SB 1354: Agricultural pest control: Asian citrus psyllid: Huanglongbing.

Under existing law, the Department of Food and Agriculture has various duties relating to the prevention and control of damage caused by citrus pests and diseases. The Legislature has expressed a finding and declaration that the citrus killing diseases, Huanglongbing, citrus leprosis, citrus variegated chlorosis, and citrus canker, and the associated vectors present a clear and present danger to Californias citrus industry, as well as to other commodities and plant life.

This bill would require the department, upon the appropriation of funds for that purpose, to support specified research activities relating to the Asian citrus psyllid and Huanglongbing. The bill would also require the department, upon the appropriation of funds for that purpose, to work with county agricultural commissioners, pest control advisors, researchers, the Citrus Research Board, or any or all of them, to establish a process for voluntary tracking of best practices for managing Asian citrus psyllid-infested and Huanglongbing-infected groves, as specified.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.