BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 556
Author: Wiggins (D)
Amended: 5/9/07
Vote: 27 - Urgency
SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE : 3-0, 5/15/07
AYES: Maldonado, Ducheny, Denham
NO VOTE RECORDED: Florez, Kuehl
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : The Light Brown Apple Moth
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill creates the Light Brown Apple Moth
Advisory Task Force to advise the Secretary of the
Department of Food and Agriculture on the environmental and
economic impact of the spread of the Light Brown Apple Moth
in California and requires the task force to report their
findings to the Secretary on or before September 1, 2007.
The bill further specifies that appointments to the task
force shall be made by the secretary.
ANALYSIS : The California Department of Food and
Agriculture (CDFA) is charged with control and eradication
of invasive pests and diseases. As part of that authority,
CDFA may institute quarantines within the state to control
the movement of potential host plants to limit the spread
of an invasive pest. Most invasive pest control and
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eradication efforts by CDFA are implemented by or with
County Agriculture Commissioners in affected counties.
The Light Brown Apple Moth was detected in the Bay Area on
February 27, 2007. Since then, moths have been detected in
Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Santa Clara, Santa
Cruz, San Francisco, and San Mateo Counties.
Recently, CDFA established a quarantine of at least 182
square miles, including portions of Alameda, Contra Costa,
San Francisco, Marin and Santa Clara counties, and expected
to expand soon due to recent detections of the pest in
Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Mateo counties. The United
States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection, implemented a Federal Order restricting the
interstate movement of certain regulated articles,
including nursery stock, cut flowers, and greenery, from
several counties in California and the entire state of
Hawaii to prevent the spread of the Light Brown Apple Moth.
The Light Brown Apple Moth is native to Australia and is
found in New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and
Hawaii. The range of host plants is broad with more than
250 plant species known to be susceptible to attack by this
pest. Major domestic hosts of concern are stone fruit
(peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries and apricots),
apples, pears, grapes, and citrus.
Comments
According to the author's office, this bill is a work in
progress. Discovering the Light Brown Apple Moth in
California poses a significant threat California's
agriculture industry. Understanding the impacts and
aggressively controlling the spread and eradicating the
existing pests are key to protecting our agriculture
economy. Since the discovery of the Light Brown Apple Moth
a few months ago, the area of infestation has grown to at
least eight counties. This bill will help CDFA address
this invasive pest.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
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SUPPORT : (Verified 5/22/07)
Family Winemakers of California
California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers
California Association of Pest Control Advisors
California Association of Winegrape Growers
California Citrus Mutual
Nisei Farmers League
Wine Institute
TSM:do 5/22/07 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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