FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 6576

                              C 20 L 90

BYSenator Metcalf

Making changes regarding harvesting of wild mushrooms.

Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources

House Committe on Natural Resources & Parks

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Agriculture administers the wild mushroom harvesting program for the state of Washington.  Administration has proved difficult because the word "processor" rather than the word "dealer" is used in the statute.  Wild mushroom buyers do not process the product in any way, but act in a dealer capacity.

The Wild Mushroom Harvesting and Processing Act created a licensing program for the commercial mushroom industry.  The information on commercial harvesting obtained through the licensing procedure provides data on the quantity of wild mushrooms harvested each season.  When the act was originally passed commercial mushroom processing involved three distinct components.  There was a mushroom harvester, the person who picked the mushrooms; a mushroom buyer, who bought the mushrooms from a mushroom picker; and there was a mushroom processor, who sorted and brined the mushrooms.

Since enactment of the Wild Mushroom Harvesting and Processing Act, the procedure involved in the processing of mushrooms has changed.  Buyers now sell to individuals who sell the product overseas in fresh form.  Processing consists of repackaging the product rather than washing, sorting and brining.

SUMMARY:

The term "processor" is eliminated from the statute and the word "dealer" is put in its place.  The definitions of "mushroom buyer," "mushroom dealer" and "mushroom harvester" are clarified.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

     Senate   45    0

     House 97  0

EFFECTIVE:June 7, 1990