PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 16-302-685 Small grains standards for seed certification.
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 to WAC 16-302-685 will modify the isolation standard distances in the small grain certification standards so they comply with recent changes adopted by the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: No other federal or state agencies regulate this subject.
Process for Developing New Rule: The proposed amendments will be developed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture seed program operations manager and the manager of Washington State Crop Improvement Association with advice from the board of directors of the Washington State Crop Improvement Association. Once the proposed rule language is filed with the Office of the Code Reviser, interested parties can comment during the formal public comment period and the public hearing, which will be scheduled at a later date.
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