(a) Assessments paid on milk pursuant to the requirements of a market milk marketing order or a manufacturing milk marketing order established under this chapter shall be refunded to producers who meet the following criteria:

(1) The producer shipped milk to a processor during the months of June or July 1986.

(2) The producer was not paid, or received only partial payment, for the milk shipped.

(3) The producer has agreed to repay the refunded assessments to the affected programs if, at a subsequent date, the producer is paid for the milk.

(b) The producer shall receive a full refund of the amount assessed for milk shipped and for which no payment was received. If partial payment was received, the producer shall receive a refund of assessments paid on milk for which payment was not received.

(c) In lieu of payment to the producer, the refund shall be paid to an entity which markets milk or otherwise acts on behalf of a producer who would otherwise qualify for the refund under subdivision (a), if that entity demonstrates to the satisfaction of the director that it paid the assessments for the producer.

(d) If a producer, or an entity referred to in subdivision (c), subsequently receives full or partial payment for milk for which assessments have been refunded, the producer or entity, as the case may be, shall repay the assessments in an amount proportionate to the portion of milk for which payment has been received.

(e) Refunds shall not be made pursuant to this section if the refund would cause a producer to incur an additional assessment obligation to the National Milk Promotion Program.

(f) The director shall adopt procedures for refunding assessments in accordance with this section. The procedures shall not be subject to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(Added by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1048, Sec. 7.)