The program you are referring to a recently passed bill, AB 3383,
sometimes called the BIOS bill, because it was inspired by the
Biooologicallyy Integrated Farming Systems program sponsored by the
Community Alliance with Family Farmers in California. The law took effect
on Jan. 1 and is just now being implemented. The offical legislative
digest of the bill reads:
AB 3383, Bornstein. Agricultural chemicals: reduction pilot program.
Under existing law, the Regents of the University of California are charged
with the duty of administering the university. The university carries out
various research and educational projects, including pest management
research. This bill would request the Regents of the University of
California to establish a pilot program, as specified, to provide extension
services, training, and financial incentives for farmers who voluntarily
participate in pilot projects to reduce their use of chemicals for
agricultural production. The bill would prohibit the commencement of any
new pilot demonstration project on or after December 31, 2001.
The law says: The program should consist of up to five pilot demonstration
projects, each project involving a different commodity or cropping system
and each located in a different county.
(2) The program should be designed to extend integrated farming systems
through the proven technique of farmer-to-farmer communication, with
technical support provided by farm advisers, scientists, and pest control
advisers.
(3) The structure of each pilot demonstration project should be
patterned, to the degree feasible, after the successful Biologically
Integrated Orchard Systems (BIOS) program coordinated by the Community
Alliance with Family Farmers in Merced County.
(4) Pilot demonstration projects should be selected through a
competitive process that supports the goals specified [above]. The
proposals for the projects selected should demonstrate the applicant's
experience in the farming systems described [above], should contain
documented financial and technical support, and should provide for a
breadth of private sector cost sharing.
(5) Funding for the program should consist of a combination of federal,
state, and private sector funds. If the program is established by the
University of California, the Department of Pesticide Regulation shall
provide fiscal oversight and shall allocate all program funds received,
less 2 percent for administrative costs, to the University of California
for purposes of implementing the program of pilot demonstration projects.
593. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the University of
California establish a program advisory review board consisting of 13
members, appointed by the President of the University of California, or his
or her designee, as follows: ...
The Department of Pesticide Regulation is providing $250,000 toward the
program and the US EPA, $335,000. The Sustainable Agriculture Research and
Education Program at UC Davis is responsible for creating the advisory
board, putting out an RFP, and overseeing the pilot projects. The RFP for
the pilot programs has just been released.
I am the contact person for this bill for the Department of Pesticide
Regulation can provide copies of the full text of the bill and general
infomration about how it operates. Information on the project itself,
including the RFP, can be obtained from Dr. Robert Bugg, UC SAREP,
University of California , Davis CA 95616 (916) 754-8549,
rlbugg@ucdavis.edu Information on the existing BIOS project can be
obtained from Thomas Nelson, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, P. O.
Box 363 DAvis CA 95617 (916) 756-8518 caff@igc.apc.org
Kathy Brunetti, Agriculture Program Supervisor
Department of Pesticide Regulation 1020 N Street Room 161 Sacramento CA 95814
voice (916) 324-4100 FAX (916) 324-4088 brunetti@empm.cdpr.ca.gov