Regulations - General Provisions - Food And Agriculture - CA

Section § 42681

This law allows the director to create regulations related to fruits, nuts, and vegetables. The director can decide how to choose samples from lots or containers to fairly represent the entire batch based on size or other classifications. They can also issue official color charts that show required color standards. Additionally, the director can make other necessary rules to ensure consistency in how this division is enforced.

The director by regulation may do all of the following:

(a) Prescribe methods of selecting samples of lots or containers of fruits, nuts, and vegetables on a basis of size or other specific classification, which are reasonably calculated to produce by such sampling fair representations of the entire lots or containers which are sampled.

(b) Establish and issue official color charts which depict the color standards and requirements which are established in this division.

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Section § 42682

This law allows the director to change or create rules about the standard containers, lids, markings, sizing, and packing arrangements for fruit, nut, or vegetable commodities. These changes can be made if someone with a significant interest in these products petitions for it. However, any new packing requirements must first be tested as experimental packs and proven effective. Additionally, if ten interested parties request it, the director must hold a hearing to consider the new standards. Any regulations made need to follow specific government procedures.

The director may, upon a petition of a person that the director finds has a substantial interest in the growing or handling of the particular fruit, nut, or vegetable involved, establish, modify, or rescind by regulation, which initially took effect January 1, 1971, standard container, lid, marking, sizing requirement for commodities, and packing arrangement for any fruits, nuts, or vegetables, for which specific quality standards have otherwise been provided by law or regulation.

The director shall not, by regulation, adopt any new container or packing requirement, unless the new container or packing requirement has previously been authorized by regulation of the director as an experimental pack or container.

The director shall, upon the petition of 10 persons that the director finds have a substantial interest in the growing or handling of the particular fruit, nut, or vegetable involved, hold a hearing to establish if the requested standard container, lid, marking, sizing requirement for commodities, or packing arrangement for any fruit, nut, or vegetable for which specific quality standards have otherwise been provided should be adopted by regulation.

All regulations shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

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Section § 42683

This law makes it clear that when creating rules about packaging for fruits, nuts, and vegetables, the director should consider various factors. These include how easy they are to handle and identify, existing federal laws, and how widely used the containers and lids are in the industry. The goal is to support the competitive position of California's fruit, nut, and vegetable industry.

It is the intention of the Legislature that the director, in promulgating regulations concerning standard containers, lids, marking, sizing, consumer packages or packing requirements for fruits, nuts, and vegetables, will consider such factors as the ease of handling, identification, federal laws, rules or regulations, containers, lids and packs in substantial use in the industry and the competitive position of the California fruit, nut, and vegetable industry.

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Section § 42684

This law is about setting quality and maturity standards for fruits, nuts, and vegetables to ensure they are marketable and acceptable for consumers. These standards apply to all products, whether grown in California or elsewhere. Producers or handlers with a significant interest can petition the director to hold a hearing to establish, change, or remove these standards. The director must make sure any changes help consumers and the marketing industry, prevent waste, consider the agricultural impact, and be necessary. Any regulations must follow the governmental procedure, and emergency rules require a public hearing with notice to interested parties.

(a) It is hereby declared that the establishment and maintenance of minimum standards of quality and maturity for fruits, nuts, and vegetables is essential to ensure that products of acceptable and marketable quality will be available to the consumer.

(b) Any quality and maturity standards adopted by the director pursuant to this division shall apply to the particular fruit, nut, or vegetable involved regardless of whether the item was produced in this state or outside of this state.

(c) The director may, upon a petition of a commercial producer or handler that the director finds has a substantial interest in the growing or handling of the particular fruit, nut, or vegetable involved, hold a hearing to establish, modify, or rescind, by regulation, quality and maturity standards for any fruits, nuts, or vegetables.

(d) The director shall, upon a petition of 10 commercial producers or handlers, each of whom the director finds has a separate and substantial interest in the growing or handling of the particular fruit, nut, or vegetable involved, or a petition by the Director of Consumer Affairs, hold a hearing to establish, modify, or rescind, by regulation, quality and maturity standards for any fruits, nuts, or vegetables.

(e) In establishing, modifying, or rescinding any quality and maturity standard for any fruit, nut, or vegetable pursuant to this chapter, the director shall do all of the following: (1) find that the regulation will provide the consumer with acceptable quality fruits, nuts, and vegetables, which will also provide stability in the marketing of these products, (2) find that the regulation will tend to prevent waste in the production and marketing of fruits, nuts, and vegetables, (3) consider the impact of the regulation upon the agricultural industry, and (4) find that the regulation is necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.

(f) All regulations shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. However, the director, when adopting any emergency regulations for quality and maturity standards for any fruits, nuts, and vegetables, shall hold a public hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be given to all persons known to the director to be interested in the proposed emergency regulations, not less than three days prior to such hearing. This public hearing on emergency regulations is not in place of, and shall not preclude the director from holding, a public hearing within 120 days after adoption of emergency regulations to make the emergency regulations permanent.

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Section § 42685

This law allows a county's board of supervisors to set fees for inspecting imported fruits, nuts, and vegetables if extraordinary circumstances require it to ensure legal compliance. The fees apply only to inspections at entry points and must not exceed those of existing mandatory inspection programs. Also, these fees are only permissible when there's already a state-run inspection or certification program for the product. The state agriculture secretary may establish regulations for fee recovery. Importers who don't pay these fees may have their products held by the commissioner until the fees are paid.

(a) Upon recommendation of the commissioner and upon making a finding that extraordinary circumstances have resulted in the need for inspection of imported fruits, nuts, or vegetables pursuant to this division, the board of supervisors of a county may establish a schedule of fees to be charged to the importer, by the commissioner, for the recovery of costs connected with the commissioner’s inspection in order to assure compliance with this division. This authority applies only to inspections conducted at ports of entry or points of initial availability inspected by the commissioner.

(b)

(1) The authority of the board of supervisors to establish a schedule of fees under this section applies only when a mandatory inspection or certification program presently exists in the state for the same commodity and where a fee is collected pursuant to authority granted in Article 5 (commencing with Section 42761) or Article 6 (commencing with Section 42791).

(2) In no case may the fees established for inspection of imported fruits, nuts, and vegetables exceed the fees set for the mandatory inspection or certification program.

(3) The secretary may adopt regulations, including, but not limited to, establishing recommended county enforcement cost recovery fees.

(c) In addition to any other penalties available under the law, the commissioner may place a hold order on any lot of fruits, nuts, or vegetables on which he or she has assessed a fee pursuant to this section if the importer has failed to pay that fee.

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