An assessment of 1 cent per hundredweight is levied and imposed upon all beans grown and produced in this state in the year 1974, and annually thereafter. The first receiver who purchases or receives beans from growers shall pay the assessment. The assessment paid by the first receiver shall be reported and remitted to the commission in the same manner as the grower assessment. The first receiver assessment shall be used solely for the funding of dry edible bean research by the commission in cooperation with the Michigan bean shippers association. The commission shall appoint a research advisory board to aid in administration of funding of the research. At least 1/2 of the advisory board shall be dealer members of the Michigan bean shippers association. Moneys generated by the first receiver assessment shall be deposited in such banks as the commission designates but this fund shall be kept separate from other moneys or funds received by the commission. Three years after the effective date of this section, the commission, upon receipt of a petition bearing the signatures of at least 25% of the first receivers, but with not more than 1/2 of them from 1 district, the commission shall conduct a referendum to determine whether or not the commission shall continue to levy the first receiver assessment for research. If a majority of the first receivers voting, vote against assessment of first receivers for research, the commission shall discontinue the first receiver assessment. The referendum shall be conducted by the commission within 60 days after receipt of a petition.