North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 106. Agriculture § 106-794. Payment and collection of assessment

(a) The assessment shall not be collected unless more than half of the votes cast in the referendum are in favor of the assessment. If more than half of the votes cast in the referendum are in favor of the assessment, then the Association shall notify the Department of the amount of the assessment and the effective date of the assessment. The Department shall notify all buyers and pork producers of the assessment.

(b) Each pork producer must pay an assessment on each porcine animal sold to a buyer.

(c) A buyer of a porcine animal shall collect the assessment when buying a porcine animal by deducting the assessment from the price paid for the animal. The buyer shall remit collected assessments to the Department no later than the 10th day of the following month. The Department shall provide forms to buyers for reporting the assessment. If the total assessments collected by a buyer in a month are less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00), the buyer may keep the assessments until the total amount due is at least twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or the end of the quarter, whichever comes first. All buyers shall file at least one report in each calendar quarter, regardless of the amount due.

(d) A buyer of porcine animals shall keep records of the number of porcine animals purchased and the date purchased. All information or records regarding purchases of porcine animals by individual buyers shall be kept confidential by employees or agents of the Department and the Association, and shall not be disclosed except by court order.

(e) The Association may bring an action to recover any unpaid assessments, plus the reasonable costs, including attorney fees, incurred in the action.