Title 15, AGRICULTURE AND MARKETING

The legislature finds that the crops of berry growers in the state are imperiled by a recent change in the federal law relating to youthful agricultural workers. Since the berry harvest season is so short that few migrant agricultural workers find the trip to this state to pick b…

(1) An employee engaged to pick berries in this state outside of school hours for the school district where such employee is living while so employed may be less than twelve years of age: PROVIDED, That (a) the employee is employed with the consent of his or her parent or person …

(1) Under the authority of Article VIII of the state Constitution as amended, agricultural commodity commission expenditures for agricultural development or trade promotion and promotional hosting by an agricultural commodities commission under chapters 15.24, 15.28, 15.44, 15.65…

The department of agriculture is authorized to develop, in cooperation with Washington State University and other state agencies, an informational guide to programs offered by state and federal agencies which would be of assistance to farm families. The informational guide shall …

The history, economy, culture, and the future of Washington state to a large degree all involve agriculture, which is vital to the economic well-being of the state. The legislature finds that farmers and ranchers are responsible stewards of the land, but are increasingly subjecte…

The department shall seek to enhance, protect, and perpetuate the ability of the private sector to produce food and fiber. Additionally, the department shall seek, consistent with its regulatory responsibilities, to maintain the economic well-being of the agricultural industry an…

(1) Before being offered for retail sale in this state, any agricultural commodity, defined under RCW 15.66.010, that was grown or raised in this state may be advertised, labeled, described, sold, marked, or otherwise held out, with the words "Washington state grown," or other si…

(1) The legislature finds that it is a common practice for consumers to be provided information as to the country [of] origin for many products available to them for purchase. The legislature finds that consumers have a right to know the origin of the fresh fruits and vegetables …

(1)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department must establish and implement a compost reimbursement program to reimburse farming operations in the state for purchasing and using compost products that were not generated by the …

As used in this chapter: (1) "Supervisor" means an assistant director known as the supervisor of plant industry. (2) "Horticultural premises" includes orchards, vineyards, nurseries, berry farms, vegetable farms, cultivated cranberry marshes, packing houses, dryhouses, warehouses…

The following methods shall be used for the prevention, control or disinfection of pests and diseases: (1) Bacterial diseases, removal and destruction of infected plant or part thereof, care being used to disinfect removal tools to prevent infection therefrom; (2) Fungus diseases…

The method for disinfecting fruit trees required to be disinfected under the provisions of this chapter shall be as prescribed in the official published recommendations of the Washington State University for the proper prevention, control and eradication of pests and diseases of …

It is the duty of every owner, shipper, consignee, or other person in charge of fruits, vegetables, or nursery stock, and the owner, lessee, or occupant of horticultural premises, to use sufficient methods of prevention to keep said properties free from infection by pests or dise…

The director, supervisor, and horticultural inspectors are authorized to at any time enter horticultural premises and any structure where fruit, vegetables, nursery stock, or horticultural products are grown or situated for any purpose, to inspect the same for infection. No perso…

If the premises or property inspected is found to be infected the inspecting officer shall condemn the same and serve upon the owner or person in charge thereof a written notice of the condemnation, describing the premises or property with reasonable certainty, and ordering the i…

Said notice of condemnation shall also grant permission to the owner or person in charge of infected fruit, vegetables, or nursery stock to divide the same into classes: (1) The portion not infected; (2) The infected portion which is capable of successful disinfection; and (3) Th…

In the case of fruit or vegetables which cannot be successfully disinfected the inspector may grant to the owner or person in charge thereof a written permit to use the condemned products for stock feed, or manufacture the same into by-products, or ship them to a by-product facto…

Personal service of said notice shall be made upon the person in possession or in charge of said premises or property if possible. If such person is not the owner, or personal service cannot be made on such person, then a copy of the notice shall be mailed or telegraphed to the o…

Except as hereinabove provided, upon service of said notice the owner or person in possession or charge of the premises or property shall comply with its terms within the time specified. In case of their failure so to do, the inspector may enter the premises and perform or cause …

The officer disinfecting personal property may enforce the lien thereon provided for in RCW 15.08.090 by impounding and selling the property. He or she shall give notice of the impounding and proposed sale by posting a written notice in a conspicuous place upon the premises where…

Such sales may be either at public auction or private sale, whichever, in the sound discretion of the officer, will be to the best interests of the state and owner of the property. The proceeds thereof shall be applied to payment of: First, costs of sale; second, expenses of disi…

The inspector shall make and sign a record of the proceedings, stating the name of the owner or reputed owner of the property, if known; location of the property, date of inspection and the results thereof; date and manner of giving notice to disinfect; failure to disinfect; disi…

The inspector disinfecting any horticultural premises shall make and sign a detailed record of the proceedings, stating the legal description of the premises; give the name of the owner or reputed owner; the date of inspection and the results thereof; date and manner of giving no…

The county auditor shall forthwith issue warrants in payment of the labor employed in the work, and thereupon the county shall be subrogated to all rights of the laborers so paid. He or she shall fix the day for hearing on the record before the county commissioners, which shall b…

If before or at the hearing the amount of the claim and the auditor's and sheriff's fees are paid to the county treasurer, he or she shall deliver to the auditor a duplicate receipt of the payment and the auditor shall cancel the lien and notify the county commissioners thereof. …

The lien and interest may be paid on or before the first Monday in October following the entry of the order, upon presenting to the treasurer, a statement from the auditor showing the amount due. Upon payment the treasurer shall stamp the statement and file it in his or her recor…

If the lien and interest are not paid on or before such first Monday in October the commissioners, when levying taxes for the ensuing year, shall also levy on the premises covered by the lien, a tax for the amount of the lien and interest, together with a penalty of six percent, …

If a horticultural inspector finds premises or property infected, he or she shall make a written report thereof to the inspector-at-large in his or her district stating the disease or infestation found, the estimated extent thereof, and whether in his or her opinion it is or will…

Said board shall make a written report to the inspector-at-large of its findings, signed under oath by a majority of its members and stating: (1) Whether said premises or a part thereof are infested, (2) If infested, the nature and extent of infestation, and (3) Whether the infes…

A notice containing a description of the premises, stating the objects and purposes of the petition and the time and place of presentation of the petition to the court, shall be served upon every person named as interested in the premises at least five days prior to the time of p…

At the hearing there must be competent proof that all parties interested in the premises or property have been duly served with said notice, and that the procedure prescribed in RCW 15.08.050, 15.08.060, 15.08.070, 15.08.080, 15.08.090, and 15.08.180 has been duly followed. The r…

An appeal may be taken from the decree by filing notice thereof not later than ten days after issuance of the decree. The appellant shall be required to file an appeal bond of not less than one thousand dollars and sufficient in amount to cover possible damages to neighboring pro…

The director may require the governing body of counties, cities, towns and irrigation and school districts or other political subdivisions of the state to disinfect or destroy all infected trees, shrubs, or other nursery stock growing upon public property within their respective …

It shall be unlawful for a property owner or lessee to permit the piling or dumping, or for a person to pile or dump, any infected product on any property or to pile or dump infected containers where the dumping of the infected products or containers might constitute a source of …

Whenever the director determines that a particular pest cannot be eradicated or effectively controlled by ordinary means, or that it is impractical to eradicate or control it without the destruction in whole or in part of uninfected host plants, he or she may issue a proclamation…

At the time of making the regular annual tax levy the board of county commissioners of each county shall include a tax, to be known as the "horticultural tax," upon the taxable property of the county in an amount sufficient to meet the expense of inspecting and disinfecting nurse…

In estimating the amount to be levied for said horticultural tax the board shall take into consideration the expense of such inspection and disinfection for the ensuing year, and the amount which will be collected under the provisions of this chapter on properties disinfected. [ …

The purpose of this chapter is to enable counties to more effectively control and prevent the spread of horticultural pests and diseases. [ 1969 c 113 s 1.]

Either upon receiving a petition filed by twenty-five landowners within the county or on its own motion, the board of county commissioners in order to achieve the purposes of this chapter may, following a hearing, create a horticultural pest and disease board. [ 1969 c 113 s 2.]

Each horticultural pest and disease board shall be comprised of five voting members, four of whom shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners and one of whom shall be appointed by the director. In addition, the chief county extension agent, or a county extension agent…

Within thirty days after the appointed seats on the horticultural pest and disease board have been filled, the board shall conduct its first meeting. A majority of the voting members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and shall be necessary for…

Each horticultural pest and disease board shall have the following powers and duties: (1) To receive complaints concerning the infection of horticultural pests and diseases on any parcel of land within the county; (2) To inspect or cause to be inspected any parcel of land within …

The horticultural pest and disease board may enter into contracts and agreements with federal, state, and local government agencies, Indian tribes, and any other organization to perform any duties pursuant to the identification, detection, control, or eradication of horticultural…

Each owner of land containing any plant or plants shall perform or cause to be performed such acts as may be necessary to control and to prevent the spread of horticultural pests and diseases, as such pests and diseases are defined under RCW 15.08.010, as now or hereafter amended…

Any authorized agent or employee of the county horticultural pest and disease board may enter upon any property for the purpose of administering this chapter and any power exercisable pursuant thereto, including the taking of specimens, general inspection, and the performance of …

(1) Whenever the horticultural pest and disease control board finds that an owner of land has failed to control and prevent the spread of horticultural pests and diseases on his or her land, as is his or her duty under RCW 15.09.060, it shall provide such person with written noti…