Upon advice of an agriculture scientist whose family has been farming in California for generations, I recently called 5 County Ag Commissioners where LBAM damage had been reported by either the Department of Agriculture (CDFA) or the press. I asked the nature and level of damage that LBAM had caused in that county. There was no actual damage from LBAM in any county, none.

Then I downloaded and read the Environmental Impact Report (Chapter #3, page 3-20, lines 6,7 & page 3-21 lines 3,4 below table 3-16) written by CDFA on their LBAM program and it confirmed “No crop damage” in California. This is in spite of regular and alarming claims of damage since 2007 reported by the same CDFA agency that confirms no LBAM damage in their own EIR.

An attorney explained to me that CDFA’s EIR will likely be reviewed by a judge, but that CDFA’s information delivered to the public and growers will not be, so CDFA may report for their own advantage ($$$).