H-2031.2 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1891
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State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session
By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Mulliken, Schoesler, Veloria, B. Chandler, Van Luven, Linville, G. Chandler, Conway and Dunn)
Read first time 03/08/2001. Referred to Committee on .
AN ACT Relating to international marketing of agriculture; adding new sections to chapter 43.23 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the growing and processing of food and agricultural products is the dominant industry in Washington state and a major employer in rural Washington. The legislature also finds that agriculture is a critical component of Washington's international trade industry, accounting for billions of dollars in exports every year.
The legislature further finds that the export market for Washington's agricultural products has dropped significantly in recent years and that such a drop has negatively impacted the economy in Washington's agricultural regions. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to enhance Washington's international trade of agricultural products by increasing funding for the Washington state department of agriculture's international marketing program in an effort to promote marketing of Washington's products and to assist the agricultural industry in efforts to reduce trade barriers that stand in the way of trade in new and emerging markets.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. There is created a market development and promotion matching fund program within the Washington state department of agriculture. The purpose of the program is to allow the department of agriculture and the agricultural industry to combine funds in order to access markets that are growth sales areas for a certain sector of the industry's product. The goal of the program is to expose buyers to Washington's diverse agricultural products. The agriculture industry may bring in buying missions, perform trade promotions in various markets, hire overseas contractors, and perform other marketing functions that help it target the correct buyer and market for its product.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Trade barriers have become an increasingly important issue in the agricultural arena. The world trade organization highlighted the need for "a fair and level playing field." In the Washington state department of agriculture's experience, both large and small commodity groups need money to address this issue. There is created within the department of agriculture a trade barrier matching fund program. The purpose of the program is to allow the department of agriculture and the agricultural industry to combine funds in order to address trade barrier issues impacting the agricultural industry.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Sections 2 and 3 of this act are each added to chapter 43.23 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2001, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.
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