There is created a center for international trade in forest products at the University of Washington in the college of forest resources, which shall be referred to in this chapter as "the center." The center shall operate under the authority of the board of regents of the University of Washington.

The center shall:

(1) Coordinate the University of Washington's college of forest resources' faculty and staff expertise to assist in:

(a) The development of research and analysis for developing policies and strategies which will expand forest-based international trade, including a major focus on secondary manufacturing;

(b) The development of technology or commercialization support for manufactured products that will meet the evolving needs of international customers;

(c) The development of research and analysis on other factors critical to forest-based trade, including the quality and availability of raw wood resources; and

(d) The coordination, development, and dissemination of market and technical information relevant to international trade in forest products, including a major focus on secondary manufacturing;

(2) Further develop and maintain computer databases on worldwide forest products production and trade in order to monitor and report on trends significant to the Northwest forest products industry and support the center's research functions; and coordinate this system with state, federal, and private sector efforts to insure a cost-effective information resource that will avoid unnecessary duplication;

(3) Monitor international forest products markets and assess the status of the state's forest products industry, including the competitiveness of small and medium-sized secondary manufacturing firms in the forest products industry, which for the purposes of this chapter shall be firms with annual revenues of twenty-five million or less, and including the increased exports of Washington-produced products of small and medium-sized secondary manufacturing firms;

(4) Provide high quality research and graduate education and professional nondegree training in international trade in forest products in cooperation with the University of Washington's graduate school of business administration, the school of law, the Jackson school of international studies, the Northwest policy center of the graduate school of public administration, and other supporting academic units;

(5) Develop cooperative linkages with the international marketing program for agricultural commodities and trade at Washington State University, the international trade project of the United States forest service, the department of natural resources, the department of commerce, the small business export finance assistance center, and other state and federal agencies to avoid duplication of effort and programs;

(6) Cooperate with personnel from the state's community and technical colleges in their development of wood products manufacturing and wood technology curriculum and offer periodic workshops on wood products manufacturing, wood technology, and trade opportunities to community colleges and private educators and trainers;

(7) Provide for public dissemination of research, analysis, and results of the center's programs to all groups, including direct assistance groups, through technical workshops, short courses, international and national symposia, cooperation with private sector networks and marketing associations, or other means, including appropriate publications;

(8) Establish an executive policy board, including representatives of small and medium-sized businesses, with at least fifty percent of its business members representing small businesses with one hundred or fewer employees and medium-sized businesses with one hundred to five hundred employees. The executive policy board shall also include a representative of the community and technical colleges, representatives of state and federal agencies, and a representative of a wood products manufacturing network or trade association of small and medium-sized wood product manufacturers. The executive policy board shall provide advice on: Overall policy direction and program priorities, state and federal budget requests, securing additional research funds, identifying priority areas of focus for research efforts, selection of projects for research, and dissemination of results of research efforts; and

(9) Establish advisory or technical committees for each research program area, to advise on research program area priorities, consistent with the international trade opportunities achievable by the forest products sector of the state and region, to help ensure projects are relevant to industry needs, and to advise on and support effective dissemination of research results. Each advisory or technical committee shall include representatives of forest products industries that might benefit from this research.

Service on the committees and the executive policy board established in subsections (8) and (9) of this section shall be without compensation but actual travel expenses incurred in connection with service to the center may be reimbursed from appropriated funds in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

Explanatory statement—2023 c 470: See note following RCW 10.99.030.

Effective date—1994 c 282: "This act shall take effect July 1, 1994." [ 1994 c 282 s 6.]

The center shall be administered by a director appointed by the dean of the college of forest resources of the University of Washington. The director shall be a member of the professional staff of that college.

The governor, the legislature, state agencies, and the public may use the center's programs, research, and advisory services as may be needed. The center shall establish a schedule of fees for actual services rendered.

The center shall aggressively solicit financial contributions and support from the forest products industry, federal and state agencies, and other granting sources or through other arrangements to assist in conducting its activities. Subject to RCW 40.07.040, the center shall report annually to the governor and the legislature on its success in obtaining funding from nonstate sources and on its accomplishments in meeting the provisions of this chapter. It may also use separately appropriated funds of the University of Washington for the center's activities.

Effective date—1994 c 282: See note following RCW 76.56.020.