Article 9. Fees of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 10. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 9.

All brand inspection fees are due and payable at the time of the inspection. The amount which is due for all inspections that are made shall be paid to the director within 30 days after the issuance of the brand inspection certificates by the inspector for the cattle which were inspected, unless there is on deposit with the bureau a bond in an amount and form which is approved by the chief or a cash deposit to cover the payment of the fees.

In addition to other applicable fees, as provided by this chapter, the secretary may impose a service charge in an amount not to exceed twelve dollars ($12) for each site at which an inspection is performed.

Any fees which are due and payable for brand inspections which are not paid as required by this article may be recovered by the director pursuant to Section 281. Inspection services may be refused for nonpayment of prior services which have been rendered. When the brand inspection fees due are not paid in accordance with Section 21281, a penalty assessment shall be added to such fees and collected as follows:
  (a) When the brand inspection fees due are greater than twenty-five dollars ($25), then 20 percent of such fees shall be added to the inspection fees.
  (b) When the brand inspection fees due are twenty-five dollars ($25) or less, five dollars ($5) shall be added to the inspection fees.

(a) Unless otherwise provided in this article, inspection fees shall be paid at the point of inspection.
  (b) The fee for inspection is one dollar and twenty-five cents ($1.25) for each animal that is inspected, except as follows:
  (1) The fee for inspection at a registered feedlot, as defined in Section 20015, is sixty-four cents ($0.64) for each animal that is inspected.
  (2) The fee for inspecting an animal that originated in another state and was shipped into this state for feeding direct to a registered feedlot is forty-three cents ($0.43) for each animal that is inspected.
  (3) The fee for inspecting an animal that was inspected at a posted stockyard, or posted saleyard, in this state, and shipped direct to a registered feedlot, is forty-three cents ($0.43) for each animal that is inspected.

Except as otherwise provided in this article, on all private treaty transaction inspections, as defined in Section 20026, regardless of destination, the fee of one dollar and twenty-five cents ($1.25) shall be paid at the point of inspection for each animal that is inspected.

A charge shall not be made for the inspection of suckling calves which are accompanying their mothers if they are transported for purposes other than for sale or slaughter and without a change in ownership.

The fee is one dollar and twenty-five cents ($1.25) for the inspection before sale of each animal at a public saleyard that is posted by the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States or at a public saleyard if the animal originated in another state and it was shipped to this state, consigned to that public stockyard or public saleyard.

In a modified point-of-origin inspection area, as provided in Section 21111, the fee for the inspection of cattle, other than suckling calves that are accompanying their mothers, is one dollar and twenty-five cents ($1.25) per head if the cattle are transported out of the area for purposes other than sale or slaughter and no change of ownership is involved.

For cattle, other than suckling calves accompanying their mothers, transported out of the state for purposes other than sale or slaughter and where no change of ownership is involved, the inspection fee is one dollar and twenty-five cents ($1.25) per head.

The fee for the inspection of cattle which originated in any county or geographical area where a full point-of-origin inspection is maintained pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 21141) shall be established by the director, upon recommendation of the Livestock Identification Advisory Board, in an amount sufficient to cover the actual costs incurred by the bureau in performing the inspection. A fee shall not be charged for any suckling calves which are accompanying their mothers if they are not shipped for sale or slaughter and no change of ownership is involved. Cattle moving out of a full point-of-origin area to a destination inspection point are exempt from the destination inspection fee. However, these cattle are subject to further inspection.

Any person who receives cattle from any cattle sale market, either public or private, including any public stockyard where sales of cattle are held, may, upon request and upon payment of a fee of seventy cents ($0.70) per head before accepting delivery of any cattle from that market or stockyard, have a reinspection of the cattle.

The fees which are provided in Article 9 (commencing with Section 21281) and Article 5 (commencing with Section 21561) may be:
  (a) Lowered by the director, based upon a finding and recommendation of the Livestock Identification Advisory Board, whenever they determine that the cost of administering and enforcing the provisions of this division may be maintained with a lower fee.
  (b) Increased, by an amount not to exceed 20 percent of the statutory fee, by the director upon the recommendation of the Livestock Identification Advisory Board whenever they determine that the costs of administering and enforcing the provisions of this division require a greater fee. The advisory board must approve any increase in fees by a two-thirds vote of its entire membership.

(a) The Bureau of Livestock Identification is authorized to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with any purebred cattle producer or breeder for purposes of pre-inspection of purebred bulls, or 4H or Future Farmers of America project calves, that are for sale within the state.
  (b) The Memorandum of Understanding shall contain, but is not limited to, all of the following:
  (1) All bulls and project calves for sale must be identified.
  (2) All bulls and project calves must be placed into and remain in, an enclosure designated as a selling pen.
  (3) All bulls and project calves shall be inspected and identified by a Brand Inspector.
  (4) When bulls or project calves are sold, the seller shall furnish the purchaser with a fully completed Bill of Sale or Consignment, including identification numbers for all bulls or project calves.
  (5) The seller shall mail a duplicate copy of the Bill of Sale or Consignment to the Brand Inspector with a stamped envelope bearing the purchaser's complete name and address.
  (6) The Brand Inspector shall then issue a Brand Inspection Certificate and mail it to the purchaser.
  (7) Brand inspection fees shall be paid on each certificate issued. The Brand Inspector shall collect fees for the certificates as they are issued.
  (8) The Brand Inspector shall be contacted and a Brand Inspection Certificate issued before the animal leaves the seller's premises for any bull or project calf that is sold and is to be transported out of the state.
  (9) Each Memorandum of Understanding shall expire one year from the date that the completed document is dated.
  (c) There shall be signature blocks for the producer or breeder, the Brand Inspector, and the Regional Brand Inspector, and dates for when the signatures are made. There shall also be a date for the document.
  (d) This memorandum of understanding may be discontinued by the Chief of the Bureau of Livestock Identification upon a finding by the chief that any provision is not being met, or at any time that the chief determines that further action is necessary in order to satisfy brand inspection requirements and the integrity of the program set forth in Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 of Division 10.