20-91.008. Assessment Forms Provided by Department

(1) The Department of Citrus shall furnish a form for handlers obligated to pay any assessment levied and imposed by any Order issued pursuant to Section 601.152, F.S. That form shall be such as to adequately furnish the Department of Citrus with information concerning the quantity of the type, variety and form of citrus fruit or citrus products specified in the Order, first handled in the primary channel of trade in Florida by such handler during the period of time specified in the Order, and shall be for the purpose of providing the Department of Citrus with necessary information required for proper collection of the assessments levied and imposed by any such order.

(2) When any Order adopted pursuant to Section 601.152, F.S., provides for a brand advertising rebate promotional campaign, the Department of Citrus shall prescribe an additional form for handlers who are required to pay assessments levied and imposed by any such Order, which form shall provide the individual brand and customer identification necessary for the Department of Citrus staff to administratively determine the proper individual customer and brand accounts for the accumulation of rebate credits and for the payment of rebate claims. Inasmuch as public inspection of this form would provide business competitors of the handlers filing the form with an unfair advantage in the channels of trade, the form and all information supplied thereby shall be held in strict confidence by those employees of the Department of Citrus to whom it is entrusted, and no such employee or former employee shall make a disclosure of the form or any information furnished by the form to any person except an employee or agent of the Department of Citrus engaged in the assessment, collection and rebates of the assessment imposed or the Auditor General charged with the audit of the affairs of the Department of Citrus.

Rulemaking Authority 601.10(1), 601.15(10)(a) FS. Law Implemented 601.152(8)(b), (c) FS. History–Formerly 105-1.38(7), Amended 1-1-75, Formerly 20-91.08, Amended 11-28-12.