Phytosanitary Certification

Approximately 85% of Ventura County’s agricultural products are not produced for local consumption. Additionally about 65% of the commodities produced in Ventura County are exported to foreign countries. Pest Exclusion and Plant Quarantine is one of the highest priorities of the Agricultural Commissioner. The ability to export products is essential to the viability of Ventura County’s 1.6 billion dollar agricultural industry. This activity is primarily funded by grower fees for service. Services that growers pay for include Certificates of Quarantine Compliance, State and Federal Phytosanitary Certificates, Lettuce Mosaic Inspection and Phytosanitary Seed Inspection. When a commodity is destined for export either out of the state or out of the country the grower or packer will call the Agricultural Commissioner to arrange for an inspector to go to his/her facility and inspect the commodity to make sure that it complies with the import requirements of the receiving country. The fee paid by the grower or packer depends on how many containers are being shipped and how long it will take to perform the inspection. The fee is designed to cover the approximate cost of the inspection.