WSR 02-03-132

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


[ Filed January 23, 2002, 11:06 a.m. ]

     Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 16-324 WAC, Rules for the certification of seed potatoes.

     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: Revision of these rules may be needed to implement programmatic changes to reflect industry practices and program efficiencies and to raise testing fees by an amount not to exceed the fiscal growth factor.

     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 proposals for rule changes with affected stakeholders, including the Seed Potato Commission, 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, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Laboratory Services Division, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560, phone (360) 902-1907, fax (360) 902-2094, e-mail Mtoohey@agr.wa.gov; or Tom Wessels, Plant Services Program Manager, Washington State Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560, phone (360) 902-1984, fax (360) 902-2094, e-mail Twessels@agr.wa.gov. All proposed changes will be reviewed with the Washington Seed Potato Commission and any other stakeholders.

January 23, 2002

Mary A. Martin Toohey

Assistant Director

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