(1) Pursuant to the National Beef Promotion and Research Program, 7 U.S.C. S 2901, et seq., RCW 16.67.120 and 16.67.122, the Washington state beef commission levies an assessment of up to $3.00 ($2.00 of which goes to the state beef checkoff and $1.00 to the federal beef checkoff) per head to be implemented as prescribed in subsection (2) of this section on all Washington cattle sold in this state or elsewhere, provided that no assessment shall be collected with reference to the following:

(a) Sales by a person who purchased cattle solely for resale when such resale occurs within 10 days from such person's purchase of the cattle and when any assessment due in connection with that original purchase has been paid. In order to qualify for this exception, such persons additionally must present the designated collecting person with their certification of nonproducer status form, along with a brand inspection certificate, a bill of sale or other documentation establishing the date of their purchase of the cattle. Such documentation must be presented to the designated collection person at the time of sale.

(b) Sales of cattle where the cattle that have been transported into Washington from another state for the purpose of sale and the sale takes place within 30 days of the cattle entering the state unless the assessment has not been paid in the state of origin.

(2)(a) Beginning July l, 2024, the assessment for the combined state and federal checkoff will be $2.00 per head. $0.50 of the $2.00 assessment levied under this subsection may not be collected at the first point of sale of any calf identified with a green tag as identified in RCW 16.57.160.

(b) Beginning January l, 2025, the assessment for the combined state and federal checkoffs will be $2.50 per head. $1.00 of the $2.50 assessment levied under this subsection may not be collected at the first point of sale of any calf identified with a green tag as identified in RCW 16.57.160.

(c) Beginning January l, 2026, the assessment for the combined state and federal checkoffs will be $3.00 per head. $1.50 of the $3.00 assessment levied under this subsection may not be collected at the first point of sale of any calf identified with a green tag as identified in RCW 16.57.160.

(3) Assessments shall be paid by and shall be collected from the seller of the cattle. The term seller shall not include an agent or representative who is compensated in connection with the sale solely on a commission, handling fee or other service fee basis.

(4)(a) A designated collecting person is defined as either a state department of agriculture brand inspector where a brand inspection is conducted in conjunction with a sale or the buyer of the cattle where no brand inspection is conducted in connection with the sale.

(b) Where a brand inspection is conducted in conjunction with a sale, brand inspectors employed by the state department of agriculture may collect the assessment from the seller of the cattle. Where no brand inspection is conducted in connection with the sale, the buyer of the cattle shall collect the assessment from the cattle seller at the time of the sale. All assessments so collected shall be transmitted directly to the Washington state beef commission by the fifteenth of the month after the month of collection.

(5) That portion of each assessment remitted to the Washington state beef commission for purposes of providing funds for a National Beef Promotion and Research Program under 7 U.S.C. S 2901, et seq. shall be remitted to the cattlemen's beef promotion and research board by the Washington state beef commission.