BILL NUMBER: AB 388	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 15, 2002
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 8, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 12, 2002
	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, 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 request that the University of California conduct
an assessment of economic opportunities available through the
production of specialty or alternative fiber crops.  This bill would
request the University of California to report its finding to the
Legislature by January 1, 2004.


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


  SECTION 1.  Article 9.5 (commencing with Section  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

   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, legal, processing, and marketing
issues that would need to be addressed in future demonstration
research or pilot commercial trials.
   (b) Not later than January 1, 2004, the University of California
is requested to report its findings to the Assembly Committee on
Agriculture, and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Water
Resources.