prepared by:Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916)
319-2084