Supervisors receive eye gnat intervention options report

The County of San Diego’s quest for a solution to the nuisance caused by eye gnat breeding at certain organic farms now includes a report to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on eye gnat intervention options.

The supervisors voted 4-0 March 28 to receive the report which is expected to be followed by implementation of an ordinance along with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) findings. Because Supervisor Bill Horn owns an organic farm, he recused himself from the vote and discussion.

Eye gnats are approximately 1/16 of an inch long and feed on protein from body fluids including the eyes, noses, and mouths of humans and animals. They are native to San Diego County and breed in organically-rich soil.

Approximately 350 organic farms have commercial operations in San Diego County, although complaints of eye gnats have centered on an organic farm in Jacumba and one in the San Pasqual Valley. The county is currently using a voluntary agreement with those farmers which has had limited success, and on November 9 the Board of Supervisors directed county staff to develop an approach to address the eye gnat problem. A working group consisting of San Diego County Farm Bureau leaders, organic farmers, community members, a technical expert, and county staff from the Department of Environmental Health and from the Farm and Home Advisor met five times between November and January to help craft a program and draft ordinance and to contribute to the report.

The proposed program restores Department of Environmental Health authority over eye gnats as a vector, gives priority for voluntary abatement measures while allowing for regulatory orders as necessary, and includes special “worst-case” provisions if a choice between the farmer’s organic certification and the welfare of the surrounding community becomes necessary. The draft program and ordinance underwent a public comment period which included two community meetings. County staff advised against a CEQA exemption, so the environmental review process may lead to changes or refinements of the program.

“I think what you’ll see is a fair program for farmers and residents,” said Department of Environmental Health director Jack Miller. “Except for the worst-case scenario, this would not restrict organic farming.”

Danielle Cook of Jacumba supports an ordinance. “We do expect them, but not at the levels that the farm is growing them,” she said.

“We seek only relief from the source of eye gnats coming from the farm,” said San Pasqual Valley neighbor Bob Morriss.

“I like farmers, but I don’t think that gives anybody a free pass,” said Supervisor Ron Roberts.

“One of our main goals here is to protect the public,” said Supervisor Pam Slater-Price.

Bill Brammer operates Be Wise Ranch in the San Pasqual Valley. “This ordinance threatens my livelihood,” he said.

“It does in fact probably impact all of agriculture, present and future,” said Frank Konyn, who owns the only remaining dairy in the San Pasqual Valley and one of four remaining dairies in San Diego County.

Supervisor Dianne Jacob noted that the Board of Supervisors previously created a fly abatement ordinance with an appeals board to address the problem of flies which proliferated due to agricultural livestock manure. “To this day it is working very well and very effectively. I don’t see we’re doing a lot different here,” she said.

Roberts noted that recent abatement efforts have centered on traps, which do not stop the source. “I don’t want to hear how many flies we’re trapping. I want to know what’s getting out there,” he said.

“We need to move forward and find a solution,” Slater-Price said. “I think it’s very important that organic farming continue and expand in our county.”

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