(a) Every grower of cotton in the state shall pay a fee of three dollars ($3) for each bale of cotton ginned or for each bale of cotton sold by a grower in this state who received the cotton under the federal payment-in-kind program, Section 700 et seq. of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(b) The fee is a maximum fee. The amount of the fee may vary from district to district in accordance with the protection afforded to the cotton crop in the districts. The director may establish districts in the state for the purpose of fixing the fee. Between February 1 and June 30 of each year, the Cotton Pest Control Board shall recommend to the director the amount of the fee that it determines to be necessary to carry out this article in each district. The director may fix the fee at a less amount, when it is determined that the cost of administering this article can be defrayed with the below-maximum fee. The amount of the fee shall be effective for the next fiscal year. The fee shall be paid to the director or the entity designated by the Cotton Pest Control Board at the time the cotton is ginned or by the first handler when the cotton is sold in the case of cotton received by growers under the federal payment-in-kind program, Section 700 et seq. of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The first handler shall deduct the fee from any moneys owed to the grower. To determine the number of payment-in-kind bales on which the fee is calculated that the first handler pays to the director, the first handler shall divide each grower’s total payment-in-kind entitlement pounds of cotton by 500.

(c) The amount received from fees and other sources of income shall be deposited and handled in a manner determined by the Cotton Pest Control Board and shall be used exclusively to pay costs directly related to the control of pink bollworm or other related cotton pests.

(d) Fees which have not been expended by the termination date of this article shall be refunded.

(e) Moneys received from other sources for this program may be used to carry out the purposes of this article.

(f) The Cotton Pest Control Board may hire any and all necessary personnel, contract for services, and incur all other expenses necessary to carry out the purposes of this article.

(Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 255, Sec. 2. Effective July 29, 1991.)