(a) The assessment on navel oranges for fresh consumption shall be established by the commission prior to the beginning of each marketing season and shall not exceed seven cents ($0.07) per carton during the 1983–84 marketing season. Thereafter, the assessment for each marketing season shall not exceed 5 percent of the industry average F.O.B. price of a packed carton reported by the federal Navel Orange Administrative Committee for the preceding three marketing seasons and shall be assessed on a cents-per-carton basis.
(b) If the Navel Orange Administrative Committee ceases to exist, the commission shall determine the average F.O.B. price of a packed carton using information from public and private sources as it deems appropriate.