GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

H	2 

HOUSE BILL 446*
Committee Substitute Favorable 5/4/93

Short Title:  Farm Product Inspection and Grading.	(Public)
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Sponsors:
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Referred to:  
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March 18, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE FEES THAT ARE IMPOSED FOR THE INSPECTION AND GRADING OF FARM PRODUCTS AND ARE COLLECTED UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE USED AS REQUIRED BY THE AGREEMENTS, AND TO CLARIFY THE AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE CONCERNING THESE AGREEMENTS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.   G.S. 106-185 reads as rewritten:
"§ 106-185.  Scope of Article; federal-State cooperation.
(a)	Scope. –This Article gives the Department of Agriculture the authority to investigate marketing conditions for and establish and maintain standard grades, packages, and State brands for farm products. As used in this Article, the term 'farm products' means farm crops, horticultural crops, and animal products.
(b)	Cooperation. – The Commissioner of Agriculture may enter into agreements with the United States Department of Agriculture that require State and federal cooperation in performing the duties imposed by this Article."
Sec. 2.  Article 17 of Chapter 106 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 106-194.1.  Farm Product Inspection Account.
The Farm Product Inspection Account is established as a nonreverting account within the Department of Agriculture.  Interest and other investment income earned by the Account shall be credited to it.
Fees collected under this Article shall be credited to the Account and applied to the costs of administering this Article.  Fees credited to the Account from grading and inspection services provided under a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture are subject to any restrictions on use set out in the cooperative agreement."
Sec. 3.  Section 2 of this act becomes effective July 1, 1993.  The remaining sections of this act are effective upon ratification.  Fees collected under G.S. 106-190 and not expended as of July 1, 1993, shall be credited to the Farm Product Inspection Account established by G.S. 106-194.1, as enacted by this act.