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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10171989 - T.3 ra: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: John H. deFremery, Agricultural Commissionei ;r Director of Weights & Measures Costa : � DATE: August 28 , 1989 ��TT-- A County, SUBJECT: Additions to Schedule of fees SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION Approve and authorize an amended schedule-of fees that would include the following: New Fees 1. For each Research Authorization which requires the Agricultural Commissioner to investigate and confirm the destruction of the produce tested, the following conditions and charges may be applied: A. The hourly rate of an Agricultural Biologist II based on transportation and inspection time in fifteen minute intervals. B. The fee of $ . 22 per mile calculated round trip from the closest County Agricultural Office to the test site. C. The charge may not exceed $125 per test site. 2. When extraordinary circumstances have resulted in a mandatory inspection or certification program for imported fruits, nuts or vegetables, the following conditions and charges may be applied: A. The hourly rate of an Agricultural Biologist II based on transportation and inspection time in fifteen minute intervals. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON OCT 1 7 ED APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED _, OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. OCT 17 1989 CC: distribution vi'a Agriculture Commissioner ATTESTED PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY DEPUTY M382 (10/88) . 2 B. The fee of $ . 22 per mile calculated round trip from the closest County Agricultural Office to the point of' inspection. C. In no case shall the fees for inspection of imported fruit, nuts and vegetables exceed the fees which may be set by the State Director of Agriculture. D. The fees shall be charged to the importer. 3 . When State or Federal Phytosanitary Certificates are issued or field certification inspections are required, the following charges and conditions may be applied: A. The hourly rate of an Agricultural Biologist II based on transportation and inspection time in 15 minute intervals. B. The rate of $ . 22 per mile round trip from the closest County Agricultural Office. C. No charge will be made for Phytosanitary Certificates that are issued in the County Office of the Department of Agriculture and require no further inspection. 4 . When inspection is requested by homeowners for plant material being taken to another State, the following charges and conditions may be applied to the owner of the plant material: A. The hourly rate of an Agricultural Biologist II based on the transportation and inspection time, calculated in 15 minute intervals. B. The rate of $ . 22 per mile round trip from the closest County Agricultural office. C. No fee shall be charged for inspections that are done in the County Office of the Department of Agriculture and require no further inspection. 5. When certification is requested for any apiary which is to be transported to another state or country, or requested for certifying colony strength, the following charges and conditions may be applied to the owner of the hives: A. The hourly rate of an Agricultural Biologist II based on the transportation and inspection time, calculated in 15 minute intervals. B. The rate of $ . 22 per mile round trip from the closest County Agricultural Office. C. No fee shall be charged for certification required by any law, regulation, or requirement of the United States. 6. When an inspection of an apiary reveals two percent or more of the colonies infested with American foulbrood disease, the following charges may be applied to the owner of the hives: A. The hourly rate of an Agricultural Biologist II based on the transportation and inspection time, calculated in 15 minute intervals. B. The rate of $ . 22 per mile round trip from the closest County Agricultural Office. 3 7. When an inspection of an apiary is made at the written request of any individual and the inspector finds American foulbrood disease in less than two percent of the colonies, the following charges and conditions may be applied to the person who made the written request: A. The hourly rate of an Agricultural Biologist II based on the transportation and inspection time, calculated in 15 minute intervals. B. The rate of $ . 22 per mile round trip from the closest County Agricultural Office. C. No charge shall be made for apiaries containing less than 100 colonies. 8 . When incoming apiaries are inspected for Varroa Mite or treated or destroyed as required by a signed Varroa Mite Compliance Agreement, the following fees may be applied: A. The hourly rate of an Agricultural Biologist II based on transportation and inspection/treatment/destruction time, calculated in 15 minute intervals. B. The rate of $ . 22 per mile round trip from the closest County Agricultural Office. C. The cost of materials used in inspection, treatment or destruction. 9. For each shipment of plants or things which requires a plant quarantine officer to be present at the destination to supervise the unloading, inspection, or treatment of a quarantine shipment, the shipper or receiver may be charged the following fees and conditions for the cost of services: A. $30 per hour for inspection and travel time. B. $ .25 per mile round trip from the closest office of the Agricultural Commissioner to the point of inspection. C. Fees will be charged for cited and sealed shipments only. 10. For each special request for releasable information which is computer generated the following charges may be made: A. A basic charge of $50 per hour with a one hour minimum for each report requested. B. $ . 10 per page generated by the report with $1. 00 minimum. C. Cost of postage. BACKGROUND The Department has been reviewing additional sources of revenue as a means to meet the 89/90 revenue projection of $717 ,000 and reduce the impact of budget cuts which have been imposed on the Department. New regulations have been passed which allow the .recovery of expenses when enforcing portions of the California Food and Agricultural Code. In addition the increased demand for certain types of inspections have made it advisable to adopt fees where allowed by existing regulations. Section 12829 has been added to the California Food and Agricultural Code authorizing the board of supervisors to determine a fee schedule to recover the commissioners costs. This refers to costs incurred by the commissioner to investigate and confirm the destruction of produce as required by a research authorization. A limit is placed on this fee of $125 per test site. 4 Section 42685 has been added to the California Food and Agricultural Code which authorized the board of supervisors to establish a schedule of fees to recover costs connected with the commissioner' s inspection of imported fruits, nuts or vegetables. This fee schedule applies only when a mandatory inspection or certification program presently exists in the state for that commodity. Sections 5202 through 5208 of the California Food and Agricultural Code authorize the board of supervisors to establish a schedule of fees to recover the approximate cost of inspection for certification of plant shipments. Sections 29190 through 29195 of the California Food and Agricultural Code establish a system of certifying colony strength for bees used in pollination of agricultural crops. They also allow the board of supervisors of the county to establish reasonable fees to cover the cost of inspection and certification performed by the commissioner. Section 29201 of the California Food and Agricultural Code provides that the owner of the hives in an apiary that has been found to be infected by more than two hives of 99 colonies or less, or two percent or more of . colonies of 100 or more, shall pay the cost of the complete inspection. This same section provides that the commissioner may assess the cost of an inspection to the individual who requested the inspection if it is the result of a written request and less than two percent of colonies of 100 or more are found infected. Section 2993 of the California Code of Regulations requires a beekeeper to sign a compliance agreement as a condition of entry into California. This compliance agreement authorizes the commissioner in the county of destination to inspect the hives for the presence of Varroa mite at the beekeeper' s expense. The agreement also provides for treatment or destruction of infested bees : with all associated costs at the beekeeper's expense. Section 6303 of the Food and Agricultural Code has been amended to provide for service fees for supervising the unloading, inspection, and/or treatment of quarantine shipments. Rates for fees and conditions are established by the director. ANTICIPATED REVENUE $1,000 in additional revenue is anticipated for the 89/90 fiscal year. Some fee schedules are being established so that fees may be charged when special circumstances occur. Revenue from these special circumstances cannot be projected.