(a) There shall be paid to the Department for all commercial fertilizers or soil conditioners distributed in this State to nonregistrants an inspection fee at the rate of 10 cents per ton;
(1) Not less than 15 cents per ton effective January 1, 2022;
(2) Not less than 20 cents per ton effective January 1, 2023;
(3) Not less than 25 cents per ton effective January 1, 2024;
provided that sales to manufacturers or exchanges between them are hereby exempted. Fees so collected shall be paid to the Department, which shall deposit the same in the General Fund an appropriated special fund account in the Department.
On individual packages of commercial fertilizer or soil conditioners containing 10 pounds or less, there shall be paid, in lieu of the annual registration fee of $1.15 per each grade of each brand and the inspection fee, an annual registration fee and inspection fee of $40 for each grade of each brand of fertilizer and soil conditioners sold or distributed. Where a person sells commercial fertilizer or soil conditioners in packages of 10 pounds or less and in packages over 10 pounds, this annual registration and inspection fee of $40 shall apply only to that portion sold in packages of 10 pounds or less, and that portion sold in packages over 10 pounds shall be subject to the same inspection fee as provided in this chapter.
(b) Every person who distributes a commercial fertilizer or soil conditioner in this State shall file with the Department on forms furnished by the Department a semiannual statement for the periods ending December 31, and June 30, setting forth the number of net tons of each commercial fertilizer or soil conditioner distributed in this State during that period. The report shall be due on or before the last day of the month following the close of each period and with such statement the inspection fee shall be filed according to the rate set forth in subsection (a) of this section.
If the tonnage report is not filed and the payment of inspection fee is not made within 30 days after the end of each period, a surcharge amounting to 10 percent (minimum $10) per month of the amount shall be assessed against the registrant, and the Department shall have a lien against the registrant for the amount owed, including surcharge.
(c) When more than 1 person is involved in the distribution of a commercial fertilizer or soil conditioner, the last person who has the fertilizer or soil conditioner registered and who distributes to a nonregistrant (dealer or consumer) is responsible for reporting the tonnage and paying the inspection fee, unless the report and payment have already been submitted by a prior distributor of a fertilizer or soil conditioner.
(d) No information furnished the Department under this section shall be disclosed publicly in such a way as to divulge confidential information about the business operation of anyone.
(e) Fees so collected shall be used for the payment of the costs of inspection, sampling and analysis, and other expenses necessary for the administration of this chapter