HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 6088

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                    Agriculture & Ecology

Title:  An act relating to the degrade of dairy farm or milk processing plant licenses.

Brief Description:  Degrading certain dairy licenses.

Sponsors:  Senators Rasmussen, A. Anderson and Loveland; by request of Department of Agriculture.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Agriculture & Ecology:  2/8/96, 2/15/96 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & ECOLOGY

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 14 members:  Representatives Chandler, Chairman; Koster, Vice Chairman; Chappell, Ranking Minority Member; Linville, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Boldt; Clements; R. Fisher; Johnson; Mastin; Ogden; Regala; Robertson; Rust and Schoesler.

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

Background:  The Department of Agriculture is required by the state's fluid milk laws to inspect dairy farms and milk plants before they are licensed and periodically thereafter.  If an inspection reveals a violation that is a grade requirement (such as, for Grade A milk), a second inspection is to be conducted.  If the same requirement is again found to be in violation in the second inspection, the license must be immediately degraded or summarily suspended. 

Summary of Bill:  The provision of the fluid milk laws that requires that a license be degraded or summarily suspended following a repeat of an inspection violation no longer requires that the license be immediately degraded or summarily suspended.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:   A dairy can be cited for an inspection violation for simply having a pencil-sized hole in a screen in a screen door.  The bill allows common-sense enforcement of inspection requirements.  It treats operators of dairy farms the way they are treated in both our neighboring states.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Rasmussen, prime sponsor; Mike Schwisow, Oregon-Washington Dairy Processors Association; and Dan Coyne, Darigold (in favor).