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Committee advances bill to let ag commissioners fine owners of abandoned orchards, vineyards
Summary
AB 732 would give county agricultural commissioners authority to issue civil penalties to compel cleanup of abandoned or neglected agricultural land that harbors pests; the committee voted to pass the bill to the Judiciary Committee.
The Assembly Agriculture Committee voted to pass Assembly Bill 732 to the Judiciary Committee, moving forward a measure that would allow county agricultural commissioners to issue civil penalties against owners of abandoned or neglected agricultural land whose properties pose pest and nuisance risks to neighboring farms.
Author Assemblymember Vince Fong Macedo (transcript: Macedo) told the committee that groundwater restrictions under SGMA, low commodity prices and high input costs have contributed to land being taken out of production in parts of the Central Valley. “When these properties are neglected, they become breeding grounds for pests and diseases that threaten farmland, crops, and the agricultural economy at large,” the author said.
Roger Isom, president and CEO of the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and the Western Tree Nut Association, testified the combination of SGMA and market conditions has led to abandoned orchards that harbor invasive pests and rodents and said state estimates show large losses from pest damage. Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner Melissa Cragan testified to on‑the‑ground costs, saying counties face prohibitive fronting costs to abate abandoned acres and provided an example of a pension firm that abandoned 7,000 acres; she estimated abatement costs between $2,000 and $2,500 per acre (totaling $14 million to $17.5 million for that property).
AB 732 would allow commissioners to issue civil penalties — capped in testimony at $500 per acre — designed to encourage compliance and provide a 15‑day cure period and multilingual notices before penalties are imposed. Supporters said the change would let counties act more quickly than the current lien process, which requires counties to front abatement costs and then seek recovery.
Several agricultural trade groups and county officials, including the Fresno County Board of Supervisors (represented by Clifton Wilson), the Almond Alliance, the Agricultural Council of California, the California Fresh Fruit Association and others, registered support during public comment. Committee members discussed last year’s veto message and stakeholder engagement; the author said the bill was revised in consultation with stakeholders after that veto.
The committee recorded a roll call vote in favor (Soria; Alanis; Aguiar‑Curry; Connelly; Gonzales; Hadwick; Irwin; Ransom). The motion was recorded as do pass to the Judiciary Committee.
