2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 80. Agriculture › Chapter 10. Commercial Fertilizers › Part 2. Licensing and Registration › 80-10-207. Fees

80-10-207. Fees.
(1) (a) Each in-state manufacturer or out-of-state supplier shall pay to the department fees on all commercial fertilizer distributed in this state, except specialty fertilizers and unmanipulated animal or vegetable manures. Sales to manufacturers or exchanges between manufacturers are exempt. The fees are as follows:
(i) 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 20 cents per ton or more than 25 cents per ton. A change in fee becomes effective on the first day of a reporting period. All in-state manufacturers and out-of-state suppliers of nonexempt products must be given notice of a change in fees before the effective date.
(ii) The department may by rule adjust the anhydrous ammonia inspection fee to maintain adequate funding for the administration and enforcement of part 5 of this chapter. The fee may not be less than 65 cents per ton or more than $1.30 per ton. A change in fee becomes effective on the first day of a reporting period. All in-state manufacturers and out-of-state suppliers of anhydrous ammonia must be given notice of a change in fees before the effective date of the fee adjustment.
(iii) The assessment fee prescribed in 80-10-103 must be used to fund educational and experimental programs as provided in 80-10-103 through 80-10-106.
(b) If fertilizer material or soil amendment is added to fertilizer for which a fee has been paid under subsection (1)(a), a fee is due only on the fertilizer material or soil amendment for which a fee has not been paid.
(c) Fees must be paid only if they total more than $5 in a reporting period.
(2) There must be paid to the department on all soil amendments distributed in this state an inspection fee of 10 cents per ton subject to the following provisions:
(a) sales to manufacturers or exchanges between them are exempt; and
(b) when less than 50 tons of a registered soil amendment is sold in a reporting period, no payment is due.
(3) (a) (i) Each licensee who distributes a soil amendment or commercial fertilizer, except specialty fertilizer and unmanipulated animal or vegetable manures, to an unlicensed person in this state shall file with the department on forms approved by the department a semiannual tonnage statement for the reporting periods ending June 30 and December 31. This tonnage statement must indicate the number of net tons of each commercial fertilizer and soil amendment distributed in this state during the 6-month period. The tonnage statement is due on or before the 30th day of the month following the close of each period 30 days after the last day of the reporting period. There are no fees associated with the semiannual tonnage statement.
(ii) Each in-state manufacturer and out-of-state supplier who distributes a soil amendment or commercial fertilizer in this state to a person regardless of license status, except specialty fertilizer and unmanipulated animal or vegetable manures, shall file with the department on forms approved by the department an inspection fee statement for each of the reporting periods ending June 30 and December 31. The inspection fee statement must indicate the number of net tons of each commercial fertilizer and soil amendment distributed in this state during the reporting period and to whom it was distributed. The report is due 30 days after the last day of the reporting period. The in-state manufacturer or out-of-state supplier shall pay the fees set forth in subsection (1) at that time.
(b) If the inspection fee statement required by subsection (3)(a) is not filed and the payment of fees is not made within 30 days after the end of the reporting period, a late fee of 10% on the amount due but not less than $25 must be assessed against the in-state manufacturer or out-of-state supplier. The amount of fees due constitutes a debt and becomes the basis of a judgment against the in-state manufacturer or out-of-state supplier.
(4) Except as provided in subsection (5), all fees collected for licenses, registration, and inspection and money collected as penalties must be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the state special revenue fund for the purpose of administering this chapter, including the cost of equipment and facilities and the cost of inspecting, analyzing, and examining commercial fertilizer and soil amendments manufactured or distributed in this state. Reserve funds may be invested by the department with interest credited to the state special revenue fund.
(5) All fees collected under subsection (1)(a)(ii) must be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the state special revenue fund, anhydrous ammonia account, for the administration and enforcement of part 5 of this chapter and the rules adopted under part 5. The department may direct the board of investments to invest the funds collected under subsection (1)(a)(ii) pursuant to the provisions of 17-6-201. The income from the investment must be deposited in the anhydrous ammonia account in the state special revenue fund.
History: En. 3-1717.1 by Sec. 5, Ch. 279, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 3-1717.1; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 277, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 197, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 310, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 27, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 220, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 8, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 395, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 339, L. 2017.