(a) Before any person sells or offers for sale any commercial fertilizer in this state for use herein or before any person sells such fertilizer for importation into this state for use herein where such person is required to comply with the labeling requirements of Section 2-22-7, such person shall apply for and obtain from the commissioner a license authorizing the sale of commercial fertilizer. The application for a license shall be accompanied by the fee required by subsection (b) of this section and shall be on forms furnished by the commissioner, which forms shall contain certain information as is necessary for the issuance of the license. All such licenses shall expire on September 30, the end of the fiscal year for which they are issued, and shall be renewed annually as of October 1, upon payment of the required license fee.

(b) The license fee shall be based upon the number of tons of commercial fertilizer sold in or for importation into the state for use therein during the preceding 12-month period which ends on June 30. The amount of the license fee shall be established by the Board of Agriculture and Industries within the range as set out in the following schedule:

If the license fee is not paid within a period of 30 days after the due date, a delinquent penalty of 10 percent of the amount due (minimum $10.00) shall be added to the license fee. The license fee due under this subsection and delinquent penalty shall constitute a debt and become the basis of judgment against the person if not paid as required in this subsection. The amount of the license fee required to be paid by persons not previously selling commercial fertilizer in or for importation into this state shall be the minimum fee established by the Board of Agriculture and Industries, which license shall also expire on September 30 following the date of issuance, at which time said license shall be renewable in accordance with subsection (a) of this section.

(c) In the event of sale or other transfer of ownership of a commercial fertilizer manufacturing or sale facility by a person who has a license required by subsection (a) of this section, such license may be transferred to the new owner; provided, however, that the amount of such new owner's license required on October 1 shall be governed by the amount of the person's previous sales from whom said license was transferred.

(d) It is hereby intended that every person who manufactures or formulates and labels any commercial fertilizer which is sold in or for importation into this state or any person who labels such commercial fertilizer and sells it in or for importation into this state whether manufactured by such person or not shall be required to procure a license and pay the fee therefor as required by this section.