Agriculture and Environmental Management Agency
- Details -
About the Department
The Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures is the
local delivery system for a variety of statewide regulatory programs.
The County Agricultural Commissioner/Director of Weights and
Measures is appointed by the County Board of Supervisors, receives
direction from the Secretary of the California Department of
Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the Director of the California
Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) and works in cooperation
with numerous other federal, state and local agencies. The Agricultural
Commissioner's enforcement authority is derived from the California
Food and Agricultural Code, and Calaveras County Ordinances.
The Director of Weights and Measure's enforcement authority is
found in the California Business and Professions Code. The County
Agricultural Commissioner/Director of Weights and Measure's staff
employs a high degree of expertise and knowledge of local conditions
to uniformly implement and administer the following statewide
programs in Calaveras County.
Pest Exclusion
The Pest Exclusion Program is California's first line of defense
against the introduction of exotic pests which, if they were
to become established, would be detrimental to agriculture and/or
the environment of the State. The Agricultural Commissioner's
staff inspects incoming plant shipments for compliance with the
State's plant quarantine laws and for the presence of insect,
weed, vertebrate and disease pests. In 1998, 2,269 shipments
were inspected by department staff. A total of 6 shipments were
rejected.
Pest Detection
The Pest Detection Program represents California's second
line of defense against the introduction and establishment of
pests that are known to be economically detrimental to agriculture
and the environment. The Department strategically deploys and
monitors insect traps throughout the County for the presence
of such exotic pests as Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Oriental Fruit
Fly, Japanese Beetle and Gypsy Moth. Biologists are constantly
on the lookout for new weed pest introductions along roadways
and on rangeland in the County. Pet shops are inspected periodically
for the presence of any prohibited species. In 1997, department
staff detected a new "A" rated pest, Plumless Thistle,
which is now under eradication.
Pest Eradication
The Pest Eradication Program is the third line of defense in the overall Pest Prevention Program. The purpose of this program is to eradicate pest infestations that penetrate the first two lines of defense before eradication becomes economically impractical. In Calaveras County, there are currently seven "A" rated weed pests under eradication. County operated eradication projects include Dalmatian Toadflax, Scotch Thistle, Skeleton Weed, Spotted Knapweed, Spotted-diffuse knapweed, Diffuse knapweed, and Plumeless Thistle. CDFA currently is attempting to eradicate the water weed Hydrilla from waterways within Calaveras County.
Pest Management
The County Agricultural Commissioner is charged with the responsibility
of providing assistance and guidance from specially trained staff
in the control of common pest that are detrimental to agriculture,
the environment, or that are a threat to human health and safety.
Such pests include plant diseases, noxious weeds, rodents, birds
and other vertebrate pests causing damage. The Department sells,
at cost, a variety of baits for the control of field rodents
such as ground squirrels, rats and mice. The Department, in cooperation
with USDA and CDFA also strives to implement effective biological
control, when practical, on a variety of insect and weed pests.
To date, the Calaveras County Department of Agriculture has introduced
biological control organisms for Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer,
Ash Whitefly, Klamath Weed, Italian Thistle, Milk Thistle, Puncturevine,
and Yellow Starthistle.
The Agricultural Commissioner also administers a cooperative
agreement between the County, CDFA, and USDA Wildlife Services
for the control of other vertebrate pests such as skunk, raccoon,
opossum, beaver, coyote, bear, and mountain lion, that are damaging
agriculture or that are a threat to human health and safety.
Pesticide Use Enforcement
California has the most comprehensive pesticide regulatory
system in the nation. The County Agricultural Commissioner is
responsible for implementation of this statewide program at the
local level. The Pesticide Use Enforcement Program includes annual
registration of Agricultural and Structural Pest Control Businesses,
Pest Control Advisors and Farm Labor Contractors that work in
the County. The Program includes issuance of Restricted Materials
Permits, Operator Identification Numbers (for non-restricted
agricultural pesticides), and monitoring of pesticides applied
in the County through a mandatory use reporting system. The Agricultural
Commissioner's staff verifies compliance with pesticide laws
by periodic inspections of pesticide applications, mixing and
loading operations, employee headquarters inspections and inspection
of pesticide storage facilities. Staff also investigates all
reports of pesticide related illnesses, crop losses, pesticide
drift and wildlife losses, as well as complaints of other alleged
misuse of pesticides in the County that may be detrimental to
human health and safety or the environment. It should be noted,
however, that neither the County Agricultural Commissioner nor
CDPR has jurisdiction over pesticides applied on or to any federal
lands or facilities.
Seed Inspection
Under the Seed Inspection Program the Agricultural Commissioner's
staff periodically inspects seed for agricultural planting for
compliance with State labeling requirements for purity and germination
percentages.
Nursery
The Department's staff routinely inspects nurseries within
the County to insure that nursery stock is properly labeled,
commercially clean with respect to weeds, insect pests, diseases,
and that only vigorous healthy plants are offered for sale to
the consumer.
Standardization
The Standardization Program involves periodic inspection of
fruits, nuts, vegetables and honey offered for sale at local
retail outlets to ensure they meet minimum quality standards
as established by the State. This program also involves testing
apples at various production sites prior to harvest to ensure
that maturity requirements are met. Another aspect of this program
involves oversight of direct marketing activities. This involves
issuance of Certified Producer Certificates, Farmer's Market
Certificates, and periodic inspections of such producers and
markets to ensure consumers that all produce offered for sale
was grown by the seller. Staff also registers local growers that
desire to market their agricultural commodities as "Organically
Grown", to provide assurance to consumers that such products
are grown in accordance with California's strict standards for
organically grown food products.
Egg Inspection
The Egg Inspection Program involves periodic inspection of
eggs at local retail outlets to ensure that the product offered
for sale conforms to State size, grade and quality standards.
Apiary
This program emphasizes registration of honeybee colonies
located in the County so that notification of nearby applications
of pesticides, toxic to bees, can be issued. Department staff
may, on request, inspect and certify the health of registered
honeybee colonies. The Program also involves enforcement of the
County Bee Ordinance with respect to complaints of improperly
placed apiaries which adversely impact local residents.
Statistics
The County Agricultural Commissioner is required to compile
an annual report of agriculture. These reports are used by a
variety of businesses and institutions such as banks and other
lending institutions, schools, government agencies and research
facilities. Additionally, the Department is also called upon
to conduct surveys relating to the impacts of natural disasters
such as drought, flood and wildland fire on the local agricultural
economy. Such statistical data is often instrumental in securing
state and federal disaster relief for the affected segment of
local agricultural industry.
Weighing and Measuring Devices
The County's Weights and Measures staff routinely inspect
and test all weighing and measuring devices used commercially
in the County. Devices inspected include gasoline dispensers,
propane dispensers and delivery truck meters, taxi meters, commercially
used scales including pharmacy, computing, livestock and vehicle
scales. The Department is also responsible for testing privately
owned LPG vapor and electric meters. In 1998, 3,174 commercial
devices were registered with the Department. Staff also periodically
conduct price verification audits of all scanning devices used
in the County. Additionally, all complaints alleging short measure
or weight, or overcharges are promptly investigated and the findings
of such investigations are reported to the complainants. Once
a device is tested, found to be accurate and appropriate for
the intended use, a paper seal (label) is affixed to it by the
inspector.
Device Repairman
Persons that sell, rent, install, service or repair weighing
and measuring devices that are used for commercial purposes,
are required to be licensed by Measurement Standards (DMS), a
division of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Device Repairmen must report installations of new devices and
repair of existing devices to the Department within 24 hours
of completion of work. Department staff then verify the accuracy
of the work by testing and sealing those devices.
Quantity Control
Weights and Measures staff periodically conduct inspections
of prepackaged commodities using statistical sampling procedures
to determine if these items contain the stated quantity of product.
Commodities are also examined for compliance with product labeling
requirements of the Fair Packaging and Label Act.
The Quantity Control Program also includes a test purchase
program at retail establishments throughout the County in order
to verify the accuracy of transactions. Test items are selected
at random and a purchase is made to determine if consumers are
being charged appropriately. Consumer complaints received by
the Department are investigated in this manner to check for any
discrepancies. Any commodity that is sold by weight, measure
or count, including firewood is under the jurisdiction of the
County Director of Weights and Measures.
Weighmaster
Weighmasters and their deputies are licensed by DMS to certify
the weight, measure or count of any commodity that is sold when
the purchaser is not present at the time of sale. Some of the
most common examples of such transactions are sand, gravel and
ready-mix concrete. Weighmaster Certificates are recognized by
the justice system as being legal documents. As such, there are
certain criteria that must be followed by Weighmasters when issuing
Weighmaster Certificates. The County Director of Weights and
Measures is responsible to inspect and provide regulatory oversight
of all licensed Weighmasters in Calaveras County.
Petroleum Products
The County's Weights and Measures staff conducts periodic
inspections of gasoline service stations to ensure that advertising
price signs conform to the requirements of law including size,
color and accuracy. All gasoline dispensing devices are also
checked to ensure they contain require information for grade
and octane. This program allows consumers the ability to do visual
price comparisons from the street.
Weights and Measures staff also collect random samples of
petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, motor oil, automatic
transmission fluid and anti-freeze for submission to DMS for
testing to determine if the products meet established minimum
standards.
Gasoline Vapor Recovery
In an effort to make local government more efficient, the
Weights and Measures Department has entered into an agreement
with the Calaveras County Air Pollution Control District to inspect
gasoline stations for compliance with Phase I and Phase II vapor
recovery requirements. These inspections are made in conjunction
with the routine testing of gasoline dispensers for accuracy.
This cooperative program reduces the number of visits made to
the regulated businesses each year and helps to minimize disruption
to local business by governmental agencies.
Tips & Advice
Always stack and measure firewood prior to exchanging money.
Always obtain a Weighmaster Certificate when receiving a shipment
of sand or gravel.
Obtain from the County University Extension Officer Publication
No. 21541 "Yellow Starthistle Biology and Control"
when planning your strategy against this noxious weed.
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