Logo courtesy of Sutter County

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) – Sutter County will not adopt a Grand Jury proposal seeking more documentation of how the Agricultural Commissioner determines pesticide fines.

The Sutter County Board of Supervisors approved its response to the 2025-26 Grand Jury report Aug. 11, accepting one proposed change involving pesticide penalties while rejecting another as unnecessary.

The Grand Jury called on the Agricultural Department to establish a clear standard for assessing fines and document how the specific penalty is selected on each Notice of Proposed Action, or NOPA. The changes were recommended for completion by Jan. 31, 2027.

County Administrator Steven Smith said the department already meets the first requirement. Each notice identifies the facts supporting the classification of the violation and the penalty imposed, including the severity of actual or potential effects and the respondent's compliance history.

The county drew the line at creating an additional process for documenting how a specific penalty is chosen.

"The second part of the recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted," Smith said. "It's not that we disregard the intent or the recommendation of the grand jury."

Smith said pesticide laws and regulations do not require the additional step because each violation is unique and several factors can affect the penalty, including the seriousness of the actual or potential effects and the violator's compliance history.

The issue also comes as California considers changes to pesticide enforcement rules. Smith said Agricultural Commissioner Lisa Herbert noted that the California Department of Pesticide Regulation issued proposed regulatory changes June 12 that would revise enforcement responses used by county agricultural commissioners when violations occur. The state proposal is intended to improve the effectiveness and clarity of those regulations.

A separate Grand Jury finding concerned how work is assigned within the Agricultural Department. Jurors called on department leaders to follow existing office policies and written duty statements when assigning responsibilities.

Smith said department management reviewed its procedures, employee functions, organizational chart and job descriptions and consulted with Human Resources. The review found existing procedures were being followed and appropriately communicated to employees. He also noted that the Grand Jury did not provide specific examples of duties being improperly assigned.

The annual review also included the Sutter County Jail, where jurors recommended no changes.

Supervisors approved the county's response without opposition. Board members thanked the Grand Jury for its work and encouraged residents to consider serving on future panels.