Idaho Bean Commission asks committee to print measure increasing assessment after three decades

The Senate Agriculture Committee voted to print RS 31,817 after hearing from Andy Wolf Wybie, executive director of the Idaho Bean Commission, who asked the committee to allow an increase in the commission's per-hundredweight assessment to fund research and marketing.

Wolf Wybie told senators the commission has not requested an assessment increase since 1992 and currently collects an assessment of $0.12 per hundredweight (cwt), split as $0.08 from growers and $0.04 from bean dealers/warehouses. The commission board voted unanimously to increase the assessment by $0.04 per cwt, moving the split to parity at $0.08/$0.08 (a total $0.16 per cwt). With future authorization, Wolf Wybie said the commission seeks the option to raise the assessment to $0.24 per cwt, again split evenly, if needed.

Wolf Wybie described program priorities that the assessment would fund: expanded entomology research at the University of Idaho Parma Research and Extension Center (noting the commission had not funded entomology research since the early 2000s), addressing seed-testing protocols to meet export market requirements (including concerns about a bacterium affecting EU markets), and market development through trade missions. Wolf Wybie said the commission is self-funded by a check‑off at first sale and does not receive general fund monies.

Senator Blaylock moved to print RS 31,817; Senator Van Orden seconded the motion. The committee approved the motion by voice vote and ordered the proposal printed. No roll call tally was recorded in the transcript.