Fresno County is declaring a local emergency that will allow the county’s Agricultural
Commissioner to determine which commercial growers will be able to use neonicotinoid pesticides
on an emergency basis to combat the Beet Leafhopper insect.
According to a department news release, state laws apply to such authorized uses, and the operator of the property where these pesticides are authorized for use is required to obtain the written recommendation from
a licensed agricultural pest control adviser.
The Beet Leafhopper insect carries the Beet Curly Top Virus, which is a plant disease known to cause
serious damage to tomato crops.
California is the nation’s leading processing tomato state and the second largest
producer of fresh tomatoes in the nation.
Tomatoes are the seventh largest revenue producing crop in Fresno County in 2022 with a value of $429,263,000.
