(1) A commodity producer may dispute the amount of a commodity assessment levied against the producer on a unit basis under ORS 576.325 if the total assessment levied against the producer during an assessment period established by commodity commission rule exceeds the total dollar value received by the producer for the raw commodity during that assessment period multiplied by the maximum lawful assessment percentage.
(2) A commodity producer who disputes the amount of a commodity assessment as provided under subsection (1) of this section must file any challenge to the assessment with the appropriate commodity commission no later than 60 days after the close of the assessment period. The challenge must be on a form provided by the State Department of Agriculture. A commodity commission shall process a challenge under this section as provided by rules adopted under subsection (4) of this section.
(3) A commodity producer filing a challenge under this section bears the burden of proving the total dollar value received by the producer during the assessment period. If the producer acts as a handler or processor for all or part of the producer’s commodity production, the producer also bears the burden of proving that the prices paid to the producer are equivalent to prices paid in arm’s-length transactions. A commodity commission shall refund the amount of the assessment that the producer proves is in excess of the total dollar value received by the producer for the raw commodity during the assessment period multiplied by the maximum lawful assessment percentage.
(4) The department shall adopt necessary and proper uniform rules for commodity commissions to carry out this section. The department rules shall include, but need not be limited to, procedures for the filing, processing and formal or informal resolution of challenges and for determining commodity prices paid in arm’s-length transactions. A commodity commission shall adopt rules establishing assessment periods and may adopt supplemental rules that do not conflict with the rules of the department.