Agenda

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C. 25

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Matt Slattengren
Date:	November 12, 2019

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Agreement for Bee Safe Program

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 11/12/2019

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

608-6600

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: November 12, 2019
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Agricultural Commissioner, or designee, to execute an agreement with the California Department of Food and Agriculture in an amount not to exceed $25,547 to reimburse the County for services for the Bee Safe Program for the period July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Approval of this agreement will provide reimbursement to the Agricultural Department in an amount not to exceed $25,547. There is no county match of funds or grant money involved.

BACKGROUND:

Existing state law recognizes the importance of managed honeybees. Per the California Food and Agricultural Code (FAC), "a healthy and vibrant apiary industry is important to the economy and welfare of the people of the State of California." (FAC Division 13, Chapter 1, Article 1, Section 29000). The health of managed honeybees gained national attention in 2006 following an unsustainable, 50% overwinter loss rate of commercial honey bees. Continued honeybee losses can jeopardize not only commercial bee keepers, but the numerous crops that benefit from, or in the case of almonds, entirely depend on the honey bee.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

Recognizing the critical role of insect pollinators in producing the wide variety of fruit, vegetables, nuts and other crops that feed the nation and the world, federal funding was made available for conservation and research to improve health of honeybees and other key pollinators. A report from 2012 concluded that on-going honeybee losses were the result of the combined effects of four key honey bee stressors: Pests and parasites: nutrition and lack of forage: pesticide exposure; and genetics.

The main objectives of the Bee Safe Program are to reduce honeybee stressors through: improved apiary (a place where bees are kept), theft prevention efforts, decreased apiary pest pressure, decreased apiary stress due to pesticide exposure, and increased apiary foraging opportunities. County Agricultural Commissioners are granted authority identified in the Food and Agricultural Code to enforce various apiary and pest prevention laws (i.e. registration, identification, and placement of hives; inspection and abatement of pests) intended to ensure the vitality of the beekeeping industry and to prevent the introduction into or the spread within the state of pests.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

A negative action would result in loss of revenue to the Department and a possible threat to the honey bee population not only in Contra Costa County, but statewide.