H-2228              _______________________________________________

                                          SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 1554

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Jacobsen, Chandler, Fraser, Belcher, Anderson, Ballard, Wolfe and Brekke)

Read first time 3/6/89.

AN ACT Relating to organic and low-input agriculture; amending RCW 15.86.010 and 15.86.070; and adding a new section to chapter 15.86 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 1, chapter 247, Laws of 1985 and RCW 15.86.010 are each amended to read as follows:

          The legislature recognizes a public benefit in establishing standards for food products marketed and labeled using the term "organic" or a derivative of the term "organic."  ((Such standards shall also facilitate the development of)) The legislature also recognizes the public benefit in assisting farmers in learning and adopting organic farming practices and in helping farmers develop domestic and out-of-state markets for Washington food grown by organic methods.

        Sec. 2.  Section 12, chapter 393, Laws of 1987 and RCW 15.86.070 are each amended to read as follows:

          The director may adopt rules establishing a certification program for producers and processors of organic food.  The rules may govern, but are not limited to governing:  The number and scheduling of ((on-farm)) on-site visits, both announced and unannounced, by certification personnel; recordkeeping requirements; and the submission of product samples for chemical analysis.  The rules shall include a fee schedule that will provide for the recovery of the full cost of the ((certification)) inspection program.  Fees collected under this section shall be deposited in an account within the agricultural local fund and the revenue from such fees shall be used solely for carrying out the provisions of this section, and no appropriation is required for disbursement from the fund.  The director may employ such personnel as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 15.86 RCW to read as follows:

          The organic certification program shall encourage and promote the use of organic and low-input farming practices, and establish a public information campaign to explain the certification process and other facets of the organic agriculture industry to existing and interested growers.  To help the organic agriculture industry develop to its fullest potential, the program shall work with producers, universities, other state offices, and the cooperative extension service in meeting the current and future research, education, and extension needs of the industry.