Ag officials warn bugs could threaten Kern’s $50 million tomato business

The Kern Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a last-minute resolution Tuesday after receiving news that an influx of virus-carrying bugs poses a grave threat to the local tomato industry.

At their 2 p.m. meeting, Kern Chief Administrative Officer Elsa Martinez read from a report presented by county ag commissioner Glenn Fankhauser.

Details were scantly provided at the meeting. Fankhauser, in his report, warned that the county needs to approve a local emergency due to sudden detection of beet leafhoppers in Kern County. He was not brought before the board to answer questions.

“Without immediate action being taken, the tomato crop in Kern County is at risk of failure,” Martinez read aloud.

The bug is tiny — just oneeighth of an inch long. But it is a deadly, torpedo-shaped bug that can transmit the Curly Top Virus, which can stunt plant growth, reduce yields and alter the color of the plants they infest.

In the report, Fankhauser said the bug has migrated in large numbers to the county.

Historically, the bug becomes a problem for the west side of the San Joaquin Valley amid early spring, as they migrate from the foothills to budding crops. Beyond tomatoes, beet leafhoppers are known to target many crops, including cantaloupe, cucumber, peppers, spinach, squash and watermelon.

“There are a few other crops that are susceptible, among them melons,” Fankhauser wrote.

Their arrival threatens the county’s $50 million tomato industry. Kern County currently has up to 10,000 acres of tomato crops, with each acre worth about $5,000, according to county estimates.

“The full scope of damage cannot be determined with certainty at this time but can be mitigated in part if immediate action is taken,” Fankhauser wrote.

With the local emergency’s ratification, growers can supersede regulations on applicable pesticide use for the next 60 days. After that, the board and county officers will need to decide whether to extend the order.

In a written response, Fankhauser said this has been a longstanding issue, which presents itself each year.

“Conditions of extreme peril to the safety and persons and property have arisen within Kern County,” Fankhauser wrote. “And local emergency response agencies are faced with being extended beyond their functional capabilities.”