Section 42808 Of Article 6.5. Standardization Program From California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 17. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 6.5.
42808
. (a) Every person acting as a handler of commodities subject
to this division shall do all of the following:
(1) Register with the director and submit reports and assessments
required pursuant to this article and the regulations adopted
thereunder.
(2) Keep a complete and accurate record of commodities shipped by
him or her. The records shall be in simple form and contain
information as prescribed by the director.
(3) Maintain records for a period of two years that shall be
offered and submitted for inspection and audit at any reasonable time
upon written demand of the director.
(b) Every person acting as a handler of commodities subject to
this division, shall be personally liable for the payment of
assessments. Any handler who fails to file the required reports or
pay any assessment or inspection fee by the last day of the month
immediately following the month in which the commodities were shipped
shall pay to the director a penalty of 10 percent of the assessment
or fee determined to be due, and in addition, 1 1/2 percent interest
per month on the unpaid balance.
(c) Handlers shall maintain and file the records required pursuant
to this article even if no assessments are due for a reporting
period.
(d) Any person that violates this article or the regulations
adopted thereunder may be prosecuted criminally pursuant to Article
12 (commencing with Section 42971), and, in addition, shall be
subject to the civil penalties and remedies set forth in Article 13
(commencing with Section 43001).
(e) For the purposes of this article, "handler" means any person
engaged in marketing commodities subject to this article that the
person has purchased or acquired from a producer and who first
prepares the commodities for market on behalf of the producer,
whether as owner, agent, broker, processor, or otherwise. A producer
engaged in marketing commodities subject to this article directly to
a person who purchases the commodity solely for retail sale is deemed
to be the handler and is subject to this section.