Agricultural pest control: citrus disease prevention.

Existing law creates the California Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee in the Department of Food and Agriculture to, among other things, develop a statewide citrus specific pest and disease work plan. Existing law provides for a monthly assessment to be paid by producers, as defined, which are deposited in the Citrus Disease Management Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund. Moneys in the Citrus Management Account is available upon appropriation by the Legislature for specified activities relating to citrus disease prevention. The bill would appropriate $5,000,000 from the General Fund to the Citrus Disease Management Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund, and would make those funds available for expenditure by the department, without regard to fiscal year, for the purpose of combating citrus disease or its vectors. The bill would make a legislative finding and declaration relating to the need for funds to combat citrus disease and its vectors.