§2-23-5. Inspection fee; tonnage report.

(a) Each manufacturer or distributor of agricultural liming materials shall report monthly to the commissioner, at the end of each month, on forms provided by the commissioner, his or her gross sales in tons of such materials sold in the State of Alabama for that month accompanied by a per ton inspection fee based on tons sold during such month. The exact amount of the per ton inspection fee shall be established by the Board of Agriculture and Industries not to exceed twenty-five cents ($.25) per ton. In the case of a distributor's being the agent for a manufacturer at one or more locations, it is the intent of this law that such sales be reported only once and that the fee assessed therewith be paid only once on the same brand or type of agricultural liming material or product. The monthly sales report of tonnage and the inspection fee due thereon shall be due and payable to the commissioner on or before the twentieth day of each month, which report and payment shall cover the tonnage of agricultural liming material sold or distributed in Alabama during the preceding month. Each remittance shall be accompanied by a certificate stating that the amount remitted is correct.

(b) If the tonnage report is not filed and payment of the inspection fee is not made by the twentieth day of the month, a collection fee of 10 percent of the amount shall be assessed against the manufacturer or distributor as a delinquent penalty.

(c) When more than one person is involved in the sale, importation or distribution of agricultural liming materials, the first manufacturer or distributor who sells such material in Alabama shall be responsible for reporting the tonnage and paying the inspection fee in keeping with the intent of this section that the inspection fee levied hereunder shall be paid only once on the same brand or type of agricultural liming materials. The inspection fee shall be paid by cooperative marketing and purchasing associations, and the exemptions allowed such organizations pursuant to Section 2-10-105 or any other exemption statute shall not relieve such associations from payment of such fees.

(d) Amounts improperly or illegally collected under the provisions of this section as overpayments may be refunded to the person entitled thereto in accordance with Section 2-1-6.

(e) The commissioner or his or her agents or employees shall have the right to examine, review, and audit sales records of every person required to remit to the commissioner the inspection fee levied under this section to verify and determine the accuracy of amounts remitted monthly as inspection fees.

(f) Every manufacturer or distributor of agricultural liming materials shall maintain records which will indicate accurately the tonnage of such materials sold in Alabama for a period of not less than two years.

(g) Inspection fees collected under this section by the commissioner, including permit fees collected under Section 2-23-3, shall be deposited to the credit of the Agricultural Fund of the State Treasury to be used and expended for the performance of the regulatory duties required for the administration and enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.

(Acts 1975, No. 1190, §5; Act 2004-516, p. 996, §1.)