§ 106-277.28.  License and inspection fees.

For the purpose of providing a fund to defray the expense of inspection, examination, and analysis of seeds and the enforcement of this Article:

(1) Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 588, s. 1.

(2) Each seed dealer who offers for sale any agricultural, vegetable, or lawn or turf seeds for seeding purposes shall register with the Commissioner and shall obtain an annual license, for each location where activities are conducted, by January 1 of each year and shall pay the following license fee:

a. Wholesale or combined wholesale and retail

seed dealer $125.00

b. Retail seed dealer $30.00.

c.,d. Repealed by Session Laws 2009-455, s. 11, effective October 1, 2009.

(3) Each seed dealer or grower who has seed, whether originated or labeled by the dealer or grower, that is offered for sale in this State shall report the quantity of seed offered for sale and pay an inspection fee of four cents (4¢) for each container of seeds weighing 10 pounds or more. Seed shall be subject to the inspection fee and reporting requirements only once in any 12-month period. This fee does not apply to seed grown by a farmer and offered for sale by the farmer at the farm where the seed was grown.

Each seed dealer or grower shall keep accurate records of the quantity of seeds and container weights offered for sale from each distribution point in the State. These records shall be available to the Commissioner or an authorized representative of the Commissioner at any and all reasonable hours for the purpose of verifying the quantity of seed offered for sale and the fees paid. Each seed dealer or grower shall report quarterly on forms furnished by the Commissioner the quantity and container weight of seeds first offered for sale that quarter. The reports shall be made on the first day of January, April, July, and October, or within 10 days thereafter. Inspection fees shall be due and paid with the next quarterly report filed after the seed is first offered for sale. If the report is not filed and the inspection fees paid to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by the tenth day following the date due, or if the report of the quantity or container weights is false, the Commissioner may issue a stop-sale order for all seed offered for sale by the dealer or grower. If the inspection fees are unpaid more than 15 days after the due date, the amount due shall bear a penalty of ten percent (10%) which shall be added to the inspection fees due. (1941, c. 114, s. 7; 1945, c. 828; 1947, c. 928; 1949, c. 725; 1963, c. 1182; 1969, c. 105; 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 1034, s. 13; 1989, c. 37, s. 8; 1991, c. 98, s. 1; c. 588, s. 1; 1995, c. 47, s. 5; 1997-261, s. 48; 2005-276, s. 42.1(c); 2009-455, s. 11.)