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Committee advances bill to give ag commissioners civil-penalty authority for neglected orchards and vineyards
Summary
AB 732, which would allow county agricultural commissioners to issue civil penalties to compel cleanup of abandoned or neglected agricultural land that harbors pests, passed the Assembly Agriculture Committee and moves to the Judiciary Committee after proponents described pest damage and high county abatement costs.
AB 732, legislation to give county agricultural commissioners additional enforcement tools to address neglected or abandoned orchards and vineyards, advanced out of the California State Assembly Committee on Agriculture and was due passed to the Judiciary Committee after proponents described pest risks and the high cost of current abatement procedures.
Assemblymember Macedo presented the bill and said falling commodity prices, water restrictions under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and other pressures have increased the number of fallowed and unmanaged acres. Supporters told the committee that abandoned perennial crops become breeding grounds for pests that can spread to adjacent farms.
Roger Isom, president and CEO of the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and the Western Tree Nut Association, testified that pests including navel orangeworm and certain rodents can overwinter in abandoned orchards and damage neighboring properties. He cited suspected recent losses from Norway and roof rats and referenced a CDFA estimate that pest-related losses could range between $100 million and $300 million.
Melissa Cregan, Fresno County agricultural commissioner, described large abatement costs and a real-world example: a pension firm purchased and abandoned roughly 7,000 acres of trees and vines in Fresno County. She estimated physical abatement costs of $2,000 to $2,500 per acre, totaling roughly $14 million to $17.5 million — funds that counties often cannot front under current law. AB 732 would allow agricultural commissioners to use civil penalties, with penalties capped at $500 per acre and a 15-day cure period after notice; the bill also contains fairness measures such as multilingual notices and a grace period before fines apply.
Assemblymember Macedo told the committee that the bill was revised after a prior year veto message; the sponsor said stakeholders had worked to address the governor’s concerns about protections for beneficial insects and to better engage stakeholders. Supporters at the hearing included representatives from the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, Almond Alliance, Agricultural Council of California, California Fresh Fruit Association, and multiple grower and pest-control organizations.
A motion to pass AB 732 to the Judiciary Committee carried on the committee roll call; the committee recorded eight ayes and no nays. Committee members asked about a prior veto message; Macedo said the bill had been revised to address those concerns and to incorporate stakeholder engagement.
Supporters said AB 732 balances enforcement with fairness and includes provisions to waive penalties if problems are resolved within the cure period. Opponents were not recorded at the hearing; several agricultural organizations and local officials testified in favor. If enacted, supporters said the law would allow more timely local responses to pest threats and could lower the need for increased pesticide use on neighboring farms by addressing the source of pest proliferation.
Votes at a glance: AB 732 — Due passed to Judiciary Committee (8–0).
