HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6526

BYSenate Committee on Agriculture (originally sponsored by Senators Anderson, Hansen, Gaspard, Barr, Bauer, Benitz, Bailey, Warnke, Sutherland and Newhouse)

Relating to registration of plant protection products for minor crop uses.

House Committe on Agriculture & Rural Development

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  (8)

      Signed by Representatives Rayburn, Chair; Nealey, Ranking Republican Member; Chandler, Doty, Kirby, McLean, Rasmussen and Youngsman.

House Staff:Kenneth Hirst (786-7105)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended by Committee on Agriculture & Rural Development.  (21)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Bowman, Brekke, Brough, Dorn, Ebersole, Ferguson, Hine, Inslee, May, McLean, Nealey, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle and Wineberry.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (2)

      Signed by Representatives Belcher and Valle.

House Staff:      Susan Nakagawa (786-7145)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FEBRUARY 24, 1990

BACKGROUND:

In general, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act requires pesticides to be registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  With certain exceptions, the state's Pesticide Control Act requires every pesticide distributed within the state to be registered annually with the Director of Agriculture.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  The Department of Agriculture must develop a program to provide assistance and information on the registration and reregistration of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to interested grower organizations.  The information must include that concerning the federal registration and reregistration processes and testing programs and procedures.  The Department must also monitor the availability of effective pest control products for various minor crops and minor uses, and provide technical and financial assistance to minor use research efforts at Washington State University (WSU).

The Minor Uses Advisory Committee is created. In addition to providing advice to the department, the committee must cooperate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Interregional Project Number 4 at WSU and with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in obtaining federal registrations of plant protection products for minor uses.  It must also provide contact between the department and agricultural producers regarding research needed to support the registration of such products.  Committee members are to receive travel expenses in accordance with state law but not other compensation for their services.

This act ceases to exist on April 1, 1994.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO SUBSTITUTE:  The amendment increases the appropriation to $81,000 (from $49,500).

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS:  None.

Appropriation:    $81,000 is appropriated to the department from the general fund for the current biennium for administering this act.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Agriculture & Rural Development)  No one.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Agriculture & Rural Development)  Rick Bunch, Washington Public Interest Research Group (WASHPIRG).

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Agriculture & Rural Development)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Agriculture & Rural Development)  The state should be providing assistance to farmers who lose the use of "minor use" pesticides in identifying non-chemical pest controls and alternative chemical controls.  This assistance should be provided before the use of a chemical is banned because it is not reregistered.

(Appropriations)  None.