2005 California Food and Agricultural Code Sections 701-705 CHAPTER 5. FOREIGN TRADE PRACTICES

701.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
   (a) California farm sales, which are of vital importance to
California agriculture and the state's economy, have been adversely
affected by increasing foreign imports and a loss of export markets
as a result of numerous factors including, in some cases, unfair
trade practices of foreign governments and foreign business
enterprises.
   (b) Under the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. Sec. 2101 et seq.), an
interested party may file a petition with the United States Trade
Representative to negotiate for a remedy when any act, policy, or
practice of a foreign government is inconsistent with international
trade agreements, or otherwise unreasonable, unjustifiable, or
discriminatory and is a burden or is restrictive to United States
commerce, or if a foreign government fails to grant United States
rights under a trade agreement.
   (c) Agricultural parties at interest under the act are
encountering difficulties in obtaining these remedies.  They are
encountering a lengthy, costly, political process which requires
extensive factfinding to show significant interest and substantial
damage.
702.  It is the intent of the Legislature to support the
multilateral and bilateral free and fair trade negotiation process
currently in place, but to provide California agricultural parties at
interest with additional support through state involvement and
unified statistical data compilation and analysis to contribute to a
more effective and persuasive presentation of cases brought by
California agricultural interests.
703.  The department may, upon the request of a California
agricultural interest which is pursuing a case under Section 301 or
302 of the Trade Act of 1974, gather and provide analytical
assistance, information, and data in support of the case.
704.  The director shall establish a reasonable schedule of fees to
cover the amount expended for providing analytical assistance,
information, and data requested by the California agricultural
interest pursuant to this chapter.
705.  All state agencies, including, but not limited to, the
Department of Finance and the Employment Development Department shall
cooperate with the director in the compilation of pertinent
statistical data and shall respond to requests by the director for
information in a timely manner.