(a) The assessment shall continue on grain until the Tennessee grain indemnity fund is more than three million dollars ($3,000,000). If and when the fund is more than three million dollars ($3,000,000), the commissioner shall temporarily suspend the assessment. At such time the amount in the fund drops below three million dollars ($3,000,000), the commissioner may reinstitute the assessment; however, the assessment shall not exceed the assessment rate established by this chapter. Adjustments to the assessment can be made only once annually. At such time the fund has utilized funds from the revenue fluctuation reserve fund in accordance with § 43-32-209, and if, in the opinion of the commissioner, the assessment will not pay the state back, the commissioner may institute a mandatory assessment. This mandatory assessment shall be in effect only for as long as it takes to repay the revenue fluctuation reserve fund, and shall not be applicable to producers who were ineligible to receive benefits from the Tennessee grain indemnity fund at the time of the claim that resulted in the obligation to the revenue fluctuation reserve fund.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this part, any assessment initiated after July 1, 2011, shall continue until the balance of the fund is ten million dollars ($10,000,000), at which time the assessment shall be temporarily suspended. Assessments thereafter shall be reinstated when the fund balance is less than eight million dollars ($8,000,000).