CDFA Deputy Written Exam Commissioner duties UPDATED ACTUAL
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Pest Exclusion, Pest Detection, Pest Eradication, Pest Man-
agement, Pesticide Enforcement, Seed Certification, Nurs-
CDFA Responsibilities
ery Inspection, Fruits, Nuts and Vegetable Standardiza-
tion, Egg Inspection, Apiary Inspection, Crop Statistics
Protection from introduction of insect and disease pests;
Pest Exclusion
RIFA beehive inspections
Trapping-insect pests like Mediterranean and Mexican
Pest Detection fruit flies, Spongy Moth, Japanese Beetle, and other tar-
geted species
Responding to emergency infestations like pink bollworm
Pest Eradication
under CDFA
Managing nuisance pests of agriculture and human
Pest Management health like GWSS, ground squirrels, voles, gophers, and
invasive weeds
Ensuring proper, safe, and effective pesticide use; protect-
Pesticide Enforcement ing environment and workers; incident investigations and
outreach activities
Certification services for growers and processors; includes
Seed Certification field walks, harvester inspections, germination, and purity
testing
Assuring cleanliness from pests, true variety, and healthy
Nursery Inspection plants for sale to consumers in nursery stock production
and sale
Compliance with California's minimum standards for qual-
Fruits, Nuts and Vegetable Standardization ity and marketing of produce; regulation enforcement for
Direct Marketing and Organic law
Enforcing health, quality, and grade standards for retailers
Egg Inspection
and packers of eggs in the State
, Apiary Inspection Registration and site location of honeybee colonies
Compilation of gross production and value of county's
Crop Statistics
commodities in annual crop report by CAC
Requirement: Bachelor's degree in relevant sciences from
Who can take a CDFA test
accredited college
Details on pest control, exclusion, quarantine, and farming
Commissioner's Annual Report
methods
Commissioner reports to BOS Monthly reporting at Board of Supervisors' request
Required attendance at annual CA Agricultural Commis-
Commissioner's Meeting Attendance
sioners and Sealers Association meeting
Consultation with USDA, State Ag Department, UC staff,
Commissioner's Consultation
and other commissioners for pest control methods
Director's Annual Report Recipient Legislature
Details on joint programs and state fund allocations for
Director's Report Contents
various pest control activities
Includes tracking high-risk plant shipments, entry points,
Pest Exclusion Work Plans
interceptions, work hours, and inspection rejection rates
Any interested person aggrieved by a commissioner's ac-
Appeal Process for Commissioner's Actions
tion can appeal in writing to the director within 5 days.
Setting of Phyto Fees Phyto fees are set by the BOS.
The commissioner shall abate the nuisance by eradicating,
Nuisance Abatement by Commissioner
controlling, or destroying the pest.
Certified letter includes a deadline for removing or de-
Abatement of Neglected or Abandoned Crops Notice stroying neglected or abandoned crops, failing which the
commissioner may seek legal action.
White Paper Outline and Format
2/8
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Pest Exclusion, Pest Detection, Pest Eradication, Pest Man-
agement, Pesticide Enforcement, Seed Certification, Nurs-
CDFA Responsibilities
ery Inspection, Fruits, Nuts and Vegetable Standardiza-
tion, Egg Inspection, Apiary Inspection, Crop Statistics
Protection from introduction of insect and disease pests;
Pest Exclusion
RIFA beehive inspections
Trapping-insect pests like Mediterranean and Mexican
Pest Detection fruit flies, Spongy Moth, Japanese Beetle, and other tar-
geted species
Responding to emergency infestations like pink bollworm
Pest Eradication
under CDFA
Managing nuisance pests of agriculture and human
Pest Management health like GWSS, ground squirrels, voles, gophers, and
invasive weeds
Ensuring proper, safe, and effective pesticide use; protect-
Pesticide Enforcement ing environment and workers; incident investigations and
outreach activities
Certification services for growers and processors; includes
Seed Certification field walks, harvester inspections, germination, and purity
testing
Assuring cleanliness from pests, true variety, and healthy
Nursery Inspection plants for sale to consumers in nursery stock production
and sale
Compliance with California's minimum standards for qual-
Fruits, Nuts and Vegetable Standardization ity and marketing of produce; regulation enforcement for
Direct Marketing and Organic law
Enforcing health, quality, and grade standards for retailers
Egg Inspection
and packers of eggs in the State
, Apiary Inspection Registration and site location of honeybee colonies
Compilation of gross production and value of county's
Crop Statistics
commodities in annual crop report by CAC
Requirement: Bachelor's degree in relevant sciences from
Who can take a CDFA test
accredited college
Details on pest control, exclusion, quarantine, and farming
Commissioner's Annual Report
methods
Commissioner reports to BOS Monthly reporting at Board of Supervisors' request
Required attendance at annual CA Agricultural Commis-
Commissioner's Meeting Attendance
sioners and Sealers Association meeting
Consultation with USDA, State Ag Department, UC staff,
Commissioner's Consultation
and other commissioners for pest control methods
Director's Annual Report Recipient Legislature
Details on joint programs and state fund allocations for
Director's Report Contents
various pest control activities
Includes tracking high-risk plant shipments, entry points,
Pest Exclusion Work Plans
interceptions, work hours, and inspection rejection rates
Any interested person aggrieved by a commissioner's ac-
Appeal Process for Commissioner's Actions
tion can appeal in writing to the director within 5 days.
Setting of Phyto Fees Phyto fees are set by the BOS.
The commissioner shall abate the nuisance by eradicating,
Nuisance Abatement by Commissioner
controlling, or destroying the pest.
Certified letter includes a deadline for removing or de-
Abatement of Neglected or Abandoned Crops Notice stroying neglected or abandoned crops, failing which the
commissioner may seek legal action.
White Paper Outline and Format
2/8
