LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Another local organization has issued a statement in opposition to Measure D, a marijuana cultivation on the June 5 ballot.

The Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture is opposing Measure D, “the Medical Marijuana Cultivation Act of 2012.”

The initiative attempts to qualify marijuana as an agricultural crop. “We believe this initiative threatens the integrity of the 'Right to Farm Ordinance' and we are concerned about its land use provisions and the lack of adequate grower regulation,” the group said in a written statement.

Commercial growers, both conventional and organic, must apply for spray permits and follow specific rules for handling pesticides, employee safety training, pesticide use reports and record keeping, and are periodically inspected for compliance.

As long as marijuana is not legally recognized as an agricultural crop, it cannot be regulated the way traditional county crops are, the group said in its statement.

Another concern for the group is that Measure D would override existing zoning laws, allowing cultivation in residential areas, including vacant parcels, where agricultural practices are not allowed under existing rules.

“This poorly written initiative has negative consequences for our environment, economy and quality of life,” the organization said.

Also having come out in formal opposition against Measure D are the Lakeport City Council, Clearlake City Council, Lake County Board of Supervisors, Lake County Board of Education, Sierra Club Lake Group, Lake County Deputy Sheriffs Association, Lake County Farm Bureau, Kelseyville Business Association, Lake County Chamber of Commerce, the Buckingham and Clear Lake Riviera homeowners associations, and the Lake County Association of Realtors’ Board of Directors.