The annual report on Mendocino County agricultural production is typically a fairly routine matter - except for the 1979 crop report, which was anything but routine.
In the spring of 1980, then-Agricultural Commissioner Ted Eriksen Jr. - a 27-year veteran of the job - told the Board of Supervisors that marijuana production in Mendocino County the previous year had a value of at least $90 million - an estimate he planned to include in his 1979 crop report - and that it was a conservative figure, with the county's pot crop possibly worth much more.
If his calculations were accurate, that meant marijuana was the county's second most valuable agricultural product, trailing only timber (at $128 million that year) and dwarfing all other county crops - such as grapes and pears - and livestock, with a combined value of about $44 million; and the county's fishing industry at $9 million.
Eriksen said at the time that he arrived at the $90 million marijuana figure by examining reports from the Sheriff's Office and marijuana raid reports, adding "I plug in my own information," but that "like the media, I don't divulge my sources."
"I figured this out carefully, like any other statistic," he said. "I projected on a significant sampling to arrive at the $90 million figure. I believe this figure is correct to the best of my ability."
Others were skeptical, with some county supervisors saying there was no way to determine a correct figure for marijuana production.
Supervisor Jim Eddie, a Potter Valley rancher, said "I'd like to see that report be as accurate as possible. I think we owe it to the public and the people of California. Without the receipts on the crop, I think it's impossible to determine the size. Unless Mr. Eriksen can give me receipts on that crop, I don't want to see it included in the report."
Supervisor Tom Crofoot said "I'm concerned with his bringing in figures without sources to determine reliability. We can't even judge whether he is in the ballpark."
Asked about the chances of arriving at a realistic estimate of the annual marijuana crop in Mendocino County, Sheriff Tom Jondahl said "There is just no way. We go out there every year and destroy a certain percentage of it, but my people could not begin to say what the total crop is. It would be like saying we picked up some rocks from a stream but how many more rocks are there?"
Beyond accuracy, there was also the issue of the image the county would be projecting by listing marijuana production in an official county document.
"There's an implication that we support the growing of marijuana in Mendocino County when we include it in our annual crop report," Eddie told Eriksen.
Although the Board of Supervisors couldn't stop Eriksen from listing marijuana in the crop report if he wanted to, since he answered to the state Department of Food and Agriculture and not the county, the board did vote to alert the Department of Food and Agriculture that it opposed Eriksen's report, with Supervisor Norman de Vall casting the sole nay vote.
Eriksen's report also brought swift criticism from the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, although state Sen. Barry Keene, whose district included Mendocino County, called the outcry against Eriksen "unwarranted."
And L.J. Garrett Jr., the agricultural commissioner of Del Norte County, who had also included marijuana in his 1979 crop report ($2.1 million compared to Mendocino County's $90 million) said Eriksen had "performed a meritorious service for the people of this state in calling attention to a substantial illicit farming industry that has been unreported too long.
"He should receive an official resolution of commendation from the legislature of this state for his valor and intestinal fortitude for stepping forward," Garrett wrote in a letter to the head of the state agriculture committee.
Eriksen said at the time that his sources for estimating the county's marijuana crop were growers and "others." He said he did not favor marijuana's legalization - "I think we have enough vices" - and that he had never smoked it.
"I deal with the economics of this thing, strictly the economics, not the spiritual or medicinal or philosophical or anything else. Marijuana growing has considerable effect on the economics of California as a whole," he said. "I know pot is an illegal crop. But it is grown here for profit like grapes, pears, apples or anything else."
He also said the Internal Revenue Service had asked him about the value of the county's marijuana crop, an inquiry that surprised him. "They're interested in taxing it," he said. "I said, How can you tax something that's illegal,' and they said, That doesn't bother us at all.'"
The controversy over the 1979 Mendocino County crop report drew media attention from around the U.S. and even from north of the border, with a Toronto talk show featuring Eriksen in a phone interview from his Ukiah office.
Eventually, Daily Journal news accounts from the time show, Eriksen deleted marijuana from the 1979 crop report before it was released to the public, although he stood by his $90 million estimate.
"I made a judgment on whether marijuana growing is important to the economy by talking to nurseries, farm equipment rental and sales outfits, markets, tool supply stores and car lots. Everyone I have talked to indicates it is a very significant factor in the county economy," he said.
Many wondered whether he would list marijuana in the following year's crop report. He did not.
"I won't include it this year," Eriksen said in March 1981. "I feel gagged somewhat, but I can still talk about it. I feel very strongly about this issue. People should have the facts. Some people believe that if we won't talk about it, marijuana will just go away.
"I feel kind of like President Andrew Johnson," Eriksen said, referring to Abraham Lincoln's beleaguered successor. "Sometimes I wish I had a back door out of this place."
Eriksen's contract as Mendocino County's agricultural commissioner was set to expire in March 1982; he did not seek reappointment to the office he had held since 1953, retiring at the end of 1981. Eriksen died Nov. 25, 1986 at his Ukiah home; he was 57.
The following day, the flag that flew over the county courthouse was lowered to half-staff in honor of his service to Mendocino County.
News Hawk- Weedpipe 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: 2009 - Ukiah Daily Journal
Author:Jody Martinez
Contact: Home - Ukiah Daily Journal
Copyright: 2009 - Ukiah Daily Journal
Website:News Hawk- Weedpipe https://www.420magazine.comSource:Author:Contact:Copyright:Website:
In the spring of 1980, then-Agricultural Commissioner Ted Eriksen Jr. - a 27-year veteran of the job - told the Board of Supervisors that marijuana production in Mendocino County the previous year had a value of at least $90 million - an estimate he planned to include in his 1979 crop report - and that it was a conservative figure, with the county's pot crop possibly worth much more.
If his calculations were accurate, that meant marijuana was the county's second most valuable agricultural product, trailing only timber (at $128 million that year) and dwarfing all other county crops - such as grapes and pears - and livestock, with a combined value of about $44 million; and the county's fishing industry at $9 million.
Eriksen said at the time that he arrived at the $90 million marijuana figure by examining reports from the Sheriff's Office and marijuana raid reports, adding "I plug in my own information," but that "like the media, I don't divulge my sources."
"I figured this out carefully, like any other statistic," he said. "I projected on a significant sampling to arrive at the $90 million figure. I believe this figure is correct to the best of my ability."
Others were skeptical, with some county supervisors saying there was no way to determine a correct figure for marijuana production.
Supervisor Jim Eddie, a Potter Valley rancher, said "I'd like to see that report be as accurate as possible. I think we owe it to the public and the people of California. Without the receipts on the crop, I think it's impossible to determine the size. Unless Mr. Eriksen can give me receipts on that crop, I don't want to see it included in the report."
Supervisor Tom Crofoot said "I'm concerned with his bringing in figures without sources to determine reliability. We can't even judge whether he is in the ballpark."
Asked about the chances of arriving at a realistic estimate of the annual marijuana crop in Mendocino County, Sheriff Tom Jondahl said "There is just no way. We go out there every year and destroy a certain percentage of it, but my people could not begin to say what the total crop is. It would be like saying we picked up some rocks from a stream but how many more rocks are there?"
Beyond accuracy, there was also the issue of the image the county would be projecting by listing marijuana production in an official county document.
"There's an implication that we support the growing of marijuana in Mendocino County when we include it in our annual crop report," Eddie told Eriksen.
Although the Board of Supervisors couldn't stop Eriksen from listing marijuana in the crop report if he wanted to, since he answered to the state Department of Food and Agriculture and not the county, the board did vote to alert the Department of Food and Agriculture that it opposed Eriksen's report, with Supervisor Norman de Vall casting the sole nay vote.
Eriksen's report also brought swift criticism from the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, although state Sen. Barry Keene, whose district included Mendocino County, called the outcry against Eriksen "unwarranted."
And L.J. Garrett Jr., the agricultural commissioner of Del Norte County, who had also included marijuana in his 1979 crop report ($2.1 million compared to Mendocino County's $90 million) said Eriksen had "performed a meritorious service for the people of this state in calling attention to a substantial illicit farming industry that has been unreported too long.
"He should receive an official resolution of commendation from the legislature of this state for his valor and intestinal fortitude for stepping forward," Garrett wrote in a letter to the head of the state agriculture committee.
Eriksen said at the time that his sources for estimating the county's marijuana crop were growers and "others." He said he did not favor marijuana's legalization - "I think we have enough vices" - and that he had never smoked it.
"I deal with the economics of this thing, strictly the economics, not the spiritual or medicinal or philosophical or anything else. Marijuana growing has considerable effect on the economics of California as a whole," he said. "I know pot is an illegal crop. But it is grown here for profit like grapes, pears, apples or anything else."
He also said the Internal Revenue Service had asked him about the value of the county's marijuana crop, an inquiry that surprised him. "They're interested in taxing it," he said. "I said, How can you tax something that's illegal,' and they said, That doesn't bother us at all.'"
The controversy over the 1979 Mendocino County crop report drew media attention from around the U.S. and even from north of the border, with a Toronto talk show featuring Eriksen in a phone interview from his Ukiah office.
Eventually, Daily Journal news accounts from the time show, Eriksen deleted marijuana from the 1979 crop report before it was released to the public, although he stood by his $90 million estimate.
"I made a judgment on whether marijuana growing is important to the economy by talking to nurseries, farm equipment rental and sales outfits, markets, tool supply stores and car lots. Everyone I have talked to indicates it is a very significant factor in the county economy," he said.
Many wondered whether he would list marijuana in the following year's crop report. He did not.
"I won't include it this year," Eriksen said in March 1981. "I feel gagged somewhat, but I can still talk about it. I feel very strongly about this issue. People should have the facts. Some people believe that if we won't talk about it, marijuana will just go away.
"I feel kind of like President Andrew Johnson," Eriksen said, referring to Abraham Lincoln's beleaguered successor. "Sometimes I wish I had a back door out of this place."
Eriksen's contract as Mendocino County's agricultural commissioner was set to expire in March 1982; he did not seek reappointment to the office he had held since 1953, retiring at the end of 1981. Eriksen died Nov. 25, 1986 at his Ukiah home; he was 57.
The following day, the flag that flew over the county courthouse was lowered to half-staff in honor of his service to Mendocino County.
News Hawk- Weedpipe 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: 2009 - Ukiah Daily Journal
Author:Jody Martinez
Contact: Home - Ukiah Daily Journal
Copyright: 2009 - Ukiah Daily Journal
Website:News Hawk- Weedpipe https://www.420magazine.comSource:Author:Contact:Copyright:Website:
