BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1795
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 14, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1795 (Committee on Agriculture) - As Introduced: February
10, 2010
Policy Committee: AgricultureVote:8
- 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill eliminates term limits for members of the California
Apple Commission (CAC) and allows the California Salmon Council
(CSC) more leeway in presenting facts and negotiating issues
that will affect California's salmon industry.
FISCAL EFFECT
There are no significant costs associated with this legislation.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . According to CAC, since the 1996 growing season the
number of apple handlers in California has dropped from 40 to
11. The reduced pool of potential handler board members is
making it more difficult to fill the handler members of the
board and alternative members. By eliminating the four
consecutive terms, or 16 years as a board member or
alternative, CAC will be better able to fill the board
positions.
The CSC promotes the marketing of salmon and salmon products.
In 1988, 1.3 million salmon were caught in California's salmon
fishery. Since that time the California salmon fishery has
been decimated due to low salmon runs. In 2007, 117,000
salmon were caught. In 2008 and 2009, the California salmon
fishery was closed due to poor returns of Sacramento spawning
salmon. The state and the federal government are working to
restore California salmon runs.
AB 1795
Page 2
According to the CSC, over the past few years, they have been
asked to participate in meetings with federal and state
agencies responsible for managing the fishery. These meetings
and discussions have focused on management of salmon resources
and the CSC believes this is outside its scope of its
authority. This bill, in granting the authority to present
facts and negotiate on matters that affect the "California
Salmon Marketing and Development Act" (CSMDA) would authorize
the CSC to fully participate in these discussions.
2)Agricultural Marketing Advisory and Promotional Councils and
Commissions . Over 20 different commissions for various
commodities ranging from avocados to walnuts have been
established under Division 22 of the Food and Agriculture
Code. Typically, these state- established commissions and
councils are authorized by statute to engage in various
activities covering promotion, advertising, education,
production or post-harvest research, and quality standards and
inspections, with some variation in authorization between
different commissions. In most cases, these commissions have
authority to collect assessments from producers, handlers, or
others subject to regulation, and use the funds to carry out
the mandate of the commission.
Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)
319-2081