(1) Except under subsection (2) of this section, this chapter does not apply to:

(a) A farmer selling his or her own livestock.

(b) A farmers' cooperative association or an association of livestock breeders when any class of their own livestock is assembled and offered for sale at a special sale under the association's management and responsibility.

(c) A youth livestock organization such as 4-H, FFA, or other junior livestock group, when any class of livestock owned by the youth members is assembled and offered for sale at a special sale under the organization's management and responsibility.

(2) Any farmer, farmers' cooperative association, livestock breeders' association, or youth livestock organization under subsection (1) of this section, may, upon obtaining a permit from the director, conduct a public sale of his or her or its members livestock on an occasional or seasonal basis. Application for the permit shall be in writing to the director for his or her approval at least fifteen days before the proposed public sale is scheduled to be held. The application must be complete and accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of fifty dollars for each sale, except that the fee is waived for youth livestock organizations. The sale is subject to the livestock and health inspection requirements as provided in this chapter for sales at public livestock markets, unless otherwise prescribed by rule.

Effective dates—2003 c 326: See RCW 16.57.902.