Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Administrative Rules topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House Agriculture Affairs Committee approves package of ISDA rule updates, incorporating federal manuals and routine housekeeping changes
Summary
The committee approved a package of Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) rule dockets including bonded warehouse rules, weights and measures updates (NIST Handbook 44), produce safety (FSMA/CFR incorporation), feed and fertilizer manual updates, and organic program CFR updates; all dockets were approved by voice vote.
The House Agriculture Affairs Committee approved a bundle of rule dockets presented by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). The changes were largely technical, including incorporation-by-reference (IBR) updates to national manuals and routine reductions of duplicative language between statute and rule.
Jared Stewart, administrator for ISDA's Agricultural Inspections Division, and other ISDA officials presented multiple dockets that the department characterized as ZBR (zero-based review) exercises or IBR updates. Stewart said the bonded warehouse rules and seed/commodity buyer licensing updates removed redundant text already established in statute so the rule text would not duplicate statutory enforcement provisions. On weights and measures, ISDA updated the cited edition of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Handbook 44 to its current edition in order to keep Idaho standards consistent with national practice.
Andrea Thompson, administrator for ISDA's Plant Industries Division, told the committee ISDA was updating feed and fertilizer manuals (incorporation by reference) to move the relevant publication dates forward (2024 to 2025) and to reflect modest definitional changes such as a reclassification of corn gluten feed and additions like xanthan gum in certain feed contexts.
Stewart also briefed the committee on ISDA's organic certification rules, explaining those changes were an update to the Code of Federal Regulations citation used by Idaho's certifiers to remain consistent with the federal National Organic Program. For produce safety, Stewart said the rule is ISDA's state implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and updates the CFR references so the state program can conduct inspections under the federal framework in lieu of FDA doing those inspections directly.
Committee motions to approve the dockets were made by multiple representatives; the committee approved the dockets by voice vote. Committee members asked clarifying questions about why language was removed (to avoid duplicating statutory language), how ISDA solicits stakeholder input for negotiated rulemaking, and whether the department's protocols are published and accessible to licensees. Deputy Director Lloyd Knight said ISDA posts protocols and guidance on its website and also uses hybrid meeting formats to increase participation.
Votes at a glance
- Docket 202122401 (bonded warehouse, seed buyer and commodity buyer licensing): motion to recommend approval made by Representative McCann; approved by voice vote. - Docket 0202142401 (Weights and Measures, NIST Handbook incorporation): motion to approve made by Representative Nelson; approved by voice vote. - Docket 2312401 (Pesticide management plans / ground water protection ZBR): motion to approve made by Representative McCann; approved by voice vote. - Docket 203012401 (Chemigation/ground water protection temporary rule implementing HB 549): motion to approve made by Representative McCann; approved by voice vote (also covered in separate article). - Docket 0205012401 (Produce safety, FSMA/CFR incorporation): motion to adopt made by Representative Keelys; approved by voice vote. - Docket 0206022401 (Registrations and licenses — feeds, fertilizers, soil and plant amendments): motion to approve made by Representative Cannon; approved by voice vote. - Docket 20632401 (Organic food products, CFR incorporation): motion to approve made by Representative Mathias; approved by voice vote.
Why it matters: most dockets are technical updates that align Idaho rules with federal standards or remove duplicative language that already exists in statute. Incorporation-by-reference keeps Idaho's regulatory standards consistent with national practice (for example NIST Handbook 44 for weights and measures and CFR citations for organic and produce safety programs). Committee members asked for clarity about where department protocols and guidance will be published so regulated parties can find the technical standards ISDA will use in inspections and training.
What to expect: ISDA said the department will continue to publish and post updated manuals, protocols and guidance documents on its website; those resources will provide details practitioners need for compliance and training.
