Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 16-303-340 Seed certification fees for buckwheat, chickpea, field pea, lentil, millet, soybean, sorghum and small grains and 16-319-041 Application for certification of forest reproductive material.

     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: Proposal is in response to industry request to increase seed certification fees for forest reproductive material, buckwheat, chickpea, field pea, lentil, millet, soybean, sorghum and small grains. The fee increases will cover current costs 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: In response to a request from the seed industry and the board of directors of the Washington State Crop Improvement Association, the Washington state department of agriculture staff will develop the rule proposal. In turn, industry representatives and the WSCIA board of directors will review and comment on the proposed rule amendments. Interested parties can participate in the public hearing/public comment process, the dates of which will be announced when the department files the rule proposal with the code reviser.

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

January 9, 2006

Robert W. Gore

Assistant Director