RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ASSEMBLY BILL 2297 (RUSKIN), PESTS

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

 

WHEREAS, the statewide High-Risk Pest Exclusion Program (HRPE) supports county inspection activities to prevent the introduction of harmful exotic plant pests and diseases into California’s agricultural crops and environment; and

 

WHEREAS, in San Man Mateo County, HRPE contractual funding has supported the inspection of over 29,000 incoming shipments annually, including plants and produce at San Francisco International Airport and truck nursery stock shipments at wholesale and retail nurseries; and

 

WHEREAS, recent reductions in HRPE funding have limited local funding from $5.5 million in 1999 to $977,000 in 2004; and

 

WHEREAS, funding reductions have had a negative impact on the number of interceptions of significant pests (such as red imported fire ant, giant African snail and Oriental fruit fly) in San Mateo County, which have dropped from an annual high of 2,123 to only 275 interceptions in FY 2004-05; and

 

WHEREAS, AB 2297 would authorize increased funding for county High-Risk Pest Exclusion Programs; and

 

WHEREAS, AB 2297 could provide the San Mateo County with sufficient program funding to meet or exceed the level of inspections for high-risk pest pathways in place in previous years; and

 

WHEREAS, any increase funding that expands inspection personnel hours will result in additional pest interceptions and greater protection for the County’s agricultural and export industries, urban landscapes, parks and natural habitats.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors by the adoption of this resolution hereby supports Assembly Bill 2297 (Ruskin) regarding pests.

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