Seed Advisory Board: alfalfa seed subcommittee: assessments: alfalfa hay producers.

Existing law establishes the Seed Advisory Board to advise the Secretary of Food and Agriculture and make recommendations on matters pertaining to the California Seed Law, and requires the board to be advisory on the scope of the program funded by industry and recommend the dollar volume assessments that, when combined with registration fees, provide adequate funds to support the program. This bill would authorize the board to advise the secretary and make recommendations to assess alfalfa seed sold in the state to fund research to benefit the alfalfa forage industry. The bill would authorize the board to recommend that the secretary impose an assessment of up to $0.10 per pound of alfalfa seed sold and, if the board recommends an assessment, would require the secretary to appoint an alfalfa seed subcommittee comprised of 9 members, as specified, to advise the secretary on funding alfalfa research benefitting the alfalfa forage industry with the proceeds of the assessments collected.