Agriculture: commercial feed.

Existing law establishes an inspection tonnage tax for commercial feed, as specified, with a maximum rate of $0.15 per ton. The funds collected are deposited into the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund, and are continuously appropriated for purposes of provisions regulating commercial feed. Existing law, until January 1, 2020, authorizes the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to designate a specified amount of the tonnage taxes collected to provide funding for research and education regarding the safe manufacture, distribution, and use of commercial feed. This bill would increase the maximum rate of the inspection tonnage tax from $0.15 to $0.25 per ton of commercial feed sold. The bill would extend the secretary's authority to designate a specified amount of tonnage taxes collected to provide funding for research and education from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2025. By extending the purposes for which funds in a continuously appropriated fund may be spent, the bill would make an appropriation. Existing law requires that a license be obtained from the secretary for each location where commercial feed is manufactured, distributed, sold, or stored for later sale. Existing law requires each license application to be accompanied by an annual fee specified by the department for each location of at least $100, but not exceeding $600, with the specific fee to be set by the secretary upon recommendation of the Feed Inspection Advisory Board. Beginning on January 1, 2020, the license fee is required to be $100 for each location. The funds collected are deposited into the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund, and are continuously appropriated for purposes relating to the manufacture and distribution of commercial feed. This bill would extend the date on which the new license fee requirement of $100 for each location would take effect from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2025. By extending the time during which a higher license fee may be applied, the bill would increase the fees that are deposited into a continuously appropriated fund, thereby making an appropriation.