2-1423. Inspections; stop sale orders; judicial review.
2-1423
2-1423. Inspections; stop sale orders; judicial review. (a) Inspection. The secretary or a duly authorized representative of the secretary shall inspect, sample and determine the purity and germination of agricultural seed at such time and in such places, and to such extent as the secretary or representatives of the secretary consider advisable. The secretary or an authorized representative of the secretary may stop further sale or movement of any lot or lots of agricultural seed found to be in violation of any of the provisions of this act until compliance with the law has been satisfied or other disposition made. It shall be the duty of the secretary or a duly authorized representative of the secretary to: (1) Enforce and administer this act; (2) sample, inspect, make analysis of and test agricultural seeds transported, sold, offered for sale or exposed for sale within the state for planting and seeding purposes at such time and place and to such extent as considered necessary to determine whether the agricultural seeds are in compliance with provisions of this act; and (3) cooperate with the United States department of agriculture and other agencies in seed law enforcement.
(b) Access. The secretary or authorized representatives of the secretary shall have free access during reasonable hours to all places of business, buildings, vehicles, cars and vessels, of whatsoever kind, used in the sale, transportation, importation or storage of agricultural seed and shall have the authority to: (1) Inspect the records concerning the place of origin, or concerning the sale, of any agricultural seed; (2) open any package containing or suspected of containing any agricultural seed that is exposed or offered for sale; and (3) take therefrom samples of contents for examination. The owner of the seed shall be paid the retail price of the sample so procured if the owner so requests.
(c) Stop sale orders. The secretary or authorized representatives of the secretary shall have the authority to: (1) Issue and enforce a written or printed "stop sale" order to the owner or custodian of any quantity of agricultural seed which the secretary or duly authorized representatives of the secretary determine to be in violation of any of the provisions of this act or rules and regulations adopted hereunder, which order shall prohibit further sale, processing and movement of such seed, except on approval of the enforcing officer, until such officer has evidence that the law has been complied with and issues a release from the "stop sale" order of such seed. Any stop sale order issued pursuant to this subsection is subject to review in accordance with the act for judicial review and civil enforcement of agency actions. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed as limiting the right of the enforcement officer to proceed as authorized by other sections of this act.
History: L. 1935, ch. 4, § 9; L. 1961, ch. 5, § 7; L. 1986, ch. 318, § 12; July 1.