Measure would raise seed‑program fees to shore up CDFA enforcement, author says

Assemblymember Ransom told the Senate Agriculture subcommittee that AB 1848 is a modest fix to a funding problem for the Department of Food and Agriculture’s seed enforcement program, which has relied on a $40 fee set in 1973 and has not been adjusted for inflation.

"When California seed law was first established back in 1973, we created a simple fee structure every company offering seeds for sale would pay $40 to CDFA," Assemblymember Ransom said. "Since that initial fee was created 53 years ago, inflation, of course, has increased and the number of seed manufacturers has decreased."

Dennis Albiano of the California Seed Association described the proposal as a consumer‑protection measure that would fund enforcement work both at CDFA and with local agricultural commissioners. "This is really a consumer protection law," Albiano said. "It helps the consumers know that what's in a bag is actually in the bag and what's on the label is actually on the label."

Committee members asked technical questions about definitions (for example, where 'noxious weeds' are defined) and confirmed those definitions and quarantine authorities exist elsewhere in statute and regulation. Ransom and witnesses said the seed industry advisory board and the seed association discussed the change over several years and support the modest fee increase.

No formal opposition testified at the hearing. The committee moved AB 1848 out of committee by recorded vote and referred it to the Appropriations Committee for consideration of fiscal impacts and implementation.

Next steps include Appropriations Committee review of any fiscal effects and any fiscal amendments before the bill can proceed to further policy or floor action.