AB1848 - California Seed Law: annual registration fee: Seed Advisory Board.

Enrolled August 30, 2026 Passed IN Senate August 25, 2026 Passed IN Assembly August 26, 2026 Amended IN Senate August 21, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1848 Introduced by Assembly Member Ransom February 11, 2026 An act to amend Sections 52296, 52352, and 52354.5 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to seed, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1848, Ransom. California Seed Law: annual registration fee: Seed Advisory Board. Existing law, the California Seed Law, regulates seed sold in California and requires every labeler of agricultural or vegetable seed offered for sale in this state or any persons who sell seed in this state, as provided, to annually register with the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to obtain authorization to sell the seed, except as provided. Existing law establishes the Seed Advisory Board, requires the board to advise the secretary, and authorizes the board to make recommendations on specified matters, including the seed law and regulations, seed laboratory diagnostics, and annual budgets required to regulate the seed industry. Existing law requires each application for annual registration to be accompanied by a payment of a $40 fee for each fiscal year or portion of a fiscal year beginning on July 1. This bill would increase that fee to $100. The bill would authorize the secretary, on and after January 1, 2028, to, after consulting with the board, annually increase the fee by up to $50, with a maximum fee of $300, for each fiscal year or portion of a fiscal year beginning July 1. Existing law requires each person who is required to be registered under the California Seed Law to annually pay an assessment to the secretary and requires the secretary to fix the annual assessment in an amount that will provide sufficient funds to carry out the seed law, and the date and method of collecting the assessment. Existing law requires the board to make a recommendation regarding the level of the assessment to the secretary. This bill would require the secretary to additionally fix the annual registration fee described above in an amount that will provide sufficient funds to carry out the seed law, and would require the board to make a recommendation regarding that registration fee to the secretary. Under existing law, the moneys collected pursuant to the seed law, including registration fees, assessments, and penalty revenues, are continuously appropriated to the Department of Food and Agriculture to carry out its provisions. By increasing the amount of the annual registration fee and authorizing the secretary to increase the amount of the annual registration fee, this bill would make an appropriation. Digest Key Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: YES Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 52296 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read: 52296. The board shall be advisory to the secretary and may make recommendations on all matters pertaining to this chapter, including, but not limited to, seed law and regulations, enforcement, seed laboratory diagnostics, and annual budgets required to accomplish the purposes of this chapter. The board shall be advisory as to the scope of the program funded by industry and shall recommend the registration fee and dollar volume assessments, which, when combined, shall provide adequate funds to support the program. SEC. 2. Section 52352 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read: 52352. (a) Each application for an annual registration shall be accompanied by the payment of a registration fee in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) for each fiscal year or portion of a fiscal year beginning July 1. (b) On and after January 1, 2028, the secretary, after consulting with the board, may annually increase the fee described in subdivision (a) by up to fifty dollars ($50) for each fiscal year or portion of a fiscal year beginning July 1, with a maximum fee of three hundred dollars ($300). SEC. 3. Section 52354.5 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read: 52354.5. The secretary shall fix the annual registration fee established pursuant to Section 52352 and the annual assessment established pursuant to Section 52354 in amounts that will provide sufficient funds to carry out this chapter, and the date and method of collecting the assessment. The board shall make a recommendation regarding the registration fee and the level of assessment to the secretary.