OAR 603-076-0022: Fees for Grass Seed Price Negotiations

The department is authorized under ORS 646.738 to collect fees from the parties to cover the costs associated with supervising and administering the regulatory program. The Department shall provide the parties with an itemized list of costs associated with the regulatory program, and fees shall be as follows: (1) The dealers on the Bargaining Council shall reimburse the department for half of its costs for Oregon Department of Justice legal counsel directly related to supervising the price negotiations. The cooperative bargaining association(s) shall reimburse the department for the other half of such costs. (2) Costs for the department's active supervision shall include $100 per hour per staff member for time devoted to administration and supervision of the regulatory program, plus associated travel costs (mileage at state rates, and travel time) and expenses (copies, etc.). At the outset of price negotiations, each participating seed dealer, and each participating collective bargaining association, shall pay a fee of $100 toward the cost of active supervision of the negotiations. A seed dealer shall only pay one, $100 fee, even if the seed dealer sends multiple representatives to the Bargaining Council. Costs that exceed the total collected from the parties for this $100 flat fee, except for those costs described in section (1) of this rule, shall be evenly divided between all parties for payment to the department.