69-47-1 - Definitions.
§ 69-47-1. Definitions.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Agricultural product" means any agricultural commodity or product, whether raw or processed, that is marketed for human consumption.
(b) "Certified organic farm" means a farm or portion of a farm or a site where agricultural products are produced that is certified by the department as utilizing a system of organic farming.
(c) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.
(d) "Department" means the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.
(e) "EPA" means the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
(f) "Farm plan" means a plan of management of an organic farm that has been agreed to by the producer or handler and the department and that includes written plans concerning all aspects of agricultural production or handling, including all practices required under this chapter.
(g) "FDA" means the United States Food and Drug Administration.
(h) "Greenhouse unit" or "unit" means a structure intended or used for the production of agricultural products.
(i) "Handler" means any person engaged in the business of handling agricultural products, except such term shall not include final retailers of agricultural products that do not process agricultural products.
(j) "Mississippi organic materials and practices (MOMP)" means a list of approved and prohibited substances and practices as adopted.
(k) "Organic farming" means a food production system based on farm management methods or practices that rely on building soil fertility by utilizing crop rotation, recycling of organic wastes, application of unsynthesized minerals and, when necessary, mechanical, botanical or biological pest control.
(l) "Organic food" means a food which is labeled as organic or organically grown and which has been produced, transported, distributed, processed and packaged without the use of synthetic pesticides, synthetically compounded fertilizers, synthetic growth hormones, genetically modified organisms or artificial radiation and which has been verified by the department as complying with all provisions of this chapter.
(m) "Organically managed or produced" means an agricultural product that is produced and handled in accordance with all the provisions of this chapter and any regulations adopted thereunder.
(n) "Person" means an individual, group of individuals, corporation, association, organization, cooperative or other entity.
(o) "Pesticide" means any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest and any substance or combination of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, desiccant or any substance the commissioner determines to be a pesticide.
(p) "Processing" means cooking, baking, heating, drying, mixing, grinding, churning, separating, extracting, cutting, fermenting, preserving, dehydrating, freezing or otherwise manufacturing and includes the packaging, canning, jarring or otherwise enclosing food in a container.
(q) "Producer" means a person who engages in the business of growing or producing food, feed and ornamental plants.
(r) "Prohibited substances, fertilizers, materials, pesticides" mean those substances, fertilizers, materials, pesticides or practices prohibited by this chapter or regulations from use in a certified organic farming operation.
(s) "Restricted" means substances and practices which use is limited or qualified by the commissioner.
(t) "Tolerance" means the amount of a pesticide permitted on raw or processed agricultural commodities.
Sources: Laws, 2000, ch. 600, § 1; Laws, 2003, ch. 480, § 1, eff from and after July 1, 2003.