Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 16-303-340 Seed certification fees for buckwheat, chickpea, field pea, lentil, millet, soybean, sorghum and small grains.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 15.49.310, 15.49.370(3) and chapter 34.05 RCW.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Proposed amendments are in response to an industry recommendation to increase seed certification fees for buckwheat, chickpea, field pea, lentil, millet, soybean, sorghum and small grains by the Office of Financial Management (OFM) fiscal growth rate factor for fiscal year 2004, which allows for fee increases of 3.2%. The proposed fee increases will cover the current cost of operating the portion of the seed certification program delegated by the director to the Washington Crop Improvement Association.

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

     Process for Developing New Rule: The seed industry, through the board of directors of the Washington State Crop Improvement Association, will have an opportunity to review the proposed fee increases and comment on them before the department files the proposed increases with the code reviser. Once the proposed increases are filed, interested parties will have an opportunity to comment at the public hearing.

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Victor Shaul, Operations Manager, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Seed Program, 21 North 1st Avenue, Suite 203, Yakima, WA 98902, (509) 225-2630, fax (509) 454-4395; or Keith Pfeifer, Manager, Washington State Crop Improvement Association, 414 South 46th Avenue, Yakima, WA 98908, (509) 966-2234, fax (509) 966-2494.

September 29, 2003

Robert W. Gore

Assistant Director

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