15.35.250 - Marketing assessment on producers -- Additional assessment for milk testing -- Penalty -- Court action.

Marketing assessment on producers — Additional assessment for milk testing — Penalty — Court action.

(1) There is hereby levied upon all milk sold or received in any marketing area subject to a marketing plan established under the provisions of this chapter an assessment, not to exceed five cents per one hundred pounds of all such milk, to be paid by the producer of such milk. Such assessment shall be collected by the first milk dealer who receives or handles such milk from any producer or his or her agent subject to such marketing plan and shall be paid to the director for deposit into the agricultural local fund.

     The amount to be assessed and paid to the director under any marketing plan shall be determined by the director within the limits prescribed by this subsection and shall be determined according to the necessities required to carry out the purpose and provisions of this chapter under any such marketing plan.

     (2) In the event a producer's milk dealer does not provide milk testing in a state-certified laboratory, the director may levy an additional assessment on all such milk, not to exceed three cents per one hundred pounds of milk, to be paid by the producer of such milk. Such assessment shall be collected by the first milk dealer who receives or handles such milk from any producer or the producer's agent subject to the marketing plan and shall be paid to the director for deposit into the agricultural local fund. Moneys from such assessments shall be used to provide testing of the milk in a state-certified laboratory.

     The amount to be assessed and paid to the director under this subsection shall be determined by the director within the limits prescribed by this subsection.

     (3) Upon the failure of any dealer to withhold out of amounts due to or to become due to a producer at the time a dealer is notified by the director of the amounts to be withheld and upon failure of such dealer to pay such amounts, the director subject to the provisions of RCW 15.35.260, may revoke the license of the dealer required by RCW 15.35.230. The director may commence an action against the dealer in a court of competent jurisdiction in the county in which the dealer resides or has his principal place of business to collect such amounts. If it is determined upon such action that the dealer has wrongfully refused to pay the amounts the dealer shall be required to pay, in addition to such amounts, all the costs and disbursements of the action, to the director as determined by the court. If the director's contention in such action is not sustained, the director shall pay to the dealer all costs and disbursements of the action as determined by the court.

[1993 c 345 § 11; 1991 c 239 § 15; 1971 ex.s. c 230 § 25.]