Purpose: Adopt rule governing agricultural development or trade promotion and promotional hosting expenditures.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending chapter 16-557 WAC.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 15.04.200.

Other Authority: RCW 15.65.280, WAC 16-557-020.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 98-12-017 on May 27, 1998.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 1, amended 0, repealed 0.

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

August 5, 1998

Jeanne Pickel, Chairperson

Washington Asparagus Commission

AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 91-09-003, filed 4/4/91, effective 5/5/91)

WAC 16-557-010  Definition of terms. For the purpose of this marketing order:

(1) "Director" means the director of agriculture of the state of Washington or his duly appointed representative.

(2) "Department" means the department of agriculture of the state of Washington.

(3) "Act" means the Washington Agricultural Enabling Act of 1961 or chapter 15.65 RCW.

(4) "Person" means any person, firm, association, or corporation.

(5) "Affected producer" means any person who produces in the state of Washington asparagus in commercial quantities for fresh market, for processing, or for sale to processors.

(6) "Commercial quantity" means any asparagus produced for market in quantities of three tons (6,000 pounds) or more, in any calendar year.

(7) "Affected handler" means both affected handler fresh and affected handler processor.

(8) "Affected handler, fresh" means any person who acts as principal or agent or otherwise in selling, marketing, or distributing fresh asparagus not produced by him.

(9) "Affected handler, processor" means any person who acts as principal or agent or otherwise in processing, freezing asparagus, and selling, marketing, or distributing said processed or frozen asparagus, not produced by him.

(10) "Asparagus commodity board," hereinafter referred to as "board," means the commodity board formed under the provisions of WAC 16-557-020.

(11) "Asparagus" means and includes all kinds, varieties, and hybrids of "officinalis" Linn.

(12) "Marketing season" or "fiscal year" means the twelve-month period beginning with January 1 of any year and ending with the last day of December following, both dates being inclusive.

(13) "Producer-handler" means any person who acts both as a producer and as a handler with respect to asparagus. A producer-handler shall be deemed to be a producer with respect to the asparagus which he produces and a handler with respect to the asparagus which he handles, including those produced by himself.

(14) "Affected area" means the following counties in the state of Washington: Adams, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla, and Yakima.

(15) "Sell" includes offer for sale, expose for sale, have in possession for sale, exchange, barter, or trade.

(16) "Affected unit" means one pound net pay weight of asparagus.

(17) "Promotional hosting" as used in these rules means the hosting of individuals and groups of individuals at meetings, meals, and gatherings for the purpose of cultivating trade relations and promoting sales of Washington grown asparagus.

(18) "Hosting" may include providing meals, refreshments, lodging, transportation, gifts of a nominal value, reasonable and customary entertainment, and normal incidental expenses at meetings or gatherings.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 15.65.050 and chapter 15.65 RCW. 91-09-003, § 16-557-010, filed 4/4/91, effective 5/5/91.]

NEW SECTION

WAC 16-557-025  Rules for implementation of promotional hosting by the Washington asparagus commission. The laws of section 1, chapter 26, Laws of 1985 (RCW 15.04.200) provide that agricultural commodity commissions shall adopt rules governing promotional hosting expenditures by agricultural commodity commission employees, agents, or commissioners. The rules governing promotional hosting expenditures for the Washington asparagus commission shall be as follows:

(1) Budget approval. Commission expenditures for agricultural development or trade promotion and promotional hosting shall be pursuant to specific budget items as approved by the commission at annual public hearings on the commission budget.

(2) Officials and agents authorized to make expenditures. The following officials and agents are authorized to make expenditures for agricultural development or trade promotion and promotional hosting in accordance with the provisions of these rules.

(a) Commissioners;

(b) Administrator;

(c) Communications coordinator.

Individual commissioners shall make promotional hosting expenditures, or seek reimbursements for those expenditures, only in those instances where the expenditures have been approved by the commission.

(3) Payment and reimbursement. All payments and reimbursements shall be identified and supported by vouchers to which receipts are attached. Voucher forms will be supplied by the commission, and shall require the following information:

(a) Name and position (if appropriate) of each person hosted;

(b) General purpose of the hosting;

(c) Date of hosting;

(d) Location of the hosting;

(e) To whom payment was or will be made:

(f) Signature of person seeking payment or reimbursement.

(4) The chair of the commission, administrator, and/or treasurer are authorized to approve direct payment or reimbursements submitted in accordance with these rules.

(5) The following persons may be hosted when it is reasonably believed such hosting will cultivate trade relations and promote sales of Washington grown asparagus:

(a) An individual from private business, associations, commissions;

(b) Foreign government officials;

(c) Federal and state officials: Provided, That lodging, meals, and transportation will not be provided when such officials may obtain full reimbursement for these expenses from their government employer;

(d) The general public, at meetings and gatherings open to the general public;

(e) Commissioners and employees of the commission when their attendance at meetings, meals, and gatherings at which the persons described in (a) through (d) of this subsection are being hosted, will cultivate trade relations and promote sales of Washington grown asparagus;

(f) Spouses of the persons listed in (a), (b), (c), and (e) of this subsection when attendance of such spouse is customary and expected.

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