Executive Address
Florez Systematically Dismantles Ag Dept
July, 2009
Department Heads at the California Dept of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) took heavy fire from Senate Majority Leader, Dean Florez on Tuesday, June 16th. As Chairman of the Senate Food and Agriculture Committee, Senator Florez agendized a discussion to review the functions of the Department, and its possible elimination. The hearing was held in the smallest of committee rooms at the State Capitol, seating only 20-30 people. Many of us huddled in the hallway around a single flat screen television to hear the proceedings. Some commented that the room was chosen by design, to ensure little participation from stakeholders thereby flying a bit under the radar.
"... Agriculture needs support on many levels ..."
Senator Florez’s questioning was clearly centered on the premise that CDFA is the only state department serving only one for-profit industry. He wasn’t shy in structuring a line of questioning that encouraged witnesses to confirm that CDFA supports the agricultural industry in order to keep farmers and ranchers in business. Sadly, there was no real recognition by the Senator of the fact that agriculture needs support on many levels, with the list of benefits covering food security, the safest food supply in the world, and not to mention the generation of one-third of our state’s economy.
The key witness on behalf of CDFA was Rayne Pegg, Deputy Secretary of Legislation an Policy. Pegg is a former employee of Ca Farm Bureau in the National Affairs Division and recently left CDFA to join the American Marketing Service at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Pegg indicated that in light of the current budget crisis, CDFA has been looking at various savings options including increased user fees and leveraging additional federal dollars. USDA has offered to cover some of CDFA’s costs and they are exploring a reduction of demand for general fund dollars in the Plant and Animal Division, which absorbs the most of the general fund money at CDFA.
Florez continually pushed for a specific date from CDFA officials, asking repeatedly when CDFA would produce its own proposal for savings. “For every day you wait, we will do it, and I don’t think you want us doing it,” Florez commented. Pegg responded by explaining that CDFA managed $9.3 million in cuts in 2008, and additional salary cuts mandated by furlough days. Illustrating the difficulty of developing and type of assessment for those benefiting from pest exclusion programs, Pegg cited travelers, smugglers and urbanites as moving targets. “We do feel that we are running very lean at this time,” said Pegg, “although there is $13 million in salaries, those salaried employees are managing a budget of $340 million.”
Chairman Florez focused on what he called a formal legislative process that reviews departments on a regular basis, a “Sunset Review Committee.” Florez opined that management in the areas of human resources, information technology, and administration need not be housed under CDFA. Instead, these responsibilities could be absorbed by other existing departments, along with transfers of entire programs. For example, fertilizer, chemical and pest control programs could move to the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) in order to prevent wasted resources by duplication of efforts. Admittedly, there has not been a review of possible cross over between CDFA and DPR activities, said John Connell, Director of Plant Services at CDFA.
One area in which there is a demonstrated public health benefit is the pest exclusion and eradication programs. These pest containment programs receive the greatest amount of funding from taxpayer dollars, but do more than just protect agricultural crops. Pests such as the Red Fire Ant and Gypsy Moth have proven to be hazardous to human health. The Red Fire Ant must be controlled, as its presence in urban and rural areas runs a high risk for death from anaphylactic shock. Comparatively, drinking water quality can suffer from the presence of Gypsy Moth, also posing a health risk for some individuals who become ill by inhaling the hairs from the caterpillar stage of the moth. Recently, the USDA spent $32 million to eradicate Gypsy Moth on the East Coast. Introduction of this pest in California could prove to be costly, as the moth thrives in forestlands.
"This is without
a doubt not the last we will hear on the issue of downsizing the CDFA."
This is without a doubt not the last we will hear on the issue of downsizing the CDFA. It is in my opinion this is a result of a disconnect between voters and ranchers. In only the last twenty years or so, the public has lost any personal touch with what we do. It used to be that a Californian need not look far in his family tree to find a farmer or rancher. Regardless, I believe that farming is not falling to the wayside, as younger generations come up through the ranks of family agribusiness. We are not shrinking in importance, instead the average California voter’s perception of the world no longer factors in the farmer. Politicos will always do what is takes to get the press, and so we need to stop fighting, suing the government. What we need to do is start buying superbowl commercials. If a gecko with a British accent can make people feel good about paying for car insurance, we can certainly make farming cool again…and like moths to a flame, the politicos will follow.