California Seed Law: annual registration fee: Seed Advisory Board.

Existing law, the California Seed Law, regulates seed sold in California and requires every labeler of agricultural or vegetable seed offered for sale in this state or any persons who sell seed in this state, as provided, to annually register with the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to obtain authorization to sell the seed, except as provided. Existing law establishes the Seed Advisory Board, requires the board to advise the secretary, and authorizes the board to make recommendations on specified matters, including the seed law and regulations, seed laboratory diagnostics, and annual budgets required to regulate the seed industry. Existing law requires each application for annual registration to be accompanied by a payment of a $40 fee for each fiscal year or portion of a fiscal year beginning on July 1. This bill would increase that fee to $100. The bill would authorize the secretary, on and after January 1, 2028, to, after consulting with the board, annually increase the fee by up to $50, with a maximum fee of $300, for each fiscal year or portion of a fiscal year beginning July 1. Existing law requires each person who is required to be registered under the California Seed Law to annually pay an assessment to the secretary and requires the secretary to fix the annual assessment in an amount that will provide sufficient funds to carry out the seed law, and the date and method of collecting the assessment. Existing law requires the board to make a recommendation regarding the level of the assessment to the secretary. This bill would require the secretary to additionally fix the annual registration fee described above in an amount that will provide sufficient funds to carry out the seed law, and would require the board to make a recommendation regarding that registration fee to the secretary. Under existing law, the moneys collected pursuant to the seed law, including registration fees, assessments, and penalty revenues, are continuously appropriated to the Department of Food and Agriculture to carry out its provisions. By increasing the amount of the annual registration fee and authorizing the secretary to increase the amount of the annual registration fee, this bill would make an appropriation.