Title
Agriculture Department recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Cooperative Agreement 24-0469-004-SF from the California Department of Food and Agriculture for Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter (GWSS) Surveillance for $2,125,649.67 with a retroactive term of July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026;
2) Authorize the Chair to sign a Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Transfer Request increasing revenue by $1,397,483. and appropriations for Salaries and Benefits by $197,329, Professional Services by $1,193,000, and Fuel by $7,154 for GWSS Delimitation Efforts (4/5 votes required);
3) Waive formal bid requirements in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17, Section 3.4 (4), due to the fact that a competitively bid contract with another public agency is available;
4) Make findings pursuant to Section 3.13.030 (B) of the El Dorado County Ordinance Chapter 3.13, Contracting Out, that specialty skills and qualifications not expressly identified in County classifications are involved in the performance of the work; and
5) Authorize the Chair to sign Amendment II to Agreement for Services 9438 with Neighborly Pest Management, Inc. to increase the total compensation by $1,743,000, for an updated amount of $2,528,000 and extending the term to June 30, 2027.
(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 a 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 decade, El Dorado has seen grape values fluctuate between $4.2 and $12.1 million. A total of 4,678 acres of grapes, valued at $4,180,365, were grown in El Dorado County in 2022.
Ongoing treatment in the area remains crucial because glassy-winged sharpshooters are still being found in monitoring traps. These results indicate that the pest has not been fully eliminated and continues to pose a risk of spreading Pierce’s disease to vineyards and other vulnerable crops within our County. Continuing treatment efforts is vital to prevent population growth, limit the spread, and ultimately achieve complete eradication before the pest becomes established and impacts the County’s grape industry.
The Agriculture Department is requesting a budget transfer to increase professional services, allowing for the delimitation and eradication of this pest. The Department is working with Procurement and Contracts to amend Agreement for Services 9438 with Neighborly Pest Management to include additional funding and extend the contract.
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
May 13, 2025, Legistar file 25-0894, the Board approved the amendment to the Cooperative Agreement 23-0529-007-SF-02 from the California Department of Food and Agriculture for additional funding for emergency Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter delimitation activities.
May 13, 2025, Legistar file 25-0890, the Board approved Amendment 1 to the Agreement for Services 9438 with Neighborly Pest Management, Inc.
March 11, 2025, Legistar file 25-0432, the Board approved the Agreement for Services 9438 with Neighborly Pest Management, Inc.
February 4, 2025, Legistar file 25-0168, the Board approved an amendment to the Cooperative Agreement 23-0529-007-SF-02 from the California Department of Food and Agriculture for funding for emergency Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter delimitation activities.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Procurement and Contracts
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no impact on the General Fund or increase in Net County Cost. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) funds the delimitation and eradication efforts and will be included in future years’ budgets through the term of the cooperative agreement.
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 contract #24-0469-004-SF, and forward to Myrna Tow in Agriculture Department for processing.
3) The Clerk of the Board will return one (1) signed original of Amendment II 9438 to CAO Procurement and Contracts for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Safe and Healthy Communities. Strengthen Emergency Response Capabilities and Effectiveness
CONTACT
LeeAnne Mila, Agricultural Commissioner
Corrie Larsen, Assistant Agricultural Commissioner