DATE: August 21, 2018
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Les Wright, Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures
SUBJECT: Retroactive Cooperative Agreement for the Organic Inspection Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Cooperative Agreement with the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the Organic Inspection program, effective July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019, with a total reimbursement amount of $10,500.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will allow the County to enter into an agreement with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to reimburse the Department’s costs associated with inspecting organic producers/sellers to verify compliance with state organic laws and regulations.
This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the Department will not receive funding from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for this mandated inspection program, which may impact Net County Cost.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
This revenue agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2018. The Department received the agreement from the CDFA on June 29, 2018.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Fresno County will receive approximately $10,500 in revenue from the CDFA to fund this program. The estimated revenues and appropriations to fund the full cost of the program are included in the FY2018-19 Recommended Budget for Department of Agriculture Org 40101008.
DISCUSSION:
The Department is mandated with the responsibility to assist with the processing of organic registrations, perform spot inspections of organic producers and other organic handlers, collect and submit samples for residue analysis to verify program compliance, and perform complaint investigations as necessary. The Agreement reimburses the County for performing these mandated activities.
The agreement reimburses the County for the costs associated with administering the organic program at a rate of $60.00 per assisted registration application, $210.00 per spot inspection, $70.00 per Farmer’s Market inspection plus an additional $10.00 per organic participant inspected, and $120.00 per surveillance residue sample collected. Complaint investigations will be reimbursed at actual cost and will vary depending upon the complexity of the investigation.
On May 8, 2018, your Board authorized the Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures to execute specific revenue agreements for FY 2018-19, which included this Organic Inspection Program. A provision within that Agenda Item authorized the Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures to execute these agreements, as long as the total reimbursement amount for each agreement was within 15 percent (15%) of the Department’s estimations. At that time, the Department estimated $13,000 in revenues for this program. The actual amount approved by the CDFA, $10,500, is outside the 15 percent allowance permitted by the prior Agenda Item; therefore, this agreement is brought before your Board individually for approval.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI # 32, May 8, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with the CDFA
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander