(1) The board shall determine the amount of assessment per head of sheep upon which the annual license fee provided for in section 35-57.5-113 (2) shall be computed. The amount of such assessment shall not exceed fifty cents per head of sheep and shall be set by the board by November 1 of the year prior to the calendar year the license fee is to be charged. In any calendar year, the fee shall not increase by more than five cents over the amount assessed at the end of the immediately preceding calendar year.

(2) All producers and commercial feeders of sheep in the state shall pay the license fee for each sheep marketed; except that no fee shall be collected on any sheep fed in the state for a period of less than thirty days. The fee shall be collected from such producers and feeders by handlers, who shall remit the proceeds to the authority. The fee shall be payable upon each transfer of the sheep or of any right, title, or interest therein.

(2.5) (a) The operators of feedlots, slaughterhouses, packing plants, and livestock auction markets shall deduct from the proceeds of sale owed by them to the owners of sheep handled at such facilities, and shall promptly remit to the authority, the fees payable under this section. Each payment pursuant to this subsection (2.5) shall be accompanied by a list of the names and addresses of the sheep owners on whose behalf the payment is made and the number of sheep marketed by each such owner.

(b) When the operator of a feedlot, slaughterhouse, packing plant, or livestock auction market sends or gives any written statement to an owner of sheep or to such owner's agent relating to the proceeds owing to the owner, the operator shall include a statement of the amount deducted from such proceeds pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2.5).

(3) A producer or feeder who, by virtue of his or her activities or circumstances, becomes a handler as defined in section 35-57.5-103 (4) or who sells, ships, or otherwise disposes of sheep to a person not subject to this article shall forthwith remit to the authority an amount equal to the amount of fees that would otherwise have been payable under subsection (2) of this section.

(4) When collected, such license fees shall be paid to the authority and administered by the board for the purposes set forth in this article.

(5) The license fee to defray the costs of this program pursuant to the provisions of this article shall remain in full force and effect from year to year without change unless there is filed with the board a petition signed by at least fifty-one percent of the growers of sheep in the state upon whom the most recent license fee was imposed requesting the repeal of said license fee in total discontinuance of the program or a petition requesting an increase or decrease of said license fee, in which latter case, the board shall fix a new assessment and provide for continuation of the program.