§7445 Assessments

Summary

Requires a fee on every canola or rapeseed produced and sold in the United States while the program is in effect. The fee is taken out of the payment to the producer by the first buyer. If a grower processes and sells their own crop, that grower must pay the same fee to the national Board or to a certified State group. Only one fee can be charged per crop. First buyers must send the fees to the Board. Certified State groups (one per State) will collect fees when they exist. The first fee rate is 4 cents per hundredweight. The Board can raise it up to 10 cents per hundredweight. A higher increase above 10 cents needs Board recommendation and approval in a referendum. Producers in a certified State program can get up to 2 cents per hundredweight credit. Late payments get a charge set by the Board with the Secretary’s approval. From the start of the order until a referendum, the Board must put 10 percent of collected fees into an escrow account for refunds. A producer who paid the fee, does not support the program, and asks for a refund before the referendum can get their fee back by following the Board’s rules and proving payment. If refund requests are more than the escrow and the plan is not approved in the referendum, refunds are split among claimants. If the plan is approved, the escrow money goes back to the Board for program use.