§628. Examination and investigation fee; food and drug control fees

A. All inspection, investigation, and examination fees collected by the department under the provisions of this Part shall be devoted to the expenses of inspections, examinations, and investigations conducted under the authority of this Part and for the maintenance and enforcement of the provisions of this Part.

B. The department shall charge and collect from the manufacturers, packers, or proprietors of the products referred to in R.S. 40:627 an annual examination and investigation charge of not more than twenty-seven dollars for any one separate and distinct product registered, up to a maximum of two hundred seventy dollars annually from each manufacturer, packer, or proprietor. Manufacturers, packers, or proprietors of soft drinks and nonalcoholic beverages, except nonalcoholic fruit juices, and manufacturers, packers, or proprietors of products offered for sale or sold at retail only in their own establishments are exempt from the payment of examination and investigation charges here authorized.

C. The department shall charge and collect an annual food and drug control permit fee from manufacturers, packers, and processors of foods, drugs, and cosmetics. The fee shall not apply to any plant required to have a commercial seafood permit pursuant to R.S. 40:31.35. This Section shall not apply to meat packers, meat processors, and meat warehouses, or agricultural commodities or any combination thereof, regulated by the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry. The fee shall be for each separate establishment for which a permit is required based on the annual sales of such establishment according to the following schedule:

Annual sales

Annual fee

Under $500,000

$ 175.00

$500,001 - $1,000,000

475.00

$1,000,001 - $2,500,000

775.00

$2,500,001 - $5,000,000

1,075.00

over $5,000,000

1,375.00

D. The department shall charge and collect an annual food and drug control fee of three hundred dollars from warehouses and distributors of foods, drugs, and cosmetics. The fee shall be for each separate establishment for which a permit is required.

Amended by Acts 1954, No. 472, §1; Acts 1978, No. 786, §5, eff. July 17, 1978; Acts 1985, No. 344, §1, eff. Feb. 1, 1986; Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 125, §1, eff. July 1, 2000.