20.01.370 - Commission merchants -- Recordkeeping.

Commission merchants — Recordkeeping.

Every commission merchant taking control of any agricultural products for sale as such commission merchant, shall promptly make and keep for a period of three years, beginning on the day the sale of the product is complete, a correct record showing in detail the following with reference to the handling, sale, or storage of such agricultural products:

     (1) The name and address of the consignor.

     (2) The date received.

     (3) The quality and quantity delivered by the consignor, and where applicable the dockage, tare, grade, size, net weight, or quantity.

     (4) An accounting of all sales, including dates, terms of sales, quality and quantity of agricultural products sold, and proof of payments received on behalf of the consignor.

     (5) The terms of payment to the producer.

     (6) An itemized statement of the charges to be paid by consignor in connection with the sale.

     (7) The names and addresses of all purchasers if said commission merchant has any financial interest in the business of said purchasers, or if said purchasers have any financial interest in the business of said commission merchant, directly or indirectly, as holder of the other's corporate stock, as copartner, as lender or borrower of money to or from the other, or otherwise. Such interest shall be noted in said records following the name of any such purchaser.

     (8) A lot number or other identifying mark for each consignment, which number or mark shall appear on all sales tags and other essential records needed to show what the agricultural products actually sold for.

     (9) Any claim or claims which have been or may be filed by the commission merchant against any person for overcharges or for damages resulting from the injury or deterioration of such agricultural products by the act, neglect or failure of such person and such records shall be open to the inspection of the director and the consignor of agricultural products for whom such claim or claims are made.

     Before a commission merchant may handle an agricultural product in a pooling arrangement or accounting, the consignor must have agreed in writing to allow the pooling.

     Where a pooling arrangement is agreed to in writing between the consignor and commission merchant, the reporting requirements of subsections (4), (5), (6), and (8) of this section shall apply to the pool rather than to the individual consignor or consignment and the records of the pool shall be available for inspection by any consignor to that pool.

     For individual accounting, the commission merchant shall transmit a copy of the record required by this section to the consignor on the same day the final remittance is made to the consignor as required by RCW 20.01.430. For a consignor who is participating in a pooling arrangement, the commission merchant shall, on the same day final remittance and accounting are made to the consignor as required by RCW 20.01.430, transmit to the consignor a summary of the records which are available for inspection by any consignor to that pool.

[1991 c 109 § 20; 1989 c 354 § 41; 1988 c 254 § 18; 1979 ex.s. c 115 § 5; 1977 ex.s. c 304 § 9; 1974 ex.s. c 102 § 6; 1963 c 232 § 3; 1959 c 139 § 37.]

Notes: Severability -- 1989 c 354: See note following RCW 15.36.012.