Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 16-218 WAC, Hops—Certification analyses—Fees. As a result of a petition from the Washington hop commission, the department is considering increasing all fees related to the certification of hops. In addition, the department is considering updating section titles to move away from a question and answer format, modifying the language to improve readability, and updating the language to reflect current industry practices.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: WAC 16-532-035 requires that all varieties of hops produced in the state of Washington must be inspected and certified by the Federal/State Hop Inspection Service, prior to marketing or processing. The Washington state department of agriculture's (WSDA) hop inspection program carries out inspections, chemical analysis, and certification of the state's hop crop. By performing these functions, the hop inspection program ensures continued access to international and interstate markets for Washington's hop producers.

RCW 22.09.790 requires the department to maintain fees at a level necessary to cover the cost of providing service. The department last increased hop inspection fees in 2005. Changes in hop industry practices have made existing fee values and other provisions of this rule outdated. Additionally, the program has experienced a significant increase in operational costs, due to a recently mandated wage increase. This combined with an increase in the amount of hops produced annually within the state, make a fee increase necessary in order to stabilize and maintain the financial health of the hop inspection program.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The United States Department of Agriculture and the Washington hop commission.

Process for Developing New Rule: Department staff will discuss any proposed amendments with affected stakeholders. Affected stakeholders will also have an opportunity to submit written comments on the proposed rules during the public comment period and will be able to present oral testimony at the public hearing.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Brad White, Assistant Director, Plant Protection Division, Washington State Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560, phone 360-902-1907, fax 360-902-2094, TTY 800-833-6388, or 711, email bwhite@agr.wa.gov, website https://agr.wa.gov/services/rulemaking; or Mike Firman, Program Manager, Chemical and Hop Laboratory, Washington State Department of Agriculture, 21 North 1st Avenue, Suite 106, Yakima, WA 98902, phone 509-249-6933, fax 509-454-7699, TTY 800-218-4337, email mfirman@agr.wa.gov, website https://agr.wa.gov/services/rulemaking.