SRES - 4/24/95 HB 208 SEAFOOD PROCESSING STANDARDS CHAIRMAN LEMAN brought up HB 208 as the next order of business before the Senate Resources Committee. The chairman called the sponsor's representative to testify. Number 267 CHERYL SUTTON, Aide to Representative Moses, prime sponsor of HB 208, relayed information contained in the sponsor statement. HB 208 will coordinate state regulations with federally mandated FDA (Food & Drug Administration) regulations for plans of operation for seafood processing facilities. Ms. Sutton submitted a partial list of supporters of HB 208 to the committee. HB 208 has a zero fiscal note. Ms. Sutton informed the committee that she has received unanimous support on the bill from everyone who has contacted her about it. Number 322 JANICE ADAIR, Department of Environmental Conservation, testifying from Anchorage, stated the department worked with the sponsor of HB 208 on drafting the bill. DEC supports HB 208. Number 335 DOUG DONEGAN, Vice President of Trident Seafoods, testifying from Yakutat, stated Trident Seafoods strongly supports HB 208. [Teleconference transmission is poor during Mr. Donegan's testimony.] Number 353 GREG FAVRETTO, FAVCO, testifying from Anchorage, stated he supports HB 208. Mr. Favretto thinks HB 208 will be helpful to the seafood industry. Number 360 HERB ECKMANNS, Alaska Sausage Co., testifying from Anchorage, stated he supports HB 208. HAROLD THOMPSON, President of Sitka Sound Seafoods, testifying from Sitka, stated SSS supports HB 208. DICK STOCKARD, Regional Manager for Tyson Seafoods, testifying from Kodiak, stated Tyson Seafoods supports HB 208. Number 370 HAP SYMMONDS, OBSI, testifying from Cordova, states OBSI supports HB 208. He thinks it is good to see the state recognize that simplification of regulations is needed. CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked Ms. Adair if DEC will be monitoring when federal regulations will go into effect, so the state can implement concurrent regulations. Number 380 MS. ADAIR responded that DEC is in almost daily contact with the FDA, and will be monitoring federal implementation of regulations. CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked when HB 208 will go into effect. MS. ADAIR replied it will not be in effect for this summer's fishing season. It is expected that the regulations will be published approximately by the end of this calendar year, and the implementation process will take about a year. CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked how that time frame will affect state implementation. MS. ADAIR responded the state will have to adopt the federal regulations by referencing. It is DEC's intent to do so as quickly as possible. Number 394 SENATOR TAYLOR asked if Alaska is going to a lower level, or a different standard, to be more compatible with what the rest of the world is doing. Number 399 MS. ADAIR responded that the department does not see HB 208 as a roll-back of the requirements, but as a change in focus. HB 208 will be a proactive tool in ensuring safe seafood products. Number 420 KIT BALLENTINE, Section Chief, Environmental Sanitation Development Section, Department of Environmental Conservation, clarified that the existing plan of operation focuses on food safety, sanitation, and economic fraud. HB 208 would separate critical control points in seafood processing. Processors will still have to keep a clean plant, but they will not have to provide written plans to DEC. It is not a diminution of standards; it will streamline the process for processors. Number 437 SENATOR TAYLOR is troubled to hear that Alaska's standards will be higher than those of the FDA. MS. BALLENTINE responded that our standards will be exactly the same. Number 453 COLIN BRAMHALL, Norquest Seafoods, testifying from Cordova, stated Norquest supports HB 208. Number 457 SYLVIA LANG, Owner of Cannery Row, testifying from Cordova, stated she supports HB 208. The present process is overwhelming and onerous. CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked Ms. Lang what volume of seafood her company processed last year. Number 468 MS. LANG replied that her company processed almost 3 million pounds last year. CHAIRMAN LEMAN noted that the committee just passed a bill out of committee Friday which would help companies that process under 30,000 pounds per year. MS. LANG responded that her company also encourages direct marketing of seafood by fishermen. Number 481 GERALD MASOLINI, Owner of Eyak Packing Co., testifying from Cordova, stated he supports HB 208. He has been canning salmon since 1983, and every year there is more paperwork. It seems now as though he spends a good deal of his time doing paperwork, before he can begin to do the real work. Number 492 SENATOR TAYLOR noted that he has yet to hear someone who is not complaining about the amount of paperwork. He thinks we should go further than HB 208 to reduce the burden placed on the seafood processing industry. Number 519 SENATOR FRANK wishes there was more support for the regulatory problems the mining industry faces. Number 547 CHAIRMAN LEMAN called an at ease at 4:21 p.m., so the committee can get a quorum. CHAIRMAN LEMAN called the Senate Resources Committee back to order at 4:35 p.m. SENATOR HALFORD made a motion to discharge HB 208 from the Senate Resources Committee with individual recommendations. CHAIRMAN LEMAN, hearing no objection, stated HB 208 was discharged from committee with individual recommendations.