License fees

In order to meet the expenditures necessary to administer this chapter, the board of agriculture and biosecurity shall establish license fees to be paid by producers, producer-distributors and distributors. In determining these fees, the board shall, at least thirty days before the new license year begins: (1) Project the reasonable expenditures necessary to administer the chapter for the license year; (2) Project the amount to be paid by applicants for original or renewal licenses for the license year; (3) Project the reasonable expenditures necessary to conduct an independent monthly audit; (4) Estimate the total volume of milk to be produced and processed for the license year; (5) Using (1), (2), (3), and (4) above, establish a reasonable rate per hundred-weight or other unit as determined by the board; and (6) Collect such fees monthly, or at such other intervals as may be determined by the board, during the license year based on actual milk produced and processed. To facilitate the collection of license fees, the board may require a producer-distributor or distributor to withhold from any payment owing to any producer a part or all of the license fee due under this chapter by such producer. For any such withholding required by the board, the producer-distributor or distributor shall be paid a reasonable fee by the board. The amount of the fee shall be set by the board. An agricultural cooperative all of whose producer-members have complied with the licensing provisions of this chapter shall be exempt from the payment of the license fee.