BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 1597
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          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
          AB 1597 (Agriculture Committee)
          As Introduced  February 4, 2014
          Majority vote  

           AGRICULTURE         6-0         APPROPRIATIONS      17-0        
           
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          |Ayes:|Eggman, Olsen, Dahle,     |Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow, Allen,    |
          |     |Pan, Quirk, Yamada        |     |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian  |
          |     |                          |     |Calderon, Campos,         |
          |     |                          |     |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez,  |
          |     |                          |     |Holden, Linder, Pan,      |
          |     |                          |     |Quirk, Ridley-Thomas,     |
          |     |                          |     |Wagner, Weber             |
          |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
          |     |                          |     |                          |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
           SUMMARY  :  Extends the sunset for fruit and vegetable  
          standardization to January 1, 2020.  

           EXISTING LAW  :  The California Department of Food and  
          Agricultural (CDFA) is authorized to create standardization  
          programs for fruits, nuts, and vegetables, and implement them  
          through industry funds.  This requires regulations necessary to  
          carry out this program, including but not limited to, assessment  
          rates and payment procedures.  These statutory authorizations  
          will sunset on January 1, 2020.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee, 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  :  The purpose of the state's standardization programs  
          is 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.   
          This protects the consumers from having products that are not  
          mature in the marketplace or that could have animal or packing  
          damage, causing the product to prematurely rot or spoil.  This  
          is funded by a container fee assessed per container and  








                                                                  AB 1597
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          established by CDFA through regulation.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916)  
          319-2084


                                                                FN: 0003189