Every commission merchant shall retain a copy of all records covering each transaction for a period of three years from the date thereof, which copy shall at all times be available for, and open to, the confidential inspection of the director and the consignor, or authorized representative of either. In the event of any dispute or disagreement between a consignor and a commission merchant arising at the time of delivery as to condition, quality, grade, pack, quantity, or weight of any lot, shipment, or consignment of agricultural products, the department shall furnish, upon the payment of a reasonable fee therefor by the requesting party, a certificate establishing the condition, quality, grade, pack, quantity, or weight of such lot, shipment, or consignment. Such certificate shall be prima facie evidence in all courts of this state as to the recitals thereof. The burden of proof shall be upon the commission merchant to prove the correctness of his or her accounting as to any transaction which may be questioned.

Terms Used In Washington Code 20.01.440

  • Commission merchant: means any person who receives on consignment for sale or processing and sale from the consignor thereof any agricultural product for sale on commission on behalf of the consignor, or who accepts any farm product in trust from the consignor thereof for the purpose of resale, or who sells or offers for sale on commission any agricultural product, or who in any way handles for the account of or as an agent of the consignor thereof, any agricultural product. See Washington Code 20.01.010
  • Consignor: means any producer, person, or his or her agent who sells, ships, or delivers to any commission merchant, dealer, cash buyer, or agent, any agricultural product for processing, handling, sale, or resale. See Washington Code 20.01.010
  • Director: means the director of agriculture or a duly authorized representative. See Washington Code 20.01.010
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.