48002
. (a) In addition to any other assessment, fees, or charges
that may be required pursuant to this code, producers of navel
oranges, Valencia oranges, lemons, or mandarin citrus varieties grown
in this state and prepared for fresh market in the Counties of
Fresno, Kern, Madera, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Clara,
Tulare, and Ventura shall pay an assessment that shall not exceed 11
mills ($0.011) per carton for navel oranges, 5 mills ($0.005) per
carton for lemons, and 6 mills ($0.006) per carton for Valencia
oranges and mandarin citrus. The assessment shall be:
(1) Commencing April 1, 2011, recommended annually by the
committee and submitted to the secretary for approval in amounts not
to exceed those specified above.
(2) Based on the number of 40-pound carton equivalents produced.
(3) Used to reimburse agricultural commissioners, pursuant to a
contract between the department and the commissioners, in the
counties specified in this section, who meet the requirements of the
inspection program as determined by the committee and concurred in by
the secretary.
(4) Used to establish a reserve to fund the frost inspection
program. The reserve amount shall be determined by the committee.
(5) Used to fund a program within the department to provide the
industry with a state crop estimating service and an acreage survey.
(6) Collected from the producer by the first handler. For the
purposes of this chapter, "producer" means a grower of navel oranges,
Valencia oranges, lemons, or mandarin citrus and "handler" means a
person or entity who receives navel oranges, Valencia oranges,
lemons, or mandarin citrus from a producer and who prepares the
oranges, lemons, or mandarin citrus for fresh market. If a producer
prepares the oranges, lemons, or mandarin citrus for market, the
producer shall be deemed the handler.
(7) Remitted to the department by the first handler, along with an
assessment form, at the end of each month during the marketing
season.
(8) Deposited in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund or,
upon the recommendation of the committee, deposited in accordance
with Section 227 or Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 230) of
Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 1.
(b) In no case shall:
(1) The total amount reimbursed to all counties exceed the total
amount collected from the producers in all counties, unless reserve
moneys are required for the frost inspection program. However, the
authorized expenditures shall not exceed the combined total of
reserve moneys and revenue received in that fiscal year.
(2) The reimbursement to any county exceed the amount approved by
the committee and concurred in by the secretary.
(c) If the inspection program is terminated and there are
insufficient funds to cover the cost of terminating the inspection
program, the assessment shall continue until all those costs are
recovered.
(d) The committee may recommend to the secretary an assessment
less than the amount specified in subdivision (a) or that no
assessment be collected from growers of navel oranges, Valencia
oranges, lemons, or mandarin citrus varieties if no inspection
program or crop survey exists for that particular orange or citrus
variety. If no assessment is collected from an orange or citrus
variety that has a representative on the committee, the secretary may
designate a representative to the committee from an orange or citrus
variety that is assessed.
(e) The adoption, amendment, or repeal of assessment rates
pursuant to this section shall not be subject to the requirements of
Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code. An order to adopt, amend, or
repeal the regulations concerning assessment rates pursuant to this
section shall be transmitted within 30 days by the secretary to the
Office of Administrative Law. The Office of Administrative Law shall
file the order promptly with the Secretary of State without further
review pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 11349) of
Chapter 3.5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government
Code. The order shall do all of the following:
(1) Indicate that the regulations are being adopted, amended, or
repealed pursuant to this chapter.
(2) State that the order is being transmitted for filing.
(3) Request that the Office of Administrative Law publish a notice
of the filing of the order and print an appropriate reference in
Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations.