DATE: March 3, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Melissa Cregan, Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures
SUBJECT: Retroactive Revenue Agreement for the Apiary Protection Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Waive the annual registration fee for any beekeeper, apiary owner, apiary operator, or person, who is a hobbyist not in the business of beekeeping and who possesses nine or fewer colonies pursuant to California Food and Agriculture Code, section 29044; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive revenue Agreement with the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the Apiary Protection Program, Revenue Agreement No. 25-0551-000-SA, effective January 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with a total reimbursable amount of $15,296.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost (NCC) associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the first recommended action will waive the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) registration fee, allowable under California Food and Agriculture Code, section 29044, for hobbyist beekeepers who are not in the beekeeping business, promoting registration compliance.
Approval of the second recommended action will allow the County to enter into an Agreement with CDFA to reimburse the Department's costs for activities related to apiary protection. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the first recommended action, hobbyist beekeepers with nine or fewer colonies will be required to pay an annual registration fee to CDFA.
Should your Board not approve the second recommended action, the Department will not receive funding from CDFA for mandated activities related to apiary protection.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
This revenue agreement is retroactive to January 1, 2026. The Department received the Agreement from CDFA on December 22, 2025 and it's being brought before your Board in accordance with Agenda Item deadlines.
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