Title
a. An ordinance repealing Chapter 10.16 of Title 10 of the Monterey County Code relating to Produce Inspection - Head Lettuce. (Attachment 1)
b. Proposed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) action: Categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guideline Section 15309.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Budget Committee receive a report on the following:
a. An ordinance repealing Chapter 10.16 of Title 10 of the Monterey County Code relating to Produce Inspection - Head Lettuce. (Attachment 1)
b. Proposed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) action: Categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guideline Section 15309.
SUMMARY:
On November 16, 2018, the Agricultural Commissioner's Office received a letter from the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California (GSA) requesting that the County repeal Chapter 10.16 of the Monterey County Code relating to produce inspection of head lettuce because the head lettuce inspection program no longer provided value to the industry (Attachment 2). On February 28, 2019, the Agricultural Commissioner met with industry representatives, and they reiterated their request to repeal Chapter 10.16. On March 22, 2019, the Agricultural Commissioner received a revised letter from the GSA clarifying that the industry was requesting repeal of Chapter 10.16 in its entirety (Attachment 3). On March 28, 2019, the Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) considered the GSA request and voted to recommend repeal of Chapter 10.16 of the Monterey County Code in its entirety to the Board of Supervisors.
DISCUSSION:
Chapter 10.16 of the Monterey County Code was adopted in 1976 at the behest of the grower shipper industry to require uniform compliance with head lettuce standards in the California Code of Regulations (CCR). The Head Lettuce Inspection program began in 1976 as an industry-funded program. Head lettuce was inspected for uniform compliance and quality. Th...
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