RS 1415 - Deficiency assessment
A. Whenever the commissioner determines, based on an analysis performed by the state chemist, that a given lot or shipment of fertilizer is deficient in one or more guaranteed plant foods, a deficiency assessment shall be assessed against the guarantor in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) Total nitrogen (N): a deficiency assessment of four times the value of the deficiency if such deficiency is in excess of 0.4 of one percent on goods that are guaranteed to contain eight percent or less of total nitrogen; 0.5 of one percent on goods that are guaranteed to contain more than eight percent and less than twenty-one percent; and 0.8 of one percent on goods guaranteed twenty-one percent or more.
(2) Available phosphoric acid (P2O5): a deficiency assessment four times the value of the deficiency if the deficiency is more than 0.4 of one percent on goods that are guaranteed to contain ten percent or less of available phosphoric acid; 0.5 of one percent on goods that are to contain more than ten percent and less than twenty-six percent; and 0.8 of one percent on goods that are guaranteed more than twenty-six percent.
(3) Soluble potash (K2O): a deficiency assessment of four times the value of the deficiency if such deficiency is in excess of 0.5 of one percent on goods that are guaranteed to contain eight percent or less; 0.6 of one percent on goods that are guaranteed to contain more than eight percent and less than twenty-one percent, and 1.00 percent on goods guaranteed over twenty-one percent.
(4) If a fertilizer is deficient in one ingredient, overages in either or both of the other ingredients, in dollar value, may be applied to offset the deficiency, provided that a deficiency may not be cured if the deficiency in any one ingredient is more than twice the present tolerance. A fertilizer deficient in two of the three ingredients may not be cured by overages in the third ingredient.
(5) Other materials of value as fertilizer: the commission may adopt rules and regulations establishing the amount of deficiency in other guaranteed plant foods and a deficiency assessment four times the value of the deficiency.
(6) The minimum deficiency assessment under this Part shall be ten dollars.
(7) All deficiency assessments assessed under this Section shall be paid by the guarantor to the person who purchased the fertilizer for use, if known, within thirty days of notice by the commissioner to the registrant. If the purchaser-user of the fertilizer cannot be identified, the penalty shall be paid to the commission.
B. An appeal from a deficiency assessment shall be heard and decided in the same manner as provided for in R.S. 3:1418.
Acts 2010, No. 579, §1; Acts 2012, No. 15, §1.