(A) As used in this section, "gypsy moth" means the live insect, Lymantria dispar, in any stage of development.

(B) The director of agriculture may establish a voluntary gypsy moth suppression program under which a landowner may request that the department of agriculture have the landowner's property aerially sprayed to suppress the presence of gypsy moths in exchange for payment from the landowner of a portion of the cost of the spraying. To determine the total cost per acre, the department shall add the per-acre cost of the product selected by the landowner to suppress gypsy moths and the per-acre cost of applying the product as determined by the director in rules. To determine the aggregate total cost, the department shall multiply the total cost per acre by the number of acres that the landowner requests to be sprayed. The department shall add to that amount any administrative costs that it incurs in billing the landowner and collecting payment. The portion of the cost that is assessed to the landowner, if any, shall be determined by the funding that is allocated to the department by the federal and state gypsy moth suppression programs.

(C) The director shall adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to establish procedures under which a landowner may make a request under division (B) of this section, to establish the per-acre cost of applying product to suppress gypsy moths, and to establish provisions governing agreements between the department and landowners concerning gypsy moth suppression together with any other provisions that the director considers appropriate to administer this section.

(D) The director shall deposit all money collected under this section to the credit of the plant pest program fund created in section 927.54 of the Revised Code. Money credited to the fund under this section shall be used for the suppression of gypsy moths in accordance with this section.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 7/17/2009.

Effective Date: 09-26-2003