Article 6. Assessments And Records of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 22. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 20. >> Article 6.

(a) The commission shall establish the assessment for the following marketing year not later than January 1 of each year, or as soon thereafter as is possible. The commission shall adopt bylaws that indicate when payment is due.
  (b) The assessment for the 1991 marketing year shall not be less than one-half of 1 percent, nor more than 1 percent, of the gross dollar value of flowers grown and shipped by a producer. In any subsequent marketing year, the assessment shall not be more than 1 percent of the gross dollar value of flowers grown and shipped by a producer.
  (c) A fee greater than the amount specified in subdivision (b) may not be charged unless approved by the vote specified in Section 77971.
  (d) No producer shall be assessed more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for any marketing year, except that this limitation shall not be applicable for the entire marketing year in which a producer does not comply with the assessment collection requirements established in this article and as prescribed by the commission.

This chapter does not apply to any person who grows flowers only for his or her own home use or who is not a producer. However, any such person who markets flowers shall submit all required reports and shall file an affidavit with the commission establishing that the person grows flowers valued at less than the gross value established pursuant to Section 77918. The commission shall then determine whether the affidavit should be approved. The commission may terminate the collection of assessments directly from producers and, instead, collect producer assessments from shippers or handlers who shall deduct the assessment from amounts paid by the shippers or handlers to the producers and who shall be trustees of the funds until they are paid to the commission at the time and in the manner prescribed by the commission.

Every person in this state who grows flowers for market, whether or not the flowers grown are valued at less than the gross value established pursuant to Section 77918, shall keep a complete and accurate record of the gross dollar value of all flowers grown and cut. The records shall be in simple form and contain information as the commission shall prescribe. The records shall be retained by the person for two years and shall be offered and submitted for inspection at any reasonable time upon written demand of the commission or its duly authorized agent.

(a) The commission may specify, by regulation, the conditions under which proprietary information obtained from producers may be disclosed. Otherwise, all proprietary information obtained by the commission or the secretary from producers is confidential and shall not be disclosed except when required by court order in a judicial proceeding.
  (b) Information on volume shipments, product value, and any other related information that is required for reports to governmental agencies; financial reports to the commission or aggregate sales and inventory information; and any other information that the commission requires that gives only totals, but excludes individual producer information, may be disclosed by the commission.

Any assessment that is levied pursuant to this chapter is a personal debt of every producer so assessed. If the producer is a corporation, all of the directors and officers of the corporation in their capacity as individuals shall be included, and any liability for failure to collect or make payment of assessments for which a corporate producer may be subject pursuant to this chapter shall include identical liability upon each individual director or officer of the corporation.

Any producer who fails to file a return or pay any assessment within the time required by the commission shall pay the commission a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the assessment determined to be due and, in addition, pay 1 1/2 percent interest per month on the unpaid balance.