80-9-206. Inspection fees -- filing of annual statement. (1) An inspection fee must be paid on all commercial feeds, including customer formula feeds, except pet foods, specialty pet foods, and pet treats, distributed in this state as follows:

(a) (i) For commercial feed distributed into this state, the supplier has primary responsibility for paying inspection fees. However, the manufacturer is responsible for inspection fees if the supplier has not paid them.

(ii) For commercial feed distributed in this state, the manufacturer or guarantor are responsible for paying inspection fees.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (1)(b), the inspection fee is 18 cents a ton. Inspection fees must be paid on each commercial feed, including customer formula feeds and feed ingredients that are defined as commercial feeds even though they are used in the manufacture of other commercial feeds. However, premixes prepared and used within a feed plant or transferred from one plant to another within the same organization are exempt. The department may by rule adjust the inspection fee to maintain adequate funding for the administration of this part. The fee may not be less than 18 cents a ton or more than 25 cents a ton.

(c) A person producing a commercial feed with a feed mixing plant at a feed lot or a poultry, swine, or dairy operation may not be required to pay inspection fees on the commercial feeds produced and used in the feeding operation at the site but is responsible for inspection fees on any commercial feed that person produces and distributes other than in that person's feeding operations at the site.

(d) Fees must be paid only if they total more than $5 in an annual reporting period.

(2) Each in-state guarantor or manufacturer who distributes commercial feed in this state and each supplier who distributes commercial feed into this state shall:

(a) file, not later than January 31 of each year, an annual statement setting forth the number of tons of commercial feeds distributed in this state during the preceding calendar year and, upon filing the statement, shall pay the inspection fee. Inspection fees that have not been remitted to the department on or before January 31 have a penalty fee of 10% or a minimum of $25, whichever is more, added to the amount due. The assessment of this penalty fee does not prevent the department from taking other action as provided in this chapter.

(b) keep those records that are necessary or are required by the department to indicate accurately the tonnage of commercial feed distributed in this state. The department may examine the records to verify statements of tonnage.

(c) make accurate and prompt reports as required. Failure to do so is sufficient cause for the department to cancel or refuse to reissue a license.

(3) A pet food or specialty pet food manufacturer, guarantor, or supplier or other person distributing pet food or specialty pet food is exempt from the reporting requirements of subsection (2).

History: En. Sec. 8, Ch. 356, L. 1973; R.C.M. 1947, 3-2032; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 38, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 56, Ch. 16, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 396, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 37, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 46, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 339, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 365, L. 2019.