HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1563
As Reported By House Committee On:
Agriculture & Ecology
Title: An act relating to the safe foods initiative at Washington State University.
Brief Description: Establishing the safe foods initiative.
Sponsors: Representatives Linville, G. Chandler, Grant, Sump, Stensen, B. Chandler, Reardon, Schoesler, Anderson, Delvin, Cooper, Quall, Wood, Eickmeyer, Morris, Rockefeller, Cox, Kenney, Conway, O'Brien, Murray and Regala.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Agriculture & Ecology: 2/12/99, 2/20/99 [DPS].
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Brief Summary of Substitute Bill
$Appropriates $3.75 million from the General Fund to WSU for each of the next two fiscal years for WSU's safe foods initiative and dedicates $0.5 million of that amount each year for certain projects of the Commission on Pesticide Registration.
$Identifies the responsibilities of WSU and the Commission for the elements of the initiative.
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & ECOLOGY
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 14 members: Representatives G. Chandler, Republican Co-Chair; Linville, Democratic Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic Vice Chair; Koster, Republican Vice Chair; Anderson; B. Chandler; Delvin; Fortunato; Grant; Reardon; Schoesler; Stensen; Sump and Wood.
Staff: Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).
Background:
The nation's land grant university system was established with the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862. By 1914, Congress had established the three principal parts of the land grant system: support for colleges of agriculture and mechanical arts, agricultural experiment stations, and a cooperative extension service. Washington State University (WSU) is this state's land grant university.
The Commission on Pesticide Registration may use the state monies it receives for: conducting studies concerning the registration of pesticides for minor crops and minor uses, conducting studies concerning the availability of pesticides for emergency uses, a program for tracking the availability of pesticides for such crops and uses, and for the support of the commission. Legislation passed by the House of Representatives this session would broaden the scope of the commission's studies to include studies regarding research, implementation, and demonstration of integrated pest management and pesticide resistance management programs.
Summary of Substitute Bill:
The sum of $3.75 million, or as much thereof as necessary, is appropriated from the General Fund to WSU for each of the next two fiscal years. The money is provided solely for the purposes of WSU's safe foods initiative and $0.5 million of it is provided each year solely for certain projects of the Commission on Pesticide Registration.
The safe foods initiative is established to: (1) promote safe food products for domestic and global markets, (2) protect food crops from devastating pests, and (3) create high quality, economically viable, safe food production systems.
To promote safe food products for domestic and global markets, WSU must establish faculty and support positions in food microbiology, post-harvest vegetable quality science, food safety information, cereal chemistry, and animal disease and food safety science. To create high quality, economically viable, safe food production systems WSU must establish faculty and support positions in rangeland management, livestock extension education, range and livestock management, urban/rural agricultural issues, agricultural animal waste management and environmental quality, animal waste management, wheat breeding technicians, and reproductive biology.
To protect food crops from devastating pests, WSU must establish faculty and support positions in tree fruit entomology, drylands cropping systems, weed science, vegetable pathology, tree fruit pathology, insect biological control and integrated pest management, and soil fertility and microbiology. For this objective of the initiative, the commission must fund projects regarding research, implementation, and demonstration of any aspect of integrated pest management and pesticide resistance management programs.
Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:
The projects to be funded by the commission under the substitute bill are those regarding any aspect of integrated pest management and pesticide resistance management programs rather than those in integrated pest management in nonchemical control measures in agriculture, natural resources, and urban environment under the original bill. The commission's expenditures are no longer required to be in the form of competitive grants.
Appropriation: The sum of $3.75 million.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 3, 1999.
Effective Date of Substitute Bill: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: (Original Bill) (1) WSU's safe foods initiative has broad support in all segments of the agricultural industry. This bill fully funds that initiative and dedicates the faculty and support positions requested by the industry. (2) The research conducted at this state's research universities is the engine for the state's economy. The positions dedicated by the bill to tree fruit research are important for finding alternative tools to take the place of chemicals that will be lost to use under the federal Food Quality Act. They will conducting research into the deterioration of fruit in storage.
(With Comment) (Original Bill) The bill should be amended to give the commission on pesticide registration the same direction as that identified in a bill (SHB 1054) already passed by the House.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: (Original Bill) (In favor) Representative Linville, prime sponsor; Kevin Buche, Washington Agricultural Presidents' Group and Washington Potato Commission; Bob Berger, Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration; Jim Ziches, Washington State University; Enid Layes, Washington State Horticultural Association; and Mike Ryherd, Washington Alternative Agriculture Coalition.
(In favor, depending on the nature of the amendments) Dawn Vyvyan, Washington Toxics Coalition.