Title
Agriculture Department recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign an amendment to contract 23-0529-007-SF-2 for additional funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 from the California Department of Food and Agriculture for Emergency Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter (GWSS) Delimitation for $400,000 for a new agreement amount not to exceed $967,234 with no change to the expiration date of June 30, 2025; and
2) Authorize the Chair to sign a budget transfer increasing revenue by $400,000 and appropriations for Professional Services by $400,000 for the FY 2024-25 Budget for GWSS Delimitation Efforts. (4/5 votes required)
(Districts 1, 2 & 4)
FUNDING: 100% California Department of Food and Agriculture Glassy Winged Sharpshooter Program.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Between October 1, 2024 and October 15, 2024, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) confirmed the presence of the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter (GWSS), the invasive vector of the bacterium that causes Pierce’s disease in grapes, in the area of El Dorado Hills, El Dorado County. Based on these detections and recommendations from CDFA GWSS staff entomologists, CDFA concludes that an infestation of GWSS exists in the area. This pest presents a significant, clear, and imminent threat to the natural environment, agriculture, economy, and private and public property. Unless emergency action is taken during these GWSS’s life cycles, there is high potential for sudden future detections in El Dorado County.
The GWSS is a dangerous, invasive, aggressive vector of Pierce’s disease (PD). PD is considered one of the most devastating diseases of grapevines in the world. The bacterium that causes the disease, Xylella fastidiosa, kills grapevines within two to five years of infection. There is no cure for Pierce’s disease. There are currently 274 properties of grape production within the County at risk from the recent GWSS detections. Over the last 10 years, El Dorado has seen grape values fluctuate between $4.2 and $12.1 million dollars. A total of 4,678-acres of grapes, valued at $4,180,365, was grown in El Dorado County in 2022.
Neighborly Pest Management under the supervision of the El Dorado County Agriculture Department has treated over 250 residences and approximately 40 acres of common and roadside areas to begin the eradication of the GWSS. Based on the current treatment area, there are 300 or more residences and more common areas that need to be treated in order to eradicate this invasive pest.
Pursuant to the provisions in El Dorado County Procurement Ordinance 3.4.(4) all the following requirements are met with respect to the services: a) The goods may be procured from a vendor that has a contract with another public agency, JPA, or cooperative purchasing agreement, for the purchase of the item; and b) The contract was awarded utilizing a competitive bidding process substantially the same as that utilized by the county; and c) The terms of the transaction are the same, or substantially the same.
The Agriculture Department identified that Solano County had recently conducted an RFP to competitively solicit a vendor to provide regulatory area insecticide treatment services. As a result of that RFP, Solano County awarded Neighborly Pest Management’s proposal and issued Contract No.Agriculture,2024/25,01. In accordance with Board of Supervisors Procurement Policy C-17 Section 3.4 (4), the Agriculture Department is requesting the Board exempt these services from competitive bidding due to the use of the competitively bid contract awarded by Solano County to Neighborly Pest Management, Inc. and authorize and approve the Amendment to Agreement for Services #9438 for regulatory area insecticide treatment.
The Agriculture Department is requesting a budget transfer to increase professional services to allow for the delimitation and eradication for this pest. The Department is working with Procurement and Contracts to amend the contract with Neighborly Pest Management to include the additional funding.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not to approve this budget transfer; however, GWSS threatens a crop production value of $5.41 billion and associated economic activity within California of approximately $73 billion. If unabated, the spread of GWSS in California would cause significant harm to the natural environment as it would lead to increased unmonitored use of pesticides by residents and, where control and eradication measures are not used, increased disease in agricultural and landscape plants.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
On February 4, 2025, Legistar file 25-0168, the Board approved contract amendment 23-0529-007-SF-1 for additional funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25, the department has utilized all of the funding and has obtained additional funding due to the emergency status of this pest and the importance of treating it immediately.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Procurement and Contracts
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no General Fund impact or increase in Net County Cost. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) funds the delimitation and eradication efforts, which will be added to the FY 2024-25 Budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Obtain the Chair's signature on the budget transfer and forward to the Auditor/Controller for processing.
2) Obtain Chair’s signature on the amendment to contract #23-0529-007-SF-2, Attachment B and forward to Myrna Tow in Agriculture Department for processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Safe and Healthy Communities. Strengthen Emergency Response Capabilities and Effectiveness
CONTACT
LeeAnne Mila, Agricultural Commissioner
Corrie Larsen, Assistant Agricultural Commissioner