BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2682 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 25, 2012 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair AB 2682 (Committee on Agriculture) - As Amended: March 29, 2012 Policy Committee: AgricultureVote:9 - 0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill changes the designation of the California Science Center as a space age museum to an air and space center, adds kefir to the products that comprise Class 2 market milk, and makes other technical and clarifying changes. FISCAL EFFECT There are no significant costs associated with this legislation. COMMENTS 1)Purpose . This bill is the Assembly Committee on Agriculture's 2012 omnibus legislation designed to make technical and non-substantial changes to various portions of the Food and Agriculture laws for the state. 2)Dairy Classification . Milk and dairy food processors pay for milk based upon the products in which it is used. Product usages are grouped in "classifications." Class 1 is fluid milk and creams, Class 2 are cultured products such as yogurt and cottage cheese. Class 3 are frozen products such as ice cream and frozen yogurt. Class 4 is cheese, butter and dry milk powder. Most of California's milk uses classifications identical to those in the federal system. According to supporters, comparability allows California products to compete for markets for those products. In 2005, the federal classification for kefir (a fermented, yogurt-style drink that contains beneficial bacteria) was changed to Class 2, placing AB 2682 Page 2 it among all other cultured dairy products. This bill reclassifies kefir as a Class 2 product in California, to align with the federal classification for this product. Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916) 319-2081