The Riverside County Board of Supervisors authorized the county Office of the Agricultural Commissioner to enter into two state contracts intended to promote the eradication of red imported fire ants and the preservation of honeybees during its Tuesday, Nov. 5 meeting.In 5-0 votes without comment, the board signed off on an $86,000 agreement with the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the fire ant elimination program and a separate $56,600 agreement with the CDFA for European honeybee protection.Under the first compact, county agricultural staff will be responsible for overseeing a monitoring program that identifies the presence of red imported fire ants, establishing protein bait stations to draw them out and get rid of them.The ants, which originated from Brazi
