(a) To provide funds to carry out Section 55601.5, each processor who crushes more than 100 tons of grapes in California shall pay to the secretary the amount determined by the secretary to be necessary to cover these costs, but not to exceed ten cents ($0.10) per ton of grapes received for crushing, fresh weight equivalent, during each marketing season beginning July 1 and ending the following June 30. However, five cents ($0.05) per ton of grapes received for crushing, or one-half of the fee if the fee is less than ten cents ($0.10), shall be paid by the processor who crushes grapes and five cents ($0.05) per ton of grapes received for crushing, including any grapes produced by the processor, or one-half of the fee if the fee is less than ten cents ($0.10), shall be paid by the processor who crushes grapes and may be deducted from moneys owed to the producer.
(b) The amount of the fee shall be paid to the secretary on or before January 10 of each year on all grapes received for crushing through December 15. The amount of the fee on any grapes received for crushing after December 15 shall be paid to the secretary on or before June 30 of that marketing season.
(c) The secretary may fix the fee at a lesser amount and may adjust the fee from marketing season to marketing season.
(d) Any processor who crushes grapes who fails, neglects, or refuses to pay the required fee shall be in violation of this chapter. Any processor who crushes grapes shall not be entitled to pass the penalty on to the producer of the grapes.
(e) If the secretary conducts an acreage survey pursuant to Section 55613, the secretary may increase the fee charged pursuant to subdivision (a) by not more than four cents ($0.04) per ton of grapes received for crushing, fresh weight equivalent, to cover costs of the survey. The same ratio of payment between processor and producer shall be maintained if the fee is increased pursuant to this subdivision.
(f) The fee authorized by subdivision (a) for the reports required to be prepared by the secretary pursuant to Section 55601.5 and the increase in that fee authorized by subdivision (e) for the survey authorized by Section 55613 shall be established by the secretary so as to generate only the amount of revenue that the secretary reasonably anticipates will be needed to cover the cost incurred by the secretary in gathering and producing the reports required by Section 55601.5, in conducting the survey authorized by Section 55613, and in conducting related enforcement activities. The funds generated by the fees authorized by this section shall be used only for the purpose of gathering the information and producing the reports required to be prepared by the secretary pursuant to Section 55601.5 and conducting the survey authorized by Section 55613.
(g) All moneys received under this section shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund.
(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 135, Sec. 2. Effective July 28, 1997.)