(a) An assessment may be levied upon handlers annually under this part to cover the administrative costs of the Board, costs of inspection, and any research, development and promotion activities initiated by the Board under §930.48.

(b) Each part of an assessment intended to cover the costs of each activity in paragraph (a) of this section, must be identified and approved by the Board and the Secretary, and any notification or other statement regarding assessments provided to handlers must contain such information.

(c) As a pro rata share of the administrative, inspection, research, development, and promotion expenses which the Secretary finds reasonable and likely to be incurred by the Board during a fiscal period, each handler shall pay to the Board assessments on all cherries handled, as the handler thereof, during such period: Provided, a handler shall be exempt from any assessment only on the tonnage of handled cherries that either are diverted by destruction at the handler's facilities according to §930.59 or are cherries represented by grower diversion certificates issued pursuant to §930.58(b) and acquired by handlers as described in §930.59.

(d) The Secretary, after consideration of the recommendation of the Board, shall fix the rate of assessment to be paid by each handler during the fiscal period in an amount designed to secure sufficient funds to cover the expenses which may be approved and incurred during such period or subsequent period as provided in paragraph (c) of this section. At any time during or after the fiscal period, the Secretary may increase the rate of assessment in order to secure sufficient funds to cover any later finding by the Secretary relative to the expenses which may be incurred. Such increase shall be applied to all cherries handled during the applicable fiscal period. In order to provide funds for the administration of the provisions of this part during the first part of a fiscal period before sufficient operating income is available from assessments, the Board may accept the payment of assessments in advance, and may borrow money for such purposes.

(e) Assessments not paid within a time prescribed by the Board may be made subject to interest or late payment charges, or both. The period of time, rate of interest, and late payment charge will be as recommended by the Board and approved by the Secretary: Provided, That when interest or late payment charges are in effect, they shall be applied to all assessments not paid within the prescribed period of time.

(f) Assessments shall be calculated on the basis of pounds of cherries handled. The established assessment rate may be uniform, or may vary dependent on the product the cherries are used to manufacture. In recommending annual assessment rates, the Board shall consider:

(1) The differences in the number of pounds of cherries utilized for various cherry products; and

(2) The relative market values of such cherry products.

(g) The Board, with the approval of the Secretary, may establish rules and regulations necessary and incidental to the administration of this section.

[61 FR 49942, Sept. 24, 1996, as amended at 67 FR 51714, Aug. 8, 2002]