Public Comments Show a Concern About Lease Renewal
- Media
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
At the June 10, 2026 Board of Supervisors Meeting, eight comments were made in the Non-Agenda Public Comments (All Districts) section. Of those eight statements, half were made about concerns of renewing a lease with the West Coast Tomato Growers:
Mohamed Asiad spoke regarding personal experiences with discrimination, concerns about treatment of his family by service providers, and requested that the County take stronger actions against discrimination and increase engagement with the local Muslim community and cultural centers.
Peter Andersen spoke about the County’s lease of County-owned land to West Coast Tomato Growers, expressed concerns about extensive pesticide use and alleged health impacts on nearby residents, and urged the Board to reconsider the lease and instead lease the land to an organic farmer.
Ronald Askeland spoke on behalf of the San Diego Sierra Club, expressed concern about the process used to renew a lease with West Coast Tomato Growers, citing past pesticide inspection failures, labor and stormwater issues, and requested a public hearing before the lease is executed and consideration of an organic farmer alternative.
John Bottorff opposed leasing County land to West Coast Tomato Growers due to use of highly toxic pesticides near the impaired San Luis Rey River, cited labor violations and climate concerns, and requested that the lease process be conducted publicly and that the lease be denied.
Becky Rapp commented on the previous day’s General Legislative Session Item 18, supported new guidelines for ad hoc subcommittees to increase transparency, and expressed disappointment that technical issues with the call-in system limited public participation, particularly on matters such as the socially equitable cannabis program.
Susan Rupp opposed the proposed lease of the 77-acre Guajome Lake property to West Coast Tomato Growers, cited alleged labor and environmental violations, questioned consistency with County ordinances and sustainability policies, and urged transition of the lease to a non-toxic, regenerative grower.
Admiral Anthony-Rivera expressed concerns about fee increases and development decisions he believes favor special interests over working families and veterans in South County, and urged the Board to reject fee hikes, prioritize assumable VA loans, and create more truly affordable housing and infrastructure.
Justin Castro raised concerns about election integrity, alleged that questions to County officials regarding voter rolls and non-citizen voting have gone unanswered, and expressed frustration with his interactions with law enforcement and County offices related to his political activities.
ACTION:
Heard, Referred to the Chief Administrative Officer.
The Board acknowledged that the comments were heard and would be referred to the Chief Administrative Officer.
According to AI, Ebony N. Shelton is the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for San Diego County. Appointed by the Board of Supervisors, she acts much like a city manager. She runs daily county operations and carries out the Board's policies.
The CAO connects the five elected Supervisors to the county staff. Her main jobs include:
Managing Staff: She oversees the county's large workforce and its four main department groups (land use, finance, health, and public safety).
Budgeting: She prepares the annual budget and advises the Board on money matters.
Daily Operations: She handles day-to-day government services, such as public health, parks, and libraries.
AI also stated that the West Coast Tomato Growers (WCTG) have their corporate office in Oceanside, California and face major hurdles. These include surging labor costs, threats of lawsuits over pesticide use, and legal battles regarding guest worker hiring. Finding reliable local workers is hard. Therefore, WCTG relies on the H-2A guest worker program. To house their seasonal workforce, they recently won local approval to build a 328-bed farmworker housing campus.
Established in 1939, West Coast Tomato Growers (formerly Harry Singh & Sons) in Oceanside is the largest vine-ripened, fresh-market tomato grower in the country. They are famous for being the last remaining pole-tomato producers in California.
Groups like Non-Toxic Neighborhoods have threatened to sue WCTG over alleged pesticide and Clean Water Act violations. The farm sits near homes, schools, and the San Luis Rey River. Critics worry spray drift and runoff harm people and wildlife.
In August of 2024, San Diego Union-Tribune writer Phil Diehl wrote an article about WCTG. That article may be found at "Anti-pesticide group threatens to sue Oceanside tomato grower."
Information from June 10, 2026 Board of Supervisors Meeting, Google and The San Diego Union-Tribune
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