(a) An inspection tonnage tax at the maximum rate of twenty-five cents ($0.25) per ton of commercial feed sold, except whole grains, and whole hays when unmixed, shall be paid to the secretary by any person who distributes commercial feed to a consumer-buyer in this state. The distributor shall also pay an inspection tonnage tax for purchased commercial feed fed to the distributor’s own animals.
(b) The secretary may, based upon a finding and recommendation of the board, determine the specific rate necessary to provide the revenue needed to carry out the provisions of this chapter. The secretary and the board shall not exceed the maximum tonnage rate established by this section. Setting the tonnage tax rate shall not be subject to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2025.
(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 622, Sec. 6) by Stats. 2019, Ch. 306, Sec. 3. (AB 657) Effective January 1, 2020. Section operative January 1, 2025, by its own provisions.)