BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 1597
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 9, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

            AB 1597 (Agriculture Committee) - As Introduced:  February 4,  
                                        2014 

          Policy Committee:                               
          AgricultureVote:6-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill extends the sunset date from January 1, 2015 to  
          January 1, 2020 for the California Department of Food and  
          Agriculture's (CDFA) authority to create standardization  
          programs for fruits, nuts, and vegetables.  Assessments paid by  
          the fruit, nut, and vegetable industries fund the costs of  
          implementing the programs.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          The standardization programs cost approximately $2 million per  
          year and are fully funded using industry assessments.  Extending  
          the sunset date would continue those costs as well as the  
          assessments paid by fruit, nut, and vegetable industries.

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  . The state's standardization programs are designed to  
          remove from the channels of trade fruits, nuts, and vegetables  
          not complying to minimum standards for quality, size, maturity,  
          consistency in packaging, labeling, and packing.  These programs  
          protect consumers from products that are not mature in the  
          marketplace or that could have animal or packing damage, causing  
          the product to prematurely spoil or rot. 

          The programs are funded via container fees assessed per  
          container and established by the CDFA through regulation.


           Analysis Prepared by :    Joel Tashjian / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 








                                                                  AB 1597
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