Subject of Possible Rule Making: To amend chapter 16-328 WAC, Certification of strawberry planting stock, by increasing fees within the fiscal growth factors for fiscal year 2001 and fiscal year 2002.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Chapter 15.14 RCW.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Current strawberry plant certification fee income is not adequate to cover costs of this activity, and it may be necessary to raise fees within the fiscal growth factors of both fiscal year 2001 and fiscal year 2002. Other modifications may be necessary to acknowledge changes in industry practices, environmental conditions, and legislative mandates.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

Process for Developing New Rule: Washington State Department of Agriculture representatives discuss proposed rule change with affected stakeholders and then publish the rule proposal.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Mary A. Martin Toohey, Assistant Director, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Laboratory Services Division, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560, phone (360) 902-1907, fax (360) 902-2904, e-mail MToohey@agr.wa.gov; or Tom Wessels, Plant Services Program Manager, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Laboratory Services Division, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560, phone (360) 902-1984, fax (360) 902-2094, e-mail TWessels@agr.wa.gov.

January 23, 2001

Mary A. Martin Toohey

Assistant Director

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