(1)(a) Within ten days after a commitment with a processor is made, a grower must notify the director that they have an oral commitment for a specified amount of product.
(b) The grower's notification to the director must be in writing and sent by certified mail to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, c/o the Agricultural Investigations Program, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, Washington 98504-2560.
(2) Once the grower's notification is received, the director has five days to notify the processor by certified mail.
(3) Regardless of whether or not the processor confirms the director's notice, the processor must simultaneously notify the director and grower, by certified mail, within ten days of receipt of the director's notice.
(4) The processor may accept all, none, or any portion of the acreage and/or tonnage stated in the notice.
(5) Once the oral commitment is confirmed for all or for a portion of the acreage and/or tonnage, the processor is committed to receive the acreage or tonnage specified.
(6) If the contract is the processor's standard contract and the terms of the contract, price or other conditions later offered to the grower are unacceptable to the grower, then the agreement is not binding upon the processor.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
20.01.020,
20.01.040, chapter
34.05 RCW, and 2012 2nd sp.s. c 7. WSR 12-19-031, § 16-623-050, filed 9/12/12, effective 10/13/12. Statutory Authority: Chapters
20.01 and
34.05 RCW, 2003 1st sp.s. c 25. WSR 05-09-094, § 16-623-050, filed 4/20/05, effective 5/21/05. Statutory Authority: RCW
20.01.040, [20.01.]125, [20.01.]370, [20.01.]380, [20.01.]410, [20.01.]510. WSR 00-22-071, § 16-623-050, filed 10/30/00, effective 11/30/00.]