Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

HB 2018

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Changes the livestock inspection fee at United States Department of Agriculture-inspected processing plants from $4 per head to $6 per head.
Changes the minimum fee for the issuance of an inspection certificate by the Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture (Director) from $5 to $10.
Changes the time and mileage fee charged in connection with certain livestock inspections, from $17 per hour and the current mileage rate set by the Office of Financial Management (OFM), to $42 per hour and the current mileage rate set by the OFM.
Modifies the inspection fee structure for livestock sold at a public livestock market, to either a per-head inspection fee of $6 per head, or a time and mileage fee of $42 per hour and the current mileage rate set by the OFM.

Background:

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Animal Health Program is charged with protecting animals and the public from communicable animal diseases. Program officials monitor movement of animals across state lines, set requirements for reporting and controlling diseases, and conduct testing and investigations.

WSDA‑Livestock Inspection Program.

The Livestock Inspection Program records brands, licenses feedlots and public livestock markets, and conducts surveillance and inspection of livestock at time of sale and upon out of state movement. Cattle and horses are inspected for permanent identification such as brands and ownership documents at public livestock markets; United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) slaughter plants; licensed, certified feedlots; at change of ownership; and prior to leaving the state. The program is funded by fees paid by the livestock industry and does not receive general fund dollars.

WSDA‑Inspection Fees.

The inspection fee at a USDA-inspected slaughter plant is $4 per head.

The minimum fee for the issuance of an inspection certificate is $5. The minimum fee does not apply to livestock consigned to a public livestock market or inspected at a slaughter plant.

The fee for an individual inspection certificate is $20 per year, or the time and mileage fee, whichever is greater. The time and mileage fee is $17 per hour and the current mileage rate set by the Office of Financial Management (OFM).

The OFM mileage rate is $0.535 per mile as of January 1, 2017.

When livestock inspection is required at a public livestock market, the proprietor of the livestock market must collect and remit to the WSDA an inspection fee as provided by law. If the total fees collected for inspection in one day do not exceed $100, the proprietor must pay $100 for the inspection services.

WSDA‑Livestock Identification Advisory Board.

Established by the Legislature in 1993, the six-member Livestock Identification Advisory Board provides advice about the livestock identification program to the Director of the WSDA. The Board's six members are appointed by the Director and include a beef producer; public livestock market representative; a horse owner; a cattle feeder; a dairy farmer; and a meat processor.

Summary of Bill:

The fee for inspection of cattle at a processing plant with a daily capacity of no more than 500 head of cattle, where the United States Department of Agriculture maintains a meat inspection program, is changed from $4 to $6 per head.

The minimum fee for the issuance of an inspection certificate by the Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture (Director) is changed from $5 to $10.

The time and mileage fee is changed, from $17 per hour and the current mileage rate set by the Office of Financial Management (OFM), to $42 per hour and the current mileage rate set by the OFM.

When livestock are sold at a public livestock market, the inspection fee is modified to either a per-head inspection fee of $6 per head, or a time and mileage fee of $42 per hour and the current mileage rate set by the OFM.