California Seed Law.

Existing law, the California Seed Law, regulates seed sold in California, and requires each container of agricultural seed that is for sale or sold within this state for sowing purposes to be labeled, as specified, unless the sale is an occasional sale of seed grain by the producer of the seed grain to his neighbor for use by the purchaser within the county of production. Existing law defines "person" for purposes of the California Seed Law to mean an individual, partnership, trust association, cooperative association, or any other business unit or organization. This bill would clarify that definition of "person" to include corporations. The bill would also clarify the term "neighbor" for purposes of the labeling requirements specified above to mean a person who lives in close proximity, not to exceed 3 miles, to another. The bill would revise a statement of legislative intent to include ensuring that the amount of seed represented on a tag or label is properly identified. Existing law authorizes the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, by regulation, to adopt a list of plants and crops that the secretary finds are or may be grown in this state from agricultural or vegetable seed. This bill would instead authorize the secretary, by regulation, to adopt a list of plants and crops that the secretary finds are or may be grown in this state. The bill would also prohibit a city, county, or district, including a charter city or county, from adopting or enforcing an ordinance on or after January 1, 2015, that regulates plants, crops, or seeds without the consent of the secretary. The bill would make other nonsubstantive changes.