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By Anonymous — Thursday, October 6th, 2016
USA Discounters Targeted Military Servicemembers with Deceptive Marketing and Illegal Debt Collection Practices
Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, along with the attorneys general of 49 other states and the District of Columbia, today announced a $95.9 million settlement with USA Discounters over allegations that the company used deceptive marketing and unlawful debt collection practices targeting military servicemembers. Under the settlement, Attorney General Harris secured nearly $7 million in restitution for over 4,100 Californians who were harmed by the company’s fraudulent actions. USA Discounters, which also did business as USA Living and Fletcher’s Jewelers, operated retail stores near military installations, including near Navy and Marine Corps installations in the San Diego Area. It sold consumer products, including furniture, appliances, televisions, computers, smartphones, and jewelry, primarily on credit and specifically targeted members of the military and veterans. The company marketed itself as a discount retailer but actually sold its merchandise at a substantial mark-up, including additional fees that effectively concealed exorbitantly high interest rates for financed purchases. “Our military servicemembers give their all to protect our country and our interests around the world, and yet USA Discounters gave its all to fleece them with deceptive marketing and unlawful debt collection practices,” said Attorney General Harris. “This agreement holds USA Discounters accountable for its illegal conduct and compensates servicemembers and veterans for the harm it caused.” USA Discounters advertised that military, veterans and government employees would never be denied credit for goods purchased from the retailer and then used abusive tactics to collect on debts owed, such as persistently contacting servicemembers’ chains-of-command and using the military allotment system to guarantee payment. The company’s abusive actions threatened the military careers and security clearances of its victims. In addition to its deceptive marketing, USA Discounters also failed to provide terms and disclosures in its financing agreements, as required under the law, and misled consumers about the costs of financing. USA Discounters also charged added fees to its customers who were on active duty and required them to sign contracts that included unfavorable terms not included in contracts signed by other customers, in violation of California’s Military and Veterans Code, which prohibits discrimination against military members in the terms and conditions of credit. For contracts entered into outside of California, USA Discounters filed default debt collection actions against servicemembers in Virginia state courts, regardless of the state where the contract was entered into or the servicemember’s location, which meant servicemembers were often unable to defend themselves in court. USA Discounters closed its stores in the summer of 2015 before declaring bankruptcy. Under the terms of this settlement, the company agreed to write off accounts, remove negative information from credit reports, and provide other consumer relief. The settlement also includes provisions for injunctive relief and civil penalties. The Attorney General’s Office received critical assistance in its investigation from the Navy and Marine Corps legal assistance offices at Navy Base San Diego, the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, and Camp Pendleton, and from the Navy’s Fleet and Family Support Center. Attorney General Harris has defended the rights of servicemembers, filed actions against companies who prey on members of the military, and issued multiple consumer alerts to warn servicemembers against scams and fraud. In August 2016, Attorney General Harris reached a $252,000 settlement with two privatized military housing contractors, Lincoln Military Property Management LP and San Diego Family Housing LLC and their eviction law firm, Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP, over the companies’ unlawful evictions of 18 military servicemembers and their families in San Diego and Orange County. In addition, Attorney General Harris previously took action against JP Morgan Chase for violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act in obtaining default judgments against servicemembers on credit card debt. The Attorney General also obtained a $1.1 billion judgment against Corinthian Colleges, which illegally used the official seals of the military services in advertisements to entice servicemembers and veterans to enroll in its programs. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, October 9th, 2012
From the early 1970s, Jacqueline Biaggi has explored the many avenues of art as a student, teacher, exhibitor and museum curator, first in her native Puerto Rico, then in New York City and now Oxnard. But since moving here in 1995, she has focused on ceramics: on sculpting objects, figures and vessels to express “psychological and spiritual issues, history and traditions, significant experiences in my life, memories, day-to-day experiences,” she said. “I have come to an age where I reflect and meditate over the events in my life and the challenges I have met,” said Biaggi, who has gathered some of these Memories and Thoughts in Clay for an exhibit by that name at Harbor Village Gallery. It will run Oct. 24-Nov. 26 in the Buenaventura Art Association’s seaside art venue, with an artist reception set for 5-8 p.m. Oct. 26. Her parents encouraged her early pursuit of an art career, she said, and her father supported her during her studies. “My mother was a painter, but CONTINUED » |
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By Anonymous — Monday, January 30th, 2012
WELCOME TO FARM WATCH AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!! The New Year is upon us and on the crime front, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office just released the crime statistics for all of its jurisdictions. In reviewing the crime statistics in the unincorporated area of the County, I am pleased to report that overall crime is down. I know many of you have been hit with multiple thefts, however, in reference to property crimes specifically, we saw a decrease of 15%. Our Agricultural Community saw some significant spikes in larcenies, particularly metal thefts throughout the year, however, quick reporting and aggressive investigations have resulted in a number of substantial arrests by all of our Sheriff's Office patrol areas. Many of you know our Ag Crimes Detective Ray Dominguez and he along with several county detectives have made quite an impression on our ongoing crime fight. Det. Dominguez added the following from his office in Ventura: I’m pleased to announce that we are enjoying continued success with combating the local metal theft problem by making arrests and returning stolen property to multiple victims. If you recall from the last edition of Farm Watch, I mentioned that several suspects were arrested in connection with a series of “Hoop House” metal thefts, and I made a promise that more arrests would come. Since mid-December 2011 I have worked with Sheriff’s Headquarters Station and Camarillo Station personnel on these cases, and we’ve arrested several additional suspects related to the “Hoop House” metal thefts and brought criminal charges against them. In the process of investigating the “Hoop House” metal theft cases, we began seeing a new trend of criminal activity emerging. We identified another group of thieves that found their niche stealing the counterweights from tractors parked in fields at local farms throughout the Ventura, Camarillo, and Oxnard Plains area. These suspects were also taking the stolen loot in the form of large cast iron weights painted that beautiful John Deere green (Beautiful because it’s easy to identify) to the same recycling center in Oxnard where we found the stolen “Hoop House” posts. Through the course of the investigation, we were able to gather information from the recycling center and identify other suspects. We arrested 2 additional suspects, and had Grand Theft charges filed against them with the District Attorney’s Office. I believe our recent success in large part is due to the relationships that we have forged with the local recycling centers, and you the folks in the community that have been the victim’s of crime, but heeded the message the Sheriff’s Office has been sending about marking your equipment, preserving the crime scene, and reporting the crime as quickly as possible. Your efforts have truly made a difference, and helped us help you recover your property and bring those suspects responsible for committing the thefts to justice. I’m also proud to announce that the Sheriff’s Office will be partnering with other local law enforcement agencies in forming a task force to combat the local metal theft problem. As I mentioned above, the metal theft problems have clearly affected us working in the rural areas of the county, but it has also had a major impact on businesses in the urban areas. Because of this widespread problem, those of us working in law enforcement find ourselves spending a great deal of time tracking down suspects residing and selling their loot in neighboring jurisdictions. By working together with neighboring agencies I believe we can be that much more effective in identifying and tracking down these suspects. On another note, I want to bring another problem we face in the rural areas of the county to your attention as it is commonly experienced by farmers and ranchers at this time of year. The problem with cockfighting in rural areas has been going on for years, and this year is no different. Just this past weekend, I responded to assist Moorpark Station patrol deputies with a reported cockfighting event in the Santa Rosa Valley. I have responded to investigate many of these events in the past several years at various locations throughout the county. As in past events that I have been on scene to investigate, I found that suspects had set up a portable fighting arena constructed of wood panels in a citrus orchard. The suspects also had their portable wire pens filled with aggressive fighting roosters strewn about the orchard as they prepared them for battle to the death. I found the bloody carcasses of the roosters that had already been fought (But lost their battle) piled up on the ground. I found stray roosters walking freely about the orchard with the fighting blades still affixed to their legs. I found items of paraphernalia associated with illegal bird fighting including live roosters housed in cardboard transport boxes, razor sharp fighting blades, used hypodermic syringes that were discarded in the orchard (The syringes are used by the bird owners to inject their roosters with illegal performance enhancing drugs, which include methamphetamine and other central nervous system stimulants), a large scale used to weigh the birds before battle, and a match sheet listing the various fights that would take place. I found that suspects also had alcoholic beverages stored in coolers as illegal food and drink sales are common at these events along with illegal gambling. I found several abandoned vehicles parked among the rows of trees in the orchard that were being used as a mobile workbenches of sorts to transport the birds and prepare them for the fights. I also heard reports from the reporting party and deputies on scene of how the suspects fled in mass in their vehicles and into the neighboring hillside to avoid capture by deputies. Despite making numerous arrests and enjoying successful prosecutions in the past, the fact is that we continue seeing this type of criminal activity throughout the county because the prize is still greater than the penalties for many of these suspects. I have received information from informants and prior arrestees that winning purses at local cockfighting derbies can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. Suspects commonly face only misdemeanor charges for being arrested as spectators at these events or for possessing fighting roosters and the associated implements. Those arrested typically pay a fine, relinquish their roosters to authorities to be euthanized, and are placed on probation for a limited time. Despite having stiffer animal cruelty laws on the books, the challenge has been in actually catching these suspects engaged in the act of fighting the roosters, and arresting/convicting them. In law enforcement we find ourselves more often than not responding to a cockfighting event at the stage when the primary participants have already been alerted to police response and fled the scene prior to our arrival. Many times, the suspects involved in this activity are well organized and have persons stationed to serve as “Look outs” for deputies responding to the area. The suspects also use police radio scanners to monitor radio traffic. Information about these events including the date, time, and location is shared with only a very small group of trusted persons, and is subject to change at a moments notice. Because of the suspects guarded operation, this creates problems for law enforcement officers trying to plan a raid operation to combat this problem, and many times find ourselves behind the curve. The suspects are so guarded that they often demand that participants meet at a designated location and change plans “On the fly” to be transported to the fight location in a carpool vehicle. Despite having informants that are willing to assist law enforcement, the multiple layers of security that fight organizers use prove difficult to overcome at times when planning a raid operation. This is where we need your help, if you have a farm or ranch property that is experiencing this type of problem, please call the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 654-9511 to report it. If the event has already taken place and you find yourself having to deal with the aftermath of remnants from the fights, including the disposal of dead birds and other trash left behind on your property, please call us because it is likely that they will try to use your property again for future fighting events, and Ventura County Animal Regulation Officers can help with the collection of the dead birds. If you or someone you know has information about these events and suspects involved, and are willing to share that information, you can call me directly at 477-7029 to discuss the matter. If you’re concerned about reporting the information to police or want to remain anonymous you can also use the “Crime Stoppers” system by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). I find that many of these events are held on farms and ranches that are vacant on the weekends (Particularly Sunday mornings). Locations in citrus and avocado groves near the river bottom also seem to be a favorite among these suspects. If you see a large gathering of vehicles and persons in rural areas on the weekends, and it’s obvious that it’s not a wedding or birthday celebration, please give us a call as it is likely that illegal cockfighting or rodeo events are being held at that location. Rodeo events held in the rural areas typically require that organizers have a Conditional Use Permit issued ahead of time. Illegal rodeo events that have not been issued permits commonly draw persons engaged in other illegal activities such as illegal food and alcoholic beverage sales, animal fighting, illegal gambling, illegal drug sales/use, and prostitution just to name a few of the violations commonly found. Thank you for your support, and please keep those tips coming in! Detective Ray Dominguez Ventura County Sheriff’s Office – Agricultural Crimes Detective Other Notable areas of concern for this edition: Theft of Counter Weights seems to be the HOT ticket for this issue! 1400 block of Tierra Rejada Road, Moorpark: theft of 3 saddles from a private ranch, where the suspects broke into a locked shed 1000 block of North Victoria Ave, Ventura: theft of copper wire stripped from Nursery, 8 electrical junction boxes has been opened and cables were cut and removed. 300 block of La Loma Ave., Somis: suspect(s) entered this ranch property and stole several tires and rims from the garage/shop area 5600 block of Pine Grove Road, Santa Paula: suspect(s) entered this ranch property and stole a diesel water pump located by the creek 1500 block of Doris Rd, Oxnard: theft of 63 counter weights, (43 stolen recently, and 20 were stolen 2 months ago). S. Las Posas Rd @ Laguna Rd, Oxnard: thieves entered a locked area and stole a tool box, counter weights and other miscellaneous items Sturgis Rd @ Pleasant Valley Rd., Oxnard: 30 counter weights stolen from this ranch Reminder to all: Please mark your equipment for identification. Please preserve the crime scene by keeping employees and vehicles out of the area until deputies arrive to process the scene. Please report criminal activity as soon as possible to increase the probability of recovering stolen property. Additional Note: Sign up for VC ALERT, which is an emergency notification system that may be used to deliver alerts when there is a threat to the health and safety of residents. The VC Alert system replaces our Reverse 911, therefore the database includes some landline and cellular phone numbers. Please register on-line to ensure we have your correct information. www.vcalert.org If you are not sure of how to address the problem or would like additional crime prevention tips please contact your local Sheriff’s Office substation or Detective Ray Dominguez directly at (805) 477-7029 or by email at ray.dominguez@ventura.org. Contacts: Fillmore Detective Darin Hendren darin.hendrin@ventura.org or 524-2235 Ventura Detective Christine Rettura Christine.rettura@ventura.org 662- 6770 Agricultural Crimes Detective, Ray Dominguez at Ray.Dominguez@ventura.org Camarillo Detective Nora Soler, at Nora.soler@ventura.org As always, we would like to thank Sheriff’s Crime Analyst Karen Brown who puts together your maps and digests all the crime data along with Det. Ray Dominguez who assists with the crime summaries. Be alert and always safe! Monica (797-6338) Geoff Dean - Sheriff |
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By Monica McGrath — Wednesday, December 28th, 2011
WELCOME TO FARM WATCH FOR THIS LAST EDITION OF 2011!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I can’t believe another year is about to be over. Our Agricultural Community saw some significant spikes in larcenies, particularly in metal thefts. By year’s end however, progress was made in both ends of the county regarding metal thefts. Det. Ray Dominguez spearheaded the most notable arrest, which is detailed below. For this edition however, we identified those predominant thefts such as the following: Notable areas of concern for this edition: 19000 block of South Mountain Road in Santa Paula: theft of two 950-amp batteries were taken from a John Deere loader (wires to the batteries were cut, and the batteries removed) 5000 Bennett Road, Simi Valley: large nursery where 18 connex boxes were burglarized. Mowers, landscape equipment, and edgers were taken. This most likely occurred in the wee hours of the morning. 6600 block of Los Angeles Ave., Somis: a portable restroom was taken from this custom farming property. Really! 2854 E. Telegraph Road, Fillmore: this popular fruit stand was hit twice where the first time it was vandalized with graffiti, and the second time apparently the crooks were hungry as they stole only food items. 5700 block of W. Gonzales Road, Oxnard: 55 feet of copper wire was stolen from a Venocco oil well. 3100 block of W. Telegraph Road, Fillmore: large connex box burglarized where the thieves took a 10’ x 5’ cement chimney that weighs 600 lbs. The connex box was left unsecured. San Cayaetano Ranch @ Toland Road, Fillmore: 8 avocado trees had been partially picked where the fruit appeared to have been twisted off and complete stems were left behind. 1400 block of Tierra Rejada Road, Moorpark: victim’s shed had been burglarized where the thieves took 3 saddles We wanted to share a success story in this edition of Farm watch because so many times we read or hear about the negative stories. We are pleased to announce the arrest of several suspects in connection with an on-going series of metal thefts from various farms throughout the county. Last week, detectives from the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit with the assistance of Sheriff’s Headquarters and Gang Unit Detectives conducted a surveillance of a suspect’s residence in Oxnard that led to the arrest of multiple suspects for various theft and drug related charges. See the attached Sheriff’s Office Press Release for details. During the course of the investigation, an additional theft that had gone unreported was discovered at a farm in Ventura and later reported. Due to the fine work done by Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies, CSI technicians, and detectives, the suspects were arrested and criminal charges were filed with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. This in an on-going investigation, with additional victims being identified and evidence is being processed to bring additional charges against those suspects already in custody. Additional suspects are still outstanding and work is being done in the way of securing arrest warrants to also bring them to justice to face charges in this and other related cases. As many of you already know, metal thieves have been very active throughout the county stealing whatever metal items they come across to later be taken to recycling centers to be cashed in as scrap metal. The items being stolen by the crew just arrested were metal support posts used to build “Hoop Houses” by local raspberry growers. They also stole sprinkler heads, irrigation pipe and connections from some local flower growers. Because of the efforts made by the victim farms in this case, detectives were able to successfully identify the victims, and have them view their property before returning it to them. Such efforts by the victim’s in this case included marking their equipment for identification. I cannot stress the importance of this enough. Please mark your equipment for identification. The Sheriff’s Office is currently working to revamp the Owner Applied Number (OAN) system that many of you already use to mark your equipment. For those of you with an OAN assigned we will be sending information out requesting updated contact information to update our files. Another important step taken by the victim farms was preserving the crime scene. Again, this is important because the Sheriff’s Office commonly gets calls for service where the crime scene has been disturbed by employees working in the area, and crucial evidence is lost, disturbed, or destroyed prior to the arrival of responding deputies. Please preserve the crime scene by keeping employees and vehicles out of the area until deputies arrive to process the scene. Another important, but often missed step is reporting the crime in the first place. I know that many of you have busy schedules and business operations and often time criminal activity goes unreported due to time restraints. The reporting process is important to detectives because many times we use the data collected from crime reports to identify crime trends. If you fail to report the criminal activity, then useful information used to link cases, collect potential evidence, and help identify possible suspects will be lost. Report the criminal activity in a timely manner because in many cases (particularly metal thefts) the items of stolen property will be transferred or sold soon after the crime occurs. Please report criminal activity as soon as possible to increase the probability of recovering stolen property. Please do your part to help minimize the potential for criminal activity at your home or business by taking the time to protect your property by installing perimeter fencing, placing physical barriers along the perimeter of your property to prevent potential thieves from coming onto your property. Install surveillance cameras, motion-detection lighting, and alarms to alert you of criminal activity on your property. Keep supplies and equipment out of view and in a secure place and avoid stockpiling. Use hardened locks and other security devices such as “kill switches” to secure doors and disable equipment. Maintain inventory records of your supplies and equipment. Mark your equipment for identification, photograph the equipment, and maintain records that include the brand name and serial number information. Taking the time to follow these easy steps will help make your home or business less attractive to criminals and likely prevent thefts from occurring. In the unfortunate event you become a crime victim, taking these steps in advance will make the reporting process go much quicker and be less stressful. Please take the time to look at your home and business to identify potential problem areas where improvements can be made to reduce the risk of becoming a victim. If you are not sure of how to address the problem or would like additional crime prevention tips please contact your local Sheriff’s Office substation or Detective Ray Dominguez directly at (805) 477-7029 or by email at ray.dominguez@ventura.org. Contacts: As always, we would like to thank Sheriff’s Crime Analyst Karen Brown who puts together your maps and digests all the crime data along with Det. Ray Dominguez who assists with the crime summaries. Be alert and always safe! Geoff Dean - Sheriff |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, December 27th, 2011
What’s A Psyllid? What’s An Insectary? Come With Us and Find Out
See beneficial insects and learn about the destructive Asian citrus psyllid, when the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula offers a tour of the oldest insectary in the United States on Saturday, January 21 at 10 a.m. Participants should meet at the Agricultural Museum, then walk or carpool to the nearby Associates Insectary. After the tour, they can return to the museum to enjoy the exhibits. The tour is included in the museum’s admission price, free to museum members. Up to two million beneficial insects and mites are produced at the insectary every day, and liberated over 10,000 acres of orchards owned by the facility’s grower members in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The Associates Insectary, located at its current site in Santa Paula since 1928, is a grower-owned cooperative raising beneficial insects and other organisms to help fight destructive pests, especially those which threaten citrus and avocado crops. The Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula, California, in their historic downtown, near the Depot and next to the railroad tracks. Hours are 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, free for Museum of Ventura County members, and for children ages 5 and younger. For more information, go to www.venturamuseum.org or call (805) 525-3100. |
 Donald Trinadad, Tina Wheeler, Timmy Klittich and Samantha Barker attended the 2011 Best Informed Greenhand Contest on Wednesday December 7th. Enlarge Photo By Brooke Aguirre — Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
On Wednesday December 7th, four Fillmore FFA members attended the Best Informed Greenhand (BIG) Contest. The BIG contest is for freshman members working towards the Greenhand award which is the first degree in the FFA. The BIG contest is a test that quizzes the student’s knowledge of FFA history, rules or regulations as well as the meaning of the emblem. Questions like “Where is the National FFA Center located?” and “What year were women allowed in the National FFA Organization?” are just examples of what the students are asked on the test. While there the students were also able to participate in a Parliamentary Procedure (Parli Pro) Workshop lead by Mr. Avila from Carpentaria FFA and Mr. Ricards from Fillmore FFA. Parli Pro is a very confusing yet organized form of debating during a meeting. It teaches students how to make a motion, debate their opinions and make amendments to a main motion. Parli pro can be difficult to understand which is why our FFA advisors from the Ventura Section conducted a wonderful workshop to introduce the activity to the Greenhand members. Samantha Barker, Timmy Klittich, Donald Trinadad and Tina Wheeler were the four courageous freshman to attempt this contest. Fillmore FFA was awarded 2nd Place Team overall, and Timmy Klittich was 1st High Individual for the BIG Contest! Congratulations to Timmy as well as the other students for working so hard at the BIG Contest! Brooke Aguirre is the Fillmore FFA Chapter Reporter |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011
Welcome Farm Watch subscribers to this late Fall Edition. This report will not be the good news I had hoped to be sending all of you just prior to our Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. Total crime rates in the Agricultural communities in Ventura County went up significantly as compared to this same time period last year. The County took a significant hit in the area of larcenies including a crime spree in the area of theft of batteries, diesel fuel and metal pipes. The batteries were taken from farm equipment as well as vehicles parked in rural areas. Also a continuing trend is theft of metal (all kinds). Basically, if it’s metal, it is subject to theft when left in unsecured areas of properties. We have been extra patrolling the numerous ranch properties all around the county and made a significant arrest last week in the Santa Clara Valley. Detectives Aguilar and Hendren arrested a suspect that was in possession of several pieces of stolen property after they secured a search warrant. Great job by the Fillmore Detectives! Please as always continue to call in ANY suspicious persons / vehicles that should not be on your property or perhaps in the general area. The following were reported crimes specific to our agricultural communities: 3100 block of Pleasant Valley Road in Oxnard: suspects stole plants right out of the ground and left holes in the fields. Unbelievable! Our CSI team is working on evidence from this caper as I write this newsletter. Telegraph Road in the Santa Clara Valley: Suspects cut off a lock on a chain link fence that surrounds a diesel engine and water pump. Several wires had been cut and were removed from two car batteries and the diesel engine. 18000 block of Telegraph Road in the Santa Clara Valley: Tool boxes stolen left in an open area of this ranch in addition to a rigid drill that was taken as well. 3 oxygen tanks were also stolen, however the suspects left two small generators. 3700 block of LA Ave. in Somis: 550 steel poles for crop tents stolen. A possible witness stated a white cargo van and a dark colored Chevy Silverado truck with a camper shell was seen leaving the area at the time of the theft. No arrests made as of this date. 8500 Santa Rosa Road, Camarillo: 200 metal poles stolen from this ranch. It appears the suspects backed a vehicle onto an adjacent orchard property and took the poles from a large pile of poles that had been stored at the edge of this property. 4100 block of Hueneme Road, Oxnard: An employee at this ranch saw 2 unknown male subjects loading metal poles on to an old trailer that was pulled by a dark colored pick-up truck at about 3 A.M. 100 poles were stolen, and it was too dark to get a description of the men committing the theft. 300 Block of South Briggs Road: diesel fuel and gasoline stolen from work trucks along with several hand tools taken as well. The outer chain link fence had been cut for access to the ranch equipment / fuel. 6000 block of Wheeler Canyon Road, Santa Paula: 300 gallons of diesel fuel from an above ground fuel storage tank was stolen as well as a battery that was taken from a ranch tractor. Possible suspect vehicle is a white mid size newer model pick-up, possibly a Dodge Dakota. Also of note, the suspect had a small white and brown Jack Russel Terrier dog with him. 4100 Block of Bradley Road, Somis: The warehouse to this business was left unlocked so their pet cats could go in and out, however, suspects gained entry and stole a Dodge Ram truck, a generator, and over 4000 pounds of copper wire. Prevention Tips: As always, the Sheriff’s Office encourages you to take preventive measures to secure and protect your property including the use of high quality locks, security lighting, surveillance cameras, and marking your property with identifiable numbers. Contacts: Fillmore Detective Darin Hendren darin.hendrin@ventura.org or 524-2235 Ventura Detective Christine Rettura Christine.rettura@ventura.org 662- 6770 Agricultural Crimes Detective, Ray Dominguez at Ray.Dominguez@ventura.org Camarillo Detective Nora Soler, at Nora.soler@ventura.org I would like to thank Sheriff’s Crime Analyst Karen Brown who puts together your maps and digests all the crime data along with Det. Ray Dominguez who assists tremendously with the crime summaries. Be alert and always safe! Monica (797-6338) Geoff Dean - Sheriff |
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By Anonymous — Monday, November 14th, 2011
Ground was broken today to begin construction of the new Judge William P. Clark Livestock Center at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. The 38,000 sq. ft. center will replace the old structures, which were damaged by years of salt sea air. Livestock exhibitor Jenna Kelton of Oxnard, whose steer was 4H Reserve Champion at the 2011 Ventura County Fair spoke about her 6 years of experiences showing livestock at the Ventura County Fair and how she looks forward to the new facility. Also speaking to the crowd were congressman Elton Gallegly, Board President Jan Berk and Fairgrounds CEO Barbara Quaid. Eight gold shovels were used to ceremoniously scoop up the first soil on the project. Manning the shovels were Fair Board President Jan Berk, Vice President Leslie Cornejo with Directors Kimble Ouerbacher, Ginger Gherardi, Michael Bradbury, Mike Montoya, Armando Lopez and Pat Askay. The new Livestock center, named the Judge William P. Clark Livestock Center, at 38,000 sq. ft. will accommodate approximately 500 animals during the Ventura County Fair. The activities of the Ventura County Fairgrounds and its annual Fair are rooted in the traditions of farming and agriculture. The Livestock Center will be used for the annual Ventura County Fair Jr. Livestock Program and for Livestock shows throughout the year. It will also serve as an evacuation center for animals during times of natural disaster. The Livestock Center offers the opportunities to Ventura County youth in 4H, FFA and Grange programs to exhibit the fruits of their labors as they show the animals they have raised and auction them as a part of their year long educational agriculture programs. The Livestock area is a place where Ventura County residents come to observe farm animals, some for the first time, and to ask questions and learn first hand about the raising and care of those animals The Livestock area serves as the Ventura County Animal Regulation evacuation center during times of natural disaster. Privately owned horses, goats, pigs sheep steer and poultry are safely housed and cared for. The new livestock center was dedicated to Ventura County’s livestock community in the name of Judge William P. Clark, a great cattleman and rancher, whose family was among the pioneers who built Ventura County. |
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By Brooke Aguirre — Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
 Listening to the farm manager at Kelsey Dairy Farm while he gives us a tour of the farm. Enlarge Photo I Believe. Not only are these words the beginning of the FFA Creed, but they were also the theme of the 84th National FFA Convention. The convention was held October 18-22 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Throughout the convention FFA members competed in contests including public speaking, job interview and livestock judging. Students were also given the opportunity to attend a career show, tour agricultural businesses or farms and hear the inspiring words of motivational speakers as well as National Officers at nine different sessions. This year Marc Zavala, Ryan Calderon, Sierra Blankenship, Hailee Smith, Micah Chumley, Alexus Galassi and myself as well as parents Alishia Duncan, Kathleen Aguirre and Fillmore FFA advisor Mr. Ricards were able to travel to Indiana for an exciting week. We began Wednesday morning with a self guided tour of the National FFA Center where we learned about the history of FFA. Shortly after that, we went on a tour of the Indiana Speedway. We took a bus ride around the track, learned traditions and facts about the speedway and also saw different models of race cars. We then hurried over to the giant Career Show and Expo. With over 1300 career and college booths in attendance, we each received enough pamphlets and pens to last us a lifetime! The career show definitely opened our eyes to how many great agricultural colleges and careers there are in the United States. After walking through the Career Show and Expo, our group headed to the Conseco Feildhouse for the Convention’s Opening Session. The National Officer team introduced the theme “I Believe” and explained that these words are truly the base of our organization. Without believing in something, whether it be in agriculture or yourself, FFA would not be the strong organization that it is today. The National FFA Advisor Dr. Steve Brown then gave a few words of wisdom to the 45,763 members in attendance. To end the session, motivational speaker Dave Roever talked to us about not giving up on ourselves. Mr. Roever is a war veteran who almost lost his life during battle. The majority of his skin was melted off and it left him with scars covering his body. He travels to talk to high school kids as well as army troops to encourage them to stay confident and never give up on their lives. Mr. Roever’s story had us laughing, crying and reflecting on our own lives. Thursday morning’s rain couldn’t dampen our spirits as we headed out to participate in the National FFA Day of Service (NDOS). The NDOS is a community service event at various non-profit locations throughout Indianapolis. There are only enough spots for 1500 FFA members to participate in the NDOS and the Fillmore FFA was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend. Our NDOS site was Damar Services which is a residential facility for children with behavioral and mental disabilities. Along with FFA members from North Carolina we cleaned tables, walls, windows and organized recreational equipment. We all agreed it was a very rewarding experience. Quickly changing back into our official FFA uniforms we were off to the Second Session to hear the retiring address from our National Vice President of the Central Region Wyatt DeJong. He encouraged us to “do more and expect more from yourself then others expect of you.” At this session awards were given to outstanding FFA chapters throughout the nation who have made a difference in their communities. Later that night with a few thousand new FFA friends, we rocked Lucas Oil Stadium at the Blake Shelton Concert. Friday was our day reserved for farm tours, but first we attended a session where we heard from speaker Vernice “Fly Girl” Armor a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Airforce. Her message was that your past prepares you for your future. She explained to us that how you respond versus react to a situation is truly the key. She went on to talk about “how can we be in service to others even when we feel like we are in our lowest moments because that is where true happiness and success is.” After this powerful message, we were off to our farm tours. Our first tour was at Umbargars Feed and Grain where we learned the process of making livestock show feed. Then we explored the family run “Kelsey Dairy Farm.” There we learned the high tech process they use to manage their herd of 300 cows. They use everything from computers to analyze each cow’s daily milk production to a mechanical pulley that automatically cleans the pens. Then we had a little fun in the five acre corn maze where we lost Mr. Ricards, don’t worry folks we found him! Our day ended with a tour of Hunter’s Honey Farm where we learned the steps of extracting and processing honey. Saturday morning we attended a workshop called “What would we do without Agriculture in our lives?” It was lead by Past National Officer Becky Sullivan representing Kansas State University. We played games to learn about agricultural products and what the states top commodities are. We ended the workshop by discussing various agricultural careers that we were interested in. We ended our stay in Indiana with the final session of the 84th National FFA Convention where they announced the 2011-2012 National FFA Officer team. We would like to thank those in the community that supported our fundraising efforts and the Fillmore FFA Boosters that made it possible for us to attend the convention. It is our goal to share our experiences and lessons learned with our local chapter and the Fillmore community because I believe, We believe, We are FFA! Brooke Aguirre is the Fillmore FFA Chapter Reporter |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
Ventura, CA - The Ventura County Fair will break ground on a new Livestock Center on Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 11 A.M. Construction of the Judge William P. Clark Livestock Center will be completed on time for the 2012 Ventura County Fair. The Judge William P. Clark Livestock Center will dramatically enrich the diversity of programs offered at the fairgrounds, including those of the Ventura County Fair. The Livestock Center will serve the community as a venue for year-round livestock shows and competitions and will be used during the annual Ventura County Fair by members of 4-H Clubs, the FFA, Jr. Grange, and independent livestock exhibitors. More than 75 years old, this site remains one of the more popular and educational venues at the Fair. The Ventura County Fairgrounds thanks the following partners, without whom this project would not be possible: . Farm Credit West |
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By Monica McGrath — Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
September/October Issue
Welcome Farm Watch subscribers to this Fall Edition. The good news is that total crime rates in the Agricultural communities in Ventura County were down overall. The main areas of concern continue to be metal thefts (all kinds) and a slight rise in conex storage box thefts. We are tracking all of the reports to identify specific trends and to develop leads for potential suspects. The entire county seems to fall victim of the random thefts, therefore developing solid leads can be difficult. Please continue to call in ANY suspicious persons / vehicles that should not be on your property or perhaps in the general area. The overall theme to the crime issues listed below is theft of metals, where the suspects clearly steal a variety of items from sprinkler heads to hoop house support posts. This trend is state-wide and our officers have been on alert for this type of theft which has plagued our county for several months now. We have had some success in arresting and prosecuting these criminals, however, they are just so dominant county-wide, that we truly rely on our citizens to call if they see anything at all suspicious. The following were reported crimes specific to our agricultural communities: On Cawelti Road in the unincorporated area of Camarillo, a large farm was the victim of a grand theft of irrigation equipment / supplies. The victim believes the suspect(s) may have been working from a “Shopping list” as they were selective in what they stole. Theft of Hoop House Support Posts: A flower nursery located on Santa Rosa Rd. was the victim of a grand theft of new steel green hoop house support posts. The new posts were delivered a few days prior to the reported theft. On Wood Rd. near Pacific Coast Highway, a local business was the victim of a fertilizer theft. The suspect(s) entered via a neighboring farm road and accessed the victim’s outdoor storage area by cutting through a perimeter chain link fence. See attached flyer for details. A second theft of Hoop House Support Posts: A nursery located on Santa Rosa Rd. was the victim of a grand theft of approximately 4000 steel hoop house support posts. The suspects(s) cut a chain link fence and entered the property from an adjacent lemon orchard. Some of the posts were located at a local recycling center in Oxnard and suspects have been identified. This is an on-going investigation that will likely lead to multiple arrests. Landscape equipment stolen from Grand Ave. in Fillmore where the suspect(s) forced entry into the victim’s storage yard and stole various pieces of landscaping equipment. Venco Western Co. had their storage yard located on Tierra Rejada Rd. in Moorpark targeted for a burglary. Unknown suspects forced entry into the yard by removing the chain link gates and entering a conex storage container. The suspects forced entry into a large truck that was parked in front of the storage container doors and pushed out of the way. The suspects stole various items of high-end landscape equipment including gas-powered mowers, blowers, edgers and trimmers. Oceanview Produce – located on Sturgis Rd. in Oxnard was the victim of a grand theft of brass sprinkler heads. The suspect(s) snapped the sprinkler heads off of the risers and rendered them useless. It appears the sprinkler heads were taken and will most likely be taken to a recycling center to be sold as scrap metal. Prevention Tips: As always, the Sheriff’s Office encourages you to take preventive measures to secure and protect your property including the use of high quality locks, security lighting, surveillance cameras, and marking your property with identifiable numbers. In addition, please order only what you need and avoid stockpiling supplies because doing so will only make your operation more attractive to thieves. If you must keep large supplies on hand, please ensure that they are kept out of sight and in a secure facility. Contacts: Fillmore Detective Darin Hendren darin.hendrin@ventura.org or 524-2235 Ventura Detective Christine Rettura Christine.rettura@ventura.org 662-6770 Agricultural Crimes Detective, Ray Dominguez at Ray.Dominguez@ventura.org Camarillo Detective Nora Soler, at Nora.soler@ventura.org I would like to thank Sheriff’s Crime Analyst Karen Brown who puts together your maps and digests all the crime data along with Det. Ray Dominguez who assists tremendously with the crime summaries. Be alert and always safe! Monica (797-6338) Geoff Dean - Sheriff |
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By Anonymous — Monday, October 17th, 2011
Sherman Oaks, CA - Sunkist Growers strongly supports the Safeguarding American Agriculture Act of 2011 introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Senator Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii). This important legislation seeks to enhance the federal government’s resources in countering the economic impact of foreign pest and disease infestations in the U.S. Sunkist Growers is a 118 year-old farmer cooperative owned by thousands of citrus producers in California and Arizona. Until 2001, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) had responsibility for inspections of goods, including agricultural products, that enter the United States. After 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took over those activities and under the revised system, federal resources were primarily directed toward terrorist threats and away from agricultural priorities. Subsequent Government Accounting Office (GAO) investigations found that DHS has suffered from diminishing employee morale and dwindling resources for these high-skilled, labor-intensive agricultural activities. Unfortunately, federal resources were failing as the U.S. saw huge increases over the decade in foreign imports of fruit and vegetable host material for these exotic threats. As the largest agricultural state in the country, California is disproportionately affected by foreign pest and disease infestations. The state’s high-volume sea, air and land ports carry millions of passengers and millions of tons of cargo annually. These entries create constant opportunities for introduction and resulting economic damage to the state’s agricultural economy. Infestations by a variety of pest and diseases, including the Mediterranean Fruit Fly and the Asian Citrus Psyllid/Citrus Greening Disease have caused and threaten to cause millions of dollars in damage to California’s citrus industry. Therefore, the farmers that comprise Sunkist Growers strongly support and applaud Senator Feinstein’s interest in raising the priority of the agriculture inspection role within DHS. The dedication of resources, mandatory coordination of activities with USDA and establishment of a responsible Office of Agriculture Inspection are all positive actions intended to reduce the tremendous economic threat and resulting federal financial burden of foreign pest and disease-related disasters. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, October 11th, 2011
Invasive Species will be the topic of the third annual Ventura County Research Symposium sponsored by UC Hansen Agricultural Center (UCHAC) in collaboration with UC Cooperative Extension-Ventura. Learn how UC researchers confront invasive species such as Asian Citrus Psyllid, Arundo donax L., and aquatic invaders. Growers, policy makers, community leaders, educators, journalists, and all who are interested in the future of agriculture in Ventura County are encouraged to attend. The Ventura County Research Symposium will take place on Wednesday, November 16th from 8:30 a.m. to Noon at the Courtyard by Marriott—Oxnard. No charge to attend. Online registration required, by November 7th. Visit our website at www.uchansentrust.org or call 805-525-9293 ext. 214 for information. Date: November 16, 2011 Time: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM Sponsor: UC Hansen Agricultural Center & UCCE Ventura Location: Courtyard by Marriott--Oxnard Event Details Invasive Species Speakers: •Ben Faber, Ph.D., Farm Advisor,UC Coorperative Extension-Ventura County Symposium highlights: •Overview of Invasive Species Courtyard by Marriott is located at: 600 E. Esplanade Drive, Oxnard |
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By Monica McGrath — Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
Welcome to Farm Watch |
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By Bob Crum — Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
Story and photos by Bob Crum The grand opening the long awaited Ventura County Agriculture Museum was held Sunday, September 25. The realization of more than 40 years of dedicated efforts by ever hopeful supporters, the Agriculture Museum is appropriately housed in the historic Southern Pacific Milling Co. building built in 1888. Known as the Mill... the restored building is at 926 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula, beside the railroad tracks and across from the Santa Paula depot. The Agriculture museum tells the compelling story of Ventura County's rich farming and ranching history, beginning with the Mission period and continuing to today's technological advances. Exhibitions will explore water use, insects, geography, crop progression, the farmer's art, livestock and grazing, labor, consumers, economics and future technology. Besides the amazing and very big “thrasher”... there are eight vintage tractors, dating from 1914 to 1955, found throughout the marvelously restored old building. There's even a classic tractor complete with sound effects which children can climb up on, sit on the seat, and pretend to drive. The fascinating machines are part of a rotating display of the museum's nationally recognized collection of farm implements. There are also some classic vintage trucks, horse-drawn buggies and other interesting farm and ranching equipment on display. |
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By Brooke Aguirre — Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
 Fillmore FFA Advisor Mr. Joe Ricards holding the perpetual trophy for the Herdsmanship Award. Wow! The 2011-2012 school year is off to a great start for Fillmore FFA! It began with coming home from a successful week at the Ventura County Fair. All those Thursday night showmanship practices really paid off. The winners of swine novice showmanship are as follows: 4th place, Oscar Negrete; 3rd place, Helena Replogle and 1st place, Eddie Cardenas. Swine advanced showmanship: 7th place, Hailee Smith; 6th place, Christian Perritore; 5th place, Felicity Zavala; 4th place, Jennifer Martin; 3rd place, Andrew Perez; 2nd place, Sierra Blankenship and 1st place, Marc Zavala. Steer advanced showmanship: 4th place, Brittany Gurrola; 2nd place, Samantha Wokal and 1st place, Aaron Largen. Replacement heifer advanced showmanship: 2nd place, Macie Wokal and 1st place, Micah Chumley. Breeding heifer advanced showmanship: 1st place, Brooke Aguirre. Lamb novice showmanship: 2nd place, Zahydie Martin. Everyone did an awesome job training their animals and it really showed through these awards. The exhibiters who are awarded 1st place in showmanship compete in a contest called Round Robin. This is where the exhibiter must show each market animal, i.e. goat, lamb, steer, heifer, and pig. The results of Round Robin are as follows. FFA novice showmanship: 3rd place Eddie Cardenas. FFA advanced showmanship: 5th place, Micah Chumley; 3rd place, Brooke Aguirre; 2nd place, Marc Zavala and 1st place, Aaron Largen. The results of the swine market are as follows: FFA Grand Champion Marc Zavala; Overall Reserve Grand Champion Marc Zavala. Replacement heifers: FFA Reserve Grand Champion, Micah Chumley; FFA Grand Champion, Macie Wokal; Overall Reserve Grand Champion, Micah Chumley and Overall Grand Champion, Macie Wokal. Breeding heifer: Reserve Grand Champion, Alexus Galassi. Not only did individual Fillmore FFA members show excellence at this years fair, but as a chapter we were awarded the Herdsmanship Award. The Herdsmanship Award is given to the chapter that that keeps their barns the cleanest, has members readily available to answer questions and represents their chapter the best. To top off the week, Fillmore FFA welcomed a new born calf to the world. Alexus Galassi’s cow, Talula, gave birth to her heifer calf Thursday night at fair. The calf, who was named Kaliapi, is now at the Fillmore School Farm and doing well. Congratulations to everyone in Fillmore FFA for doing such a great job! We also have a new addition at Fillmore High School. Along with the other agriculture classes, Fillmore High School now has an Environmental Horticulture class. This class is taught by Mrs. Roderick who is also the new Fillmore High School Dean of Students. Everyone is excited for this new class and happy to welcome Mrs. Roderick to our high school. Fillmore FFA held their annual Buyer’s Banquet on August 25th. The people who bought animals from Fillmore FFA members were invited to this dinner. This is a way of showing our appreciation to the generous buyers. Thank you to everyone who supported the Fillmore FFA exhibiters at the 2011 Ventura County Fair. Are you a Flashes football fan? If so, don’t forget to buy your hot, fresh and tasty popcorn from the Fillmore FFA Boosters Club! This fundraiser helps students attend leadership conferences and activities. Also by the snack booth, Fillmore FFA parents and members are helping cook and make the tri-tip sandwiches at each home game. Hope to see you there! Brooke Aguirre is Fillmore FFA's Chapter Reporter |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Learn about Ventura County agriculture, take home farm fresh produce, and have fun at the same time! Join us at the UC Hansen Agricultural Center (UCHAC) for another Saturday at the Farm—Harvest Day, September 24th from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Harvest Day program will include: farm fresh produce—you harvest, we provide bag, vegetable cooking demonstration with samples, and Faulkner House tour. VC Master Gardeners will hold a plant sale. Participants are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the farm. Space is limited, registration required. Please call 805-525-9293 ext. 214 or email sbmiller@ucdavis.edu. Free. UCHAC is located at 14292 W. Telegraph Rd. (corner of Briggs Rd. and Telegraph Rd.) in Santa Paula. Admission to farm and parking are free. For more information, visit our website at www.uchansentrust.org. |
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By Monica McGrath — Wednesday, August 24th, 2011
July 17 – August 13, 2011 Edition
Courtesy Capt. Monica McGrath |
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By Anonymous — Monday, August 15th, 2011
The documentary tells the story of the government’s troubled relationship with independent farmers, how it is limiting our food choices and our rights as consumers
The film will be shown Saturday, Sept 10 at 4:30 p.m. at the Ojai Theatre, 145 W. Ojai Ave. by the Ventura County chapter of the nonprofit Weston A. Price Foundation. “The film was shown in Santa Barbara and people in the audience were shocked,” said Joanie Blaxter, co-leader of the Foundation’s local chapter. “The issue of irresponsible government intervention with our small family farms is finally breaking wide open.” Blaxter, who became involved after improving her own health with raw milk, is one of a growing number of local food enthusiasts angered by the government bureaucracy preventing consumers from being able to purchase food direct from the farmer. According to Blaxter, educated consumers nationwide are driving demand for alternatives to agri-business products “at the same time that the independent farmers who can provide that food are being strangled out of business by unnecessary regulations and sometimes violent government intervention.” “The Ojai showing will be a fundraiser for the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund,” said Blaxter, whose organization will donate the proceeds. “The Fund was established to give free legal advice to any member - farmer or consumer.” “This film is about our civil and consumer food rights,” said Blaxter, “and farm families harmed by the overreach of government and food safety legislation.” The film was made by Kristin Canty, a mother of four who wanted to maintain her own access to fresh, raw milk. The film tells the stories of farmers across the country, one of whom is local Santa Paula farmer Sharon Palmer, of Healthy Family Farm. Palmer partnered with Los Angeles based “Rawesome,” a private buying club whose members owned the goats Palmer boarded. Palmer contracted to provide the members with milk and cheese from their own goats. Why and how Palmer and Rawesome were raided by food safety agents is only one of the startling points of the film. If you care about what you eat, make a date for the September 10 showing of “Farmegeddon, The Unseen War on Family Farms.” Admission is $7 for the 4:30 fundraiser at The Ojai Playhouse. For more information about the film, go to http://farmageddonmovie.com/. For more information about the Weston A. Price Foundation go to www.westonaprice.org or call Blaxter at 831-246-0162. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, August 9th, 2011
Interception Follows Recent First in Port Pest Discovery
LOS ANGELES, CA – U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists at the Los Angeles/ Long Beach Seaport intercepted a live adult beetle which was recently identified as strongylaspis corticarius, Ancita species, (cerambycidae), a first time find in the state of California. This beetle was intercepted one other time in the United States in Miami (1999), according to local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entomologist in conjunction with the Smithsonian Systematic Entomology Laboratory. CBP agriculture specialists discovered this pest in a shipment of fresh pineapples from Costa Rica. An emergency action notification was issued for immediate re-exportation. Cerambycidae (commonly known as beetles who are cousins to the Asian Long-Horned beetles) are very destructive wood boring pests. The larvae of these beetles consume wood, bark, stems, sap and other plant fluids which pose a serious threat to our national forest and timber industry. “While most foreign importations may unknowingly introduce invasive species into the U.S., the potential for such pests to create both environmental and economic havoc is astonishing. CBP agriculture specialists, in cooperation with USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) / Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) take an aggressive approach to safeguarding our homeland by preventing those potential pest threats from entering the United States,” stated Director of Los Angeles Field Office Todd Owen. Last month, CBP agriculture specialists at the Los Angeles International Airport intercepted a live adult beetle identified by local USDA entomologist as Cholus species (curculionidae), a first in the Port. CBP agriculture specialists discovered this pest in a shipment of fresh cut flowers from Costa Rica. An emergency action notification was issued and the shipment was treated at an approved facility under USDA supervision. Curcilionidae (also commonly known as beetles) are destructive pests of fruit, seeds, cotton and other plant material. One of the most well known is the boll weevil, which lays its eggs and feeds inside cotton bolls, and ruins the crop. These two kinds of beetles are amongst more than 350,000 species which comprise the Order Coleoptera. Beetles account for 40% of insect species, roughly a quarter of all living species on the planet. Since the beginning of fiscal year 2011, Los Angeles Office of Field Operations CBP agriculture specialists have submitted over 8,500 pest interceptions, with almost 4,000 of these being categorized as “actionable” noxious invasive pests. About CBP |