To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures
Staff Name and Phone Number: Andrew F. Smith, (707) 565-2371
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Delegated Authority for State and Federal Revenue Agreements
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a resolution delegating authority to the Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights & Measures, or designee, to accept funding allocations for the County of Sonoma and execute revenue agreements, in a form approved by County Counsel, from state and federal agencies through June 30, 2031.
end
Executive Summary:
The recommended action will allow the Agriculture Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures (Commissioner/Sealer), or designee, to execute agreements and amendments to the agreements with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR), and related agencies to receive funding from these agencies for the work performed by the Commissioner/Sealer for various programs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2031. These agreements and amendments enable the Commissioner/Sealer to promote equitable business practices, protect the public’s health and safety, and protect the agriculture grown in Sonoma County from pests and disease.
This action only applies to agreements and amendments for ongoing federal and state reimbursement programs that support the Commissioner/Sealer in carrying out duties as the local regulatory arm of these agencies. This applies only to agreements and amendments that are in a form approved by County Counsel. Agreements and amendments falling outside this scope will not be subject to this delegated authority.
Discussion:
The Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures (Department) requests that the Board of Supervisors delegate authority to the Commissioner/Sealer under multiple Board actions to accept allocations and execute funding agreements and amendments to receive revenue from federal and state agencies. This item requests that your Board adopt a resolution delegating authority to the Commissioner/Sealer, or designee, to accept revenue on behalf of the County of Sonoma and execute funding agreements, amendments, and related documents received through June 30, 2031, as necessary to receive revenue from state and federal agencies. This action by the Board of Supervisors only applies to state and federal funding agreements.
State and federal funding is utilized for programs supporting the Department’s mission, including programs related to enforcing laws and regulations pertaining to agriculture, the environment, human health and safety, and the marketplace.
The Department’s Agriculture Division protects public health, safety, and the environment by enforcing pesticide regulations. The Division also promotes and protects agriculture, local foods, and the environment by administering programs that minimize the introduction and spread of pests, certifying local farmers’ markets and producers, and inspecting organic and egg operations. The Department’s Weights and Measures Division protects the economy and consumers by ensuring fair and equitable business practices.
Samples of the types of agreements and amendments to agreements received by the Department include:
• Apiary Protection Program - Approximately $7,000 annually
All individuals who own, broker, or otherwise possess an apiary within the state are required to register each apiary, including the number of colonies and their locations. In addition, beekeepers must pay an annual registration fee. This program is funded through fees collected from beekeeper and broker registrations. Through the Apiary Protection Program, the Department promotes compliance with registration requirements and provides support to beekeepers and brokers using the BeeWhere system to complete registrations and submit payments. Maintaining accurate hive registration is essential, as it enables timely notification to beekeepers about nearby pesticide applications that could pose risks to their colonies. Department staff also conduct hive inspections to identify and address actionable pests, helping to safeguard the health of bee populations and support the overall stability and security of California’s beekeeping industry. This agreement is with CDFA.
• Asian Citrus Psyllid Trapping - Approximately $20,000 annually
Under this program, the Department conducts proactive trapping activities throughout Sonoma County to monitor for the presence of the Asian Citrus Psyllid in both residential and commercial citrus areas. Traps are regularly placed and inspected to detect any signs of this pest. The Asian Citrus Psyllid is known to transmit huanglongbing, a highly destructive disease that can severely impact citrus trees and agricultural production. Due to a confirmed detection in 2022, Sonoma County remains under quarantine for this pest. Ongoing monitoring efforts are critical to early detection and rapid response, helping to limit the spread of the psyllid and protect the region’s citrus industry. This agreement is with CDFA.
• Certified Farmers’ Market Inspections - Approximately $17,000 annually
Farmers’ markets were established to provide consumers with the opportunity to buy raw agricultural products directly from farmers and provide farmers with an ability to sell their products directly to consumers. The Department inspects certified producer’s growing sites and farmers’ markets to preserve the integrity of the direct marketing program. This agreement is with CDFA.
• Pesticide Regulation - Approximately $800,000 annually
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation allocates funding to support county agricultural commissioner-led pesticide use enforcement and efforts statewide. These funds enable local programs to provide regulatory guidance and ensure adherence to pesticide use requirements within the agricultural and cannabis industries. Program activities include issuing Operator Identification Numbers, which are required for pesticide use reporting, as well as conducting outreach and education on the proper use and sale of pesticides in agriculture and cannabis cultivation. Department staff engage with a wide range of stakeholders to promote compliance and awareness.
• Egg Quality Control - Approximately $55,300 annually
Retailers and packers of eggs in the County are inspected to enforce state and federal health, quality, and grade standards through agreements with CDFA.
• Evaluation and Remediation of Illegal Hemp Cultivation - Approximately $25,000 annually
CDFA received a grant from California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to evaluate and remediate illegal hemp cultivation. CDFA has been granted two years of funding from CDFW to support county activities to enhance monitoring and enforcement activities required for hemp cultivators. The intent of these site inspections and subsequent investigations would be to bring the identified non-compliant hemp cultivation site into local, state, and federal compliance or to identify the location as requiring destruction, cleanup, and/or remediation.
• Hemp - Approximately $12,700 annually
Under this program, the Department agrees to enforce all laws and regulations pertaining to industrial hemp cultivation, including registration requirements, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CDFA and the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA) entitled “State-County Industrial Hemp Cultivation Program.”
• High Risk Pest Exclusion - Approximately $117,000 annually
The contract with CDFA for the High Risk Program covers reimbursement for inspection at airfreight facilities, nurseries, parcel terminals, or other facilities of incoming high risk shipments of plant material from outside of California. Inspection work includes checking packages for quarantine compliance and inspecting for high risk pests, not known to occur in California, such as the Japanese Beetle, Spongy Moth, and Longhorn Beetle. Inspectors will also inspect shipments of fruits, vegetables, and propagative plant material for all pests. The program requires the County to maintain records of inspections and pest finds, issue notices of rejection if necessary and notify the Interior Pest Exclusion Program of the presence of any significant pest findings.
• Nursery Inspection - Approximately $4,100 annually
Through this program and in contract with CDFA, the Department inspects plants and nursery operations at wholesale nurseries to assure cleanliness from pests, accurate labeling, and that vigorous, healthy plants are offered for sale to the consumer. Our staff aids the nurseryman with advice and recommendations for a proper pest control program.
• Organic Registration & Spot Inspection - Approximately $15,100 annually
The National Organic Program was enacted in 2002 to implement the Organic Production Act (the Act). Congress passed the Act to establish national standards to govern the marketing of organically produced products. The Act requires organic industries with annual gross sales of over $5,000.00 to be certified organic. The California Organic Products Act of 2003 requires registration of all organic producers, handlers, and processors and incorporates the national standards. The Department inspects and assists in the registration of producers and handlers of organic commodities in Sonoma County to assure compliance with the Federal and State organic laws through a contract with CDFA.
• Pest Detection - Approximately $175,100 annually
This is a proactive program and agreement with CDFA to detect exotic pests before they become established within the County. Traps are monitored throughout the County for the presence of exotic pests of agriculture and natural resources, such as Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Oriental Fruit Fly, Melon Fruit Fly, Spongy Moth, Glassy-winged Sharpshooter, and Japanese Beetle. These insect pests have an enormous host range and are difficult and costly to manage once established. Through early detection, this program is protecting more than agriculture as it also helps in reducing the need for pesticide applications.
• Pest Detection -European Grapevine Moth - Approximately $413,000 annually
First reported in Napa County in 2009, the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) was the biggest threat to local grapevines. Similar to the Pest Detection contract, traps are placed and monitored throughout the County for presence of EGVM. In August 2016, EGVM was declared eradicated from California and current trapping efforts are to ensure the County remains free from EGVM. This agreement is with CDFA.
• Seed - Approximately $25,000 annually
Seed is inspected at wholesale and retail sales locations through a contract with CDFA, ensuring that seed lots are labeled correctly and accurately as to their kind, germination, and compliance with state regulations.
• Sudden Oak Death - Approximately $33,000 annually
Since 1995, large numbers of oaks and tanoaks have been dying of Sudden Oak Death (SOD) in the coastal counties of California. Many other types of plants have been found to be infected or associated with this disease. The pathogen Phytophthora ramorum is considered the causal agent of Sudden Oak Death and is known to occur in coastal forests and a few horticultural nurseries in the western United States. In order for local nurseries to ship host nursery stock interstate, County Agricultural Commissioners must perform the regulatory enforcement activities as outlined to ensure the plant material is free from infestation. This contract with CDFA.
• Weights & Measures Petroleum Program - Approximately $8,400 annually
The Petroleum Products contract stipulates that the County will be reimbursed by CDFA for initial inspections of establishments selling or distributing petroleum products. An initial inspection is the first inspection in the fiscal year of a location where the primary business is the sale of petroleum products (i.e., retail service stations, distributors of engine fuels, oils, and quick-lube shops). These inspections include verification of compliance with the Business and Professions Code and California Code of Regulations relating to the advertising and labeling of automotive and petroleum products at the location.
The Commissioner/Sealer is requesting delegated authority to execute various funding agreements and/or amendments to these agreements, wherein the Federal and State government reimburses the Commissioner/Sealer for work performed in support of these programs. The Commissioner/Sealer is also asking for authority to receive anticipated revenue for the period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031. Should revenues or expenses in these contracts change significantly, the Department will utilize the appropriate County process to adjust the Department’s budget accordingly. This only applies to agreements and amendments that are in a form approved by County Counsel. Any agreements with new terms will be reviewed by County Counsel.
The current authority delegated to the Commissioner/Sealer ends June 30, 2026.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
8/17/2021 - Delegated Authority for State and Federal Revenue Agreements (SONOMA COUNTY - File #: 2021-0711 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5081321&GUID=E9F560C3-B493-4E8D-B79F-61F51344ECC0&Options=&Search=>)
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY23-24 Adopted |
FY24-25 Projected |
FY25-26 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
|
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item. Funding agreements will be programmed in the annual budget process.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A