| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Greg Ames |
| August 10, 2006 | (406) 444-2944 |
Seed Lab Proposes Fee Adjustments
HELENA, Mont. — The Montana Department of Agriculture is soliciting comments from interested parties on a proposal to amend state administrative rules to increase fees for seed testing services at the Montana State University Seed Laboratory located in Bozeman.
Under state law, the MSU-administered laboratory recommends fees to the Montana Department of Agriculture for rule adoption. Fees collected must be used to cover lab expenses. The laboratory has experienced negative cash flow the past three years.
The requested fee increases average 16 percent, which is less than 3 percent per year since the last fee adjustment. The highest increases in the proposal are for purity and germination testing of native grasses and forbs.
A copy of the proposed amendment can be found on the department's website
at: http://agr.mt.gov/reference/administrativeRules.asp. The specific Administrative
Rules of Montana that would be amended are ARM 4.12.3009 and 4.12.3402.
Comments will be received through September 7, 2006 and can be addressed
to Gregory H. Ames at the Montana Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 200201,
Helena, MT 59620 or by email at agr@mt.gov.
