BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                            SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE
                         Senator Anthony Cannella, Chairman

          BILL NO:    AB 634                    HEARING:  06/21/11
          AUTHOR:   Huber                       FISCAL:  No
          VERSION:  02/16/11                    CONSULTANT:  John Chandler
          
                      Vertebrate pest control: carbon monoxide.

          BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW

          Current law prohibits killing any animal with carbon monoxide 
          gas. SB 1659 (Kopp), Chapter 751, Statutes of 1998, banned the 
          use of carbon monoxide for killing animals in California.  

          The Department of Food and Agriculture is responsible for 
          managing California's vertebrate pest control program.  In the 
          early 1900s, few rodenticide products were registered or 
          available for agricultural use in California. To address the 
          vertebrate pest problems, the California Legislature passed AB 
          2776 in 1990 that (1) established a research program to control 
          vertebrate pests;      (2) formed a Vertebrate Pest Control 
          Research Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee); and (3) funded 
          the research program with a $0.50 per pound assessment on 
          vertebrate pest control materials sold or distributed by the 
          county.  The program controls vertebrate pests that pose a 
          significant threat to the welfare of the state's agricultural 
          economy and the public. 

          PROPOSED LAW

          AB 634 allows the use of carbon monoxide for the control of 
          vertebrate pests.

          COMMENTS

          1.According to the sponsors, AB 634 would allow California's 
            farmers and ranchers to use carbon monoxide for the control 
            vertebrate pests like gophers and ground squirrels.  
            Vertebrate pests cause California an estimated $500 million in 
            annual crop loss.  In 1998 when SB 1659 (Kopp) banned the use 
            of carbon monoxide on animals, it was largely addressing the 
            use of a carbon monoxide chamber at animal shelters.  The bill 
            did not discuss the use of carbon monoxide for pest control.  
            AB 634 would provide farmers with an additional tool for 
            rodent control that was eliminated because of SB 1659 (Kopp).  


          2.The Senate Rules Committee has double referred this bill to 




          AB 634 - Page 2


            the Senate Environmental Quality Committee as the second 
            committee of referral.  Therefore, if this measure is approved 
            by this committee, the motion should include an action to 
            re-refer the bill to the Senate Committee on Environmental 
            Quality.





          PRIOR ACTIONS

          Assembly Floor 60-0
          Assembly Agriculture  9-0


          SUPPORT
          
          Agriculture Council of California
          California Association of Pest Control Advisors
          California Association of School Business Officials
          California Cattlemen's Association
          California Certified Organic Farmers
          California Chamber of Commerce
          California Farm Bureau Federation
          California Grain and Feed Association
          California Grape and Tree Fruit League
          California Seed Association
          California Warehouse Association
          Community Alliance With Family Farmers
          Pacific Egg and Poultry Association
          PAW PAC
          Pina Vineyard Management, LLC.
          25 Individuals


          OPPOSITION
          
          None received