(1) Each person required to obtain a seed labeling permit, pursuant to RCW 15.49.400, of the Washington State Seed Act, must also, pursuant to RCW 15.49.310 and 15.49.370, pay a general seed inspection charge annually to the department in the amount of eleven cents per one hundred dollars gross annual dollar sales in excess of ten thousand dollars of agricultural and/or vegetable seed distributed in this state during the preceding fiscal year, except that no assessment shall be collected on:

(a) Seed for which the assessment has been previously collected, except when such seed is relabeled;

(b) Agricultural or vegetable seed distributed out-of-state;

(c) Seed distributed in containers of four ounces or less;

(d) Stock seed; and

(e) Seed distributed by governmental agencies, such as, but not limited to, the United States Department of Agriculture national foundation seed project. Agricultural and/or vegetable seeds distributed under bailment contract are valued at the producer-conditioner agreement rate in lieu of sale.

(2) The seed assessment fees for the fiscal period beginning July 1 through June 30 are payable on February 1 of the following calendar year.

(3) The seed assessment may accompany the annual application for the seed labeling permit. A penalty of fifteen percent of the assessment fee or a minimum of twenty dollars, whichever is greater, is added to all assessments not paid by February 1.

(4) The annual seed-labeling permit may not be issued until all seed assessments and penalties are satisfied.