County taking a stand against state

Glenn County supervisors are taking a stand against state fees.

They are writing a letter to the California Department of Food and Agriculture against proposed fees for phytosanitary inspections and certificates.

Agricultural Commissioner Jim Donnelly reported to the board last week the 45-day comment period ends Jan. 30.

Donnelly reported private individuals or businesses will have to pay $5.30 per phytosanitary certificate issued and a $125 annual fee to participate in the program if the fees go into effect.

Currently, the county charges $40 for a phytosanitary certificate plus a small fee to the USDA.

He added the new charges are the result of a reduction in state general fund money being contributed to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

The $5.30 per certificate and the $125 annual master permit fee would cover the state agency's $1.4 million cost in protecting pest free areas and trade support costs, Donnelly noted.

An estimated 220,000 federal phytosanitary certificates are issued each year statewide, he said, while 20,000 are issued by the state.

The issue came before the board initially on Oct. 4, he said, but the CDFA canceled the fee changes shortly after the board talked about it in the fall.

After reworking the plan, the state started another 45-day comment period, Donnelly said.

Phytosanitary certificates are issued on nursery stock, he said, and there also are certificates of origin issued for out-of-state or international shipments.

Donnelly explained the state agency's phytosanitary fund was cut when it lost about $30 million in California general fund money, and that is why it is looking at these fees now - to keep that program operating.

He also said his office sent information on the issue to locals issued phytosanitary certificates from his agency for comment.

"Nobody liked it," he said, but they indicated the state tends to put the financial burden on industry and there is not a lot anybody can do about it.

Some shippers sent letters of protest on their own, Donnelly said.

Glenn County issues about 3,000 phytosanitary certificates per year, but that is quite small compared to those issued in the San Joaquin Valley and other large agricultural regions in the state.

Supervisors said they oppose the fee schedule on principle.

"It is just another fee, essentially," Supervisor Leigh McDaniel said. "Even though it is a small fee, it (the opposition) is a statement little fees here and there on agriculture and small business add up."

He also said the board thought it would join the ranks of the dissatisfied in the hope the state would look at hard cuts to its internal programs just as the counties have done to theirs.

For his part, Board Chairman Steve Soeth said he did not have a problem with the fees because he understands they get passed on to the country of destination.

But he also understands "people are tired of being nickeled and dimed to death with fees."

So the board voted to oppose them.

Contact Rick Longley at 934-6800 or rlongley@tcnpress.com.