Any commission, council, board or other entity that is fairly representative of soybean producers may make application to the commissioner requesting a referendum of producers of soybeans upon the question of whether an assessment of a specified amount should be levied, collected and disbursed under this part, or whether a prior assessment should be amended or terminated. The application shall state the amount of the assessment per bushel that is to be proposed in the referendum, and a brief statement of the purposes for which the funds collected will be spent.