California Code of Regulations › Title 14 - Natural Resources › Division 1 - Fish and Game Commission-Department of Fish and Game › Subdivision 3 - General Regulations › Chapter 6 - Regulations for Implementation of the California Endangered Species Act and Native Plant Protection Act › Article 2 - Take Incidental to Routine and Ongoing Agricultural Activities › Section 786.2 - Preparation of a Voluntary Local Program

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) Local Program Development. A local
					 program shall be developed by a planning committee formed by a group of farmers
					 and/or ranchers or individual farmers or ranchers who own or manage
					 agricultural lands within the geographic area to be covered by the local
					 program. The planning committee, or individual farmer or rancher, shall
					 identify a lead applicant, which may be the local county Agricultural
					 Commissioner or another entity designated by the planning committee. The
					 planning committee shall design a local program in consultation with interested
					 government agencies and in cooperation with interested local private sector
					 entities and interested conservation groups.
(b) Consultation. Individuals or groups of
					 farmers and ranchers developing a voluntary local program are encouraged to
					 consult with the Department, the California Department of Food and Agriculture,
					 the local county Agricultural Commissioner, University of California
					 Cooperative Extension agents, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service,
					 local Resource Conservation Districts, local non-profit and private sector
					 entities, or other agricultural or wildlife experts in identifying effective
					 management practices.
(c)
					 Information and Assistance from the Department. Individuals or groups of
					 farmers and ranchers may propose a voluntary local program to the Department
					 for Department review and assistance. When requested, the Department shall
					 advise and assist in the development of the voluntary management practices and
					 voluntary local program. When providing information and assistance, the
					 Department shall recognize that the State consists of many different climates,
					 habitats and geographies and that management practices will vary throughout the
					 State based on local conditions and local farming and ranching activities.
(1) The Department shall assist the
					 individual(s) seeking to establish a voluntary local program with contacts and
					 information from the Department of Food and Agriculture, the local county
					 Agricultural Commissioner, University of California Cooperative Extension
					 agents, local non-profit and private sector entities or other agricultural
					 experts.
(2) The Department will,
					 upon request, provide the best available scientific information in its
					 possession on any candidate, threatened, or endangered species within the
					 vicinity of the proposed voluntary local program and any such information the
					 Department has on possible management practices.
(3) The Department shall serve as a
					 repository for information concerning possible management practices. The
					 Department may collect information from persons with expertise in agriculture,
					 biology or habitat conservation, including but not limited to representatives
					 of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the U.S. Department of
					 Agriculture, local county agricultural commissioners, University of California
					 Cooperative Extension agents, the Farm Bureau, the Bureau of Land Management,
					 the University of California at Riverside and Davis, California State
					 University at Fresno, California Polytechnic University at Pomona and San Luis
					 Obispo, and the Cattlemen's Association, and shall review the information with
					 the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the purpose of obtaining
					 advice as to the information's practical application to local programs. The
					 Department will incorporate available information developed in the preparation
					 and establishment of each voluntary local program into that repository to
					 facilitate the establishment of subsequent voluntary local programs and to
					 periodically update information.