SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   ESB 6027

                      AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 7, 1992

Brief Description:  Funding horticultural nursery research.

SPONSORS:Senators Barr, Gaspard, Sellar, Bauer, Conner, Rasmussen, Bailey and Jesernig.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & WATER RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

      Signed by Senators Barr, Chairman; Anderson, Vice Chairman; Bailey, Gaspard, and Newhouse.

Staff:  Bob Lee (786‑7404)

Hearing Dates:January 16, 1992; January 21, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Research conducted for the benefit of the horticultural nursery industry is currently conducted by Washington State University and is funded by general fund monies.  At present, there is no mechanism in place to allow the horticultural nursery industry to collect funds from itself to augment research activities.

SUMMARY:

The Director of Agriculture, with advice from an advisory committee, may establish a surcharge of up to 20 percent onto the nursery dealer license fee.  The surcharge will range between $5 and $20 per year depending upon the annual gross dollar volume of business of the nursery dealer.  The revenue collected from the surcharge is to be deposited in the agricultural local fund, which will be used solely to support research projects that are a general benefit to the horticultural nursery industry and that are recommended by an advisory committee.

The advisory committee consists of the representatives from the following organizations:  (1) the Washington State Floricultural Association, (2) the Washington State Nursery Association, and (3) the Washington State Bulb Growers Association.

Appropriation:  none 

Revenue:  yes

Fiscal Note:  available

Effective Date:  July 1, 1992

TESTIMONY FOR:

Additional money is needed for research for the benefit of the horticultural nursery industry on a number of topics.  Currently, the horticultural nursery industry has not formed a commodity commission to generate research funds and the simplest way to raise money for research is for a surcharge to be established on the existing license fee.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Robert L. Berger, WSDOT (Pro); Arlen D. Davison, Washington State University; Robert Hart, WSNLA (Pro); Steve McGonigall, Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association (Pro); Gary Briggs, Briggs Nursery, Inc. (Pro); Ben DeGoede, Flower Growers of Puget Sound (Pro)