RCW 15.115.270 Collection of assessment—Failure to pay assessment—Civil action—Venue.

(1) The collection of the assessment made and levied by the commission must be paid by the producer upon all commercial quantities of wheat and all commercial quantities of barley sold, processed, stored, or delivered for sale, processing, or storage by the producer. However, an assessment may not be levied or collected on wheat or barley grown and used by the producer for feed, seed, or personal consumption.

(2) Handlers including warehouse operators, processors, and feedlots receiving wheat or barley in commercial quantities from producers shall collect the assessment made and levied by the commission from each producer whose production they handle and remit the assessment to the commission on a monthly basis. Affected units of wheat or barley must not be transported, carried, shipped, sold, stored, or otherwise handled or disposed of until every due and payable assessment under this chapter has been paid and the receipt issued, but liability under this chapter does not attach to common carriers in the regular course of their business.

(3) Any due and payable assessment levied under this chapter constitutes a personal debt of every person so assessed or who otherwise owes the assessment, and the assessment is due and payable to the commission on a monthly basis. In the event any person fails to pay the full amount of such an assessment, the commission may add to the unpaid assessment an amount not exceeding ten percent of the unpaid assessment to defray the cost of enforcing the collecting of the unpaid assessment. In the event of failure of the person or persons to pay any due and payable assessment, the commission may bring a civil action against the person or persons in a state court of competent jurisdiction for the collection thereof, together with the additional ten percent, and the action must be tried and judgment rendered as in any other cause of action for debt due and payable. Venue for an action against a person owing a due and payable assessment to the commission is in Spokane county or a county in which the person produces or handles wheat or barley.

[ 2011 c 336 § 417; 2009 c 33 § 28.]