Agriculture Chief

Re “Agriculture Chief Faces New Round of Criticism,” March 11.

Well, here we go again, another of our weekly attacks on Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner Earl McPhail.

Acting Assistant Enforcement Dictator Douglas Y. Okumura seems to be teaming up with newly elected Supervisor Frank Schillo and assorted other environmental activists to pummel McPhail, who has been put on a six-month probation.

I cannot speak to all of the points cited in this week’s episode, but at least one is phony. The December freeze was a disaster to the citrus in the San Joaquin Valley. Only minor damage was felt in Ventura County citrus. Local growers should profit from the misfortune of their fellow growers to the north. Pleading for disaster relief would have been corrupt.

I don’t know what experiences Supervisor Schillo has had with state agency-type people but, in my experience, they are never pleased with local interpretations of their precious rules and regulations.

Mr. Schillo, please understand that regardless of who the commissioner of agriculture is, McPhail or his successor, the people at the Environmental Defense Center and the attorneys at California Rural Legal Assistance are going to challenge you and him for allowing the use of pesticides in Ventura County.

It seems to me that the 200,000 Ventura residents living near farm sites owe Mr. McPhail a debt of gratitude for the fact that they are barely aware of the nearly 6 million pounds of pesticides being applied safely in their environment.

JAMES R. HOHIMER, Newbury Park