BILL NUMBER: AB 388	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  FEBRUARY 27, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  FEBRUARY 4, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 27, 2001
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 5, 2001
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 31, 2001
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 30, 2001
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 16, 2001

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Strom-Martin

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2001

   An act to add Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 590) to Chapter
3 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Food and Agricultural Code,
relating to specialty fiber crops.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 388, as amended, Strom-Martin.   Specialty fiber crops.
   Existing law provides for the University of California to conduct
various studies, pilot demonstration projects, and programs designed
to provide information and support to the Department of Food and
Agriculture and California's agricultural community.
   This bill would  provide, upon agreement by the regents,
  request  that the University of California
 would  conduct an assessment of economic
opportunities available through the production of specialty or
alternative fiber crops. This bill would  provide that the
assessment be funded by moneys currently in the budget of the
University of California, if available, and that  
request  the University of California  to  report its
finding to the Legislature by January 1, 2004.
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  yes.
State-mandated local program:  no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Article 9.5 (commencing with Section  950)
  590)  is added to  Chapter 3 of Part 1 of
Division 1 of the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:

      Article 9.5.  Specialty or Alternative Fiber Crops

   950.  (a) Upon agreement by the regents, the University of
California shall  
   590.  (a) The University of California is requested to 
conduct an assessment of economic opportunities available through the
production of specialty or alternative fiber crops including
industrial hemp, kenaf, and flax by extrapolating data on
productivity and production costs available from trials conducted in
other states and countries to California's conditions. The assessment
shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
   (1) An estimation of market demand and likely crop prices.
   (2) Identification of potential barriers to profitability.
   (3) Identification of production,  processing, and marketing
issues that would  be  need to be addressed in
future demonstration research or pilot commercial trials.
   (b) Not later than January 1, 2004, the University of California
 shall   is requested to  report its
findings to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, and the Senate
Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources.  
   (c) The assessment shall be funded with moneys currently within
the budget of the University of California, if available.