WSR 98-06-093

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Filed March 4, 1998, 11:44 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Buckwheat, chick pea, field pea, lentil, millet, soybean, sorghum and small grain seeds, WAC 16-316-474 and 16-316-525.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 15.49.005, 15.49.310, 15.49.370(3).

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: (1) To respond to industry request to increase seed certification fees for the above. A fee increase would reflect current cost of operating that portion of the seed certification program delegated by the director to the Washington State Crop Improvement Association. (2) Respond to industry request to add and delete eligible varieties.

Process for Developing New Rule: Request from the board of directors of the Washington State Crop Improvement Association (WSCIA).

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Graydon Robinson, Program Manager, Washington State Department of Agriculture Seed Program, 2015 South 1st Street, Yakima, WA 98903, phone (509) 575-2750, FAX (509) 454-4395; or Keith Pfeifer, Manager, WSCIA, 414 South 46th Avenue, Yakima, WA 98908, phone (509) 966-2234, FAX (509) 966-2494.

March 4, 1998

Julie C. Sandberg