§2712 Refund of assessment from Egg Board

Summary

Egg producers who do not support the program can ask the Egg Board for a refund of the assessment charged on their commercial eggs. The producer must make the request personally, use the form and time limits the Board sets (and the Secretary approves), and must apply no later than 90 days after the end of the month when the assessment was due. The producer must show proof they paid. The Board must pay the refund within 60 days after getting the request. When the Secretary changes an order to remove the refund right, that change takes effect when issued and cannot be put to a vote until 18 months later. From that effective date until the vote, the Egg Board must keep an escrow account and put in 10 percent of assessments collected in that period. If the amendment is later rejected in the vote, any producer who paid, does not support the program, and follows the Board’s rules can get one one-time refund of assessments collected in that period. If the escrow fund is too small, refunds are paid out on a pro rata basis.