(1) Every warehouse operator shall receive for handling, conditioning, storage, or shipment, so far as the capacity and facilities of his or her warehouse will permit, all commodities included in the provisions of this chapter, in suitable condition for storage, tendered him or her in the usual course of business from historical depositors and shall issue therefor a warehouse receipt or receipts in a form prescribed by the department as provided in this chapter or a scale weight ticket. Warehouse operators may accept agricultural commodities from new depositors who qualify to the extent of the capacity of that warehouse. The deposit for handling, conditioning, storage, or shipment of the commodity must be credited to the depositor in the books of the warehouse operator as soon as possible, but in no event later than seven days from the date of the deposit. If the commodity has been graded a warehouse receipt shall be issued within ten days after demand by the owner.

(2) If requested by the depositor, each lot of his or her commodity shall be kept in a special pile or special bin, if available, but in the case of a bulk commodity, if the lot or any portion of it does not equal the capacity of any available bin, the depositor may exercise his or her option to require the commodity to be specially binned only on agreement to pay charges based on the capacity of the available bin most nearly approximating the required capacity.

(3) A warehouse operator may refuse to accept for storage, commodities that are wet, damaged, insect-infested, or in other ways unsuitable for storage.

(4) Terminal and subterminal warehouse operators shall receive put through agricultural commodities to the extent satisfactory transportation arrangements can be made, but may not be required to receive agricultural commodities for storage.

Severability—1983 c 305: See note following RCW 20.01.010.

Severability—1981 c 296: See note following RCW 15.08.010.