Sale of juice grapes

AN ACT Relating to the sale of juice grapes; amending RCW 1
15.83.010; and creating a new section. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that it is in the 4
best interest of the state to ensure efficient production and 5
marketing of agricultural products produced in the state. There is a 6
process in place through which fair prices and other contract terms 7
can be negotiated. The legislature finds that producers of grapes 8
that are intended as a nonfermented juice product should be included 9
in that process. 10
Sec. 2. RCW 15.83.010 and 2020 c 176 s 1 are each amended to 11
read as follows: 12
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter 13
unless the context clearly requires otherwise. 14
(1) "Accredited association of producers" means an association of 15
producers, which is accredited by the director to be the exclusive 16
negotiation agent for all producer members of the association within 17
a negotiating unit. 18
S-3234.1
SENATE BILL 5816
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senator Torres
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(2) "Advance contract" means a contract for purchase and sale of 1
a crop entered into before the crop becomes a growing crop and 2
providing for delivery at or after the harvest of that crop.3
(3) "Agricultural products" as used in this chapter means juice 4
grapes, pears, sweet corn, and potatoes produced for sale from farms 5
in this state. 6
(4) "Association of producers" means any association of producers 7
of agricultural products engaged in marketing, negotiating for its 8
members, shipping, or processing as defined in section 15 (a) of the 9
federal agriculture marketing act of 1929 or in section 1 of 42 Stat. 10
388. 11
(5) "Director" means the director of the department of 12
agriculture. 13
(6) "Handler" means a processor or a person engaged in the 14
business or practice of: 15
(a) Acquiring agricultural products from producers or 16
associations of producers for use by a processor; 17
(b) Processing agricultural products received from producers or 18
associations of producers, provided that a cooperative association 19
owned by producers shall not be a handler except when contracting for 20
crops from producers who are not members of the cooperative 21
association; 22
(c) Contracting or negotiating contracts or other arrangements, 23
written or oral, with or on behalf of producers or associations of 24
producers with respect to the production or marketing of any 25
agricultural product for use by a processor; or 26
(d) Acting as an agent or broker for a handler in the performance 27
of any function or act specified in (a), (b), or (c) of this 28
subsection. 29
(7) "Juice grapes" mean grapes that are intended as a 30
nonfermented juice product.31
(8) "Negotiate" means meeting at reasonable times and for 32
reasonable periods of time commencing at least ((sixty)) 60 days 33
before the normal planting date for sweet corn and potatoes, or at 34
least ((sixty)) 60 days before the normal harvest date for pears and 35
juice grapes, and concluding within ((thirty)) 30 days of the normal 36
planting date for sweet corn and potatoes, or within ((thirty)) 30 37
days of the normal harvest date for pears and juice grapes, to make a 38
serious, fair, and reasonable attempt to reach agreement by 39
acknowledging or refuting with reason points brought up by either 40
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party with respect to the price, terms of sale, compensation for 1
products produced under contract, or other terms relating to the 2
production or sale of these products: PROVIDED, That neither party 3
shall be required to disclose proprietary business or financial 4
records or information. 5
(((8))) (9) "Negotiating unit" means a negotiating unit approved 6
by the director under RCW 15.83.020. 7
(((9))) (10) "Person" means an individual, partnership, 8
corporation, association, or any other entity. 9
(((10))) (11) "Processor" means any person that purchases 10
agricultural crops from a producer and cans, freezes, dries, 11
dehydrates, cooks, presses, powders, or otherwise processes those 12
crops in any manner for eventual resale. A person who solely cleans, 13
sorts, grades, and packages a farm product for sale without altering 14
the natural condition of the product is not a processor. A person 15
processing any portion of a crop is a processor. 16
(((11))) (12) "Producer" means a person engaged in the production 17
of agricultural products as a farmer or planter, including a grower 18
or farmer furnishing inputs, production management, or facilities for 19
growing or raising agricultural products. A producer who is also a 20
handler shall be considered a handler under this chapter.21
(((12))) (13) "Qualified commodity" means agricultural products 22
as defined in subsection (3) of this section. 23
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