- (a) The per-acre assessment shall be as determined by the applicable referendum or by action of the State Plant Board.
- (b) The per-acre assessment payable by the cotton grower shall be based on the cotton grower's cotton acreage report.
- (c) As of the date of these rules, the assessment for each eradication zone may be or have been up to the amounts shown below.
| Southwest | Southeast | Central 1 | Central 2 | NE Ridge* | NE Delta |
| Year 1 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $10.00 | $8.00 |
| Year 2 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $30.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 | $14.00 |
| Year 3 | $35.00 | $30.00 | $35.00 | $30.00 | $24.00 | $14.00 |
| Year 4 | $25.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $30.00 | $24.00 | $TBD |
| Year 5 | $20.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $30.00 | $22.00 | $TBD |
*NE Ridge Zone (E. Poinsett assessment is same as NE Ridge but instituted a year later). (d)
(1) During the years (the maintenance period) following the years specified above:
- (A) The per-acre annual assessment in the Southwest Zone shall not exceed ten dollars ($10.00) per acre; and
- (B) The per-acre annual assessment in the Southeast and Central Zones shall not exceed twelve dollars ($12.00) per acre.
- (2) Maintenance assessments in the Northeast Ridge Zone shall not exceed eight dollars ($8.00) per acre.
- (3) Establishment of a maintenance program in the Northeast Delta Zone will be determined at the end of the eradication program.
(e)
- (1) Upon recommendation of the Arkansas Cotton Grower's Organization, Inc., the board may adjust the annual assessments within the limits allowed by the referendum then in effect.
- (2) By board action, the assessment fee in the Northeast Delta Zone is established to be equal to the fees of the adjacent zones.
- (3) Future adjustments may be made at the time and in the manner determined by the board to be in the best interest of the Boll Weevil Eradication Program.
(4) In making such adjustments, the board may consider facts and information it determines to be relevant, including, but not limited to:
- (A) Climate and environmental conditions;
- (B) Finances; and
- (C) The overall state of the cotton industry.