(a)
Every person who manufactures or distributes fertilizing materials shall, before he or she engages in the activity, obtain a license from the secretary for each plant and business location that he or she operates. Prior to issuing a license, the secretary shall require verification that the applicant is a manufacturer or distributor of fertilizing material compliant with this chapter. All licenses shall be renewed in January of each odd-numbered year, and shall be valid until December 31 of the following even-numbered year, if issued in January of that same year. However, a person who only distributes or who makes retail sales of packaged agricultural minerals, packaged commercial fertilizers, packaged soil amendments, organic input material,
or packaged auxiliary soil and plant substances, alone or in any combination, which bear the registered label of another licensed person, is not required to obtain the license.
(b)
Every person who manufactures or distributes, or intends to manufacture or distribute, ammonium nitrate as defined in Section 14512.5, in this state, shall inform the secretary of that activity or intent when applying for a license. The license obtained by that person shall identify him or her as a manufacturer or distributor of ammonium nitrate.
(c)
The license fee shall not exceed three hundred dollars ($300). The secretary may, based on the findings and recommendations of the board, reduce the license fee to a lower rate that provides sufficient revenue to carry out this chapter.