Noxious weed management: Broomrape Program: extension

The law continues state efforts to detect and manage broomrape, a parasitic plant that can affect processing tomatoes and other designated crops. It also revises how noxious-weed grants are allocated and used.

What the law does ​

• Extends the Broomrape Program and Broomrape Board until July 1, 2030.
• Allows the program to cover processing tomatoes and other broomrape-affected commodities designated by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture.
• Keeps producer- and handler-funded commodity assessments available for the program.
• Makes producer- and property-identifying Broomrape Program information confidential, except for the California Department of Food and Agriculture and county agricultural departments.
• Reserves 60% of the Noxious Weed Management Account for eligible weed management areas’ control and abatement grants.
• Raises the share of weed-management grants that may pay for meetings, travel, administration, and coordination from 10% to 25%.
• Requires each geographic area to belong to only one weed management area and adds plan goals for agriculture, fire reduction, ecosystems, recreation, and water supply.

Who it affects ​

• Processing-tomato producers, handlers, and other businesses holding title to commodities designated as affected by broomrape.
• Weed management areas, county agricultural commissioners, resource conservation districts, and nonprofit riverway-management grantees.
• Landowners, land managers, and local agencies participating in noxious-weed control.

Context ​

The program remains operative through June 30, 2030, and is repealed on January 1, 2031.