SHERIFF'S FARM

INTRODUCTION

 

Members of the Humboldt County Grand Jury visited the Humboldt County Sheriff's Farm located next to the Rohnerville Airport in the Fortuna area. Members of the grand jury met with two officers from the Sheriff's department and were given a tour of the farm and it's operations.  There were Sheriff's Work Alternative Program (SWAP) personnel performing work at the farm during the visit.

 

FINDINGS

 

F-1      SWAP personnel at the farm are unsupervised most of the time; there is only one officer on duty two days a week at the farm.

 

F-2      All produce grown at the farm goes to the jail for inmate consumption.

 

F-3     The farm provides USDA-inspected swine meat for sale to the public and for consumption in the jail.

 

F-4      The swine house is cleaned and disinfected each day; each day swine are given

           clean straw for bedding.

 

F-5      The swine house was free of odors, clean, and without flies on the day of inspection.

 

F-6      The swine house has a metal roof and a cement floor; wire mesh screen has been

           placed on the swine house to keep the birds out.

 

F-7      The farm receives free donations of uncooked food for the swine; the swine are fed                          fresh vegetables, cheese, and grains.

 

F-8      The swine population varies up to eighty.

 

F-9      Once a month the swine are inspected by a state veterinarian.

 

F-10   The farm does not have a tractor; because of this, much of the labor must be done manually.

 

F-12     The farm has a large greenhouse for vegetable seed starters and has been developing an

            orchard.

 

CONCLUSIONS

 

C-1     This is a good program that provides food for the jail and saves the county money.

 

C-2      The use of a tractor would increase productivity.

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY GRAND JURY RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING:

 

R-1      A tractor located at the Sheriff's boat yard be transferred to the farm.

 

RESPONSES

 

THE FOLLOWING RESPONSES TO REPORT 01-03 ARE REQUIRED PURSUANT

TO P.C. 933 AND THE STANDARD FORMAT FOR RESPONSES.

 

1.         The Board of Supervisors respond to all findings and recommendations.

 

2.         The Humboldt County Sheriff respond to all findings and recommendations.