AL Code § 2-21-26 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 2 - Agriculture.|Chapter 21 - Commercial Feeds.|Section 2-21-26 - Inspection, Sampling, and Analysis.

Section 2-21-26Inspection, sampling, and analysis. (a) For the purpose of enforcement of this chapter and in order to determine whether its provisions have been complied with, including whether or not any operations may be subject to such provisions, officers or employees duly designated by the commissioner, upon presenting appropriate credentials to the owner, operator, or agent in charge, are authorized: (1) To enter, during normal business hours, any factory, warehouse, or establishment within the state in which commercial feeds are manufactured, processed, packed, or held for distribution, or to enter any vehicle being used to transport or hold such feeds; and (2) To inspect at reasonable times and within reasonable limits and in a reasonable manner, such factory, warehouse, establishment, or vehicle and all pertinent equipment, finished and unfinished materials, containers, and labeling therein. The inspection may include the verification of only such records, and production and control procedures as may be necessary to determine compliance with the good manufacturing practice regulations established under subdivision (4) of Section 2-21-22. (b) Each inspection shall be commenced and completed with reasonable promptness. Upon completion of the inspection, the person in charge of the facility or vehicle shall be so notified and presented a copy of the inspection report, which will include a record of all samples taken. (c) If the officer or employee making such inspection of a factory, warehouse, or other establishment has obtained a sample in the course of the inspection, upon completion of the inspection and prior to leaving the premises the officer or employee shall offer to leave with the owner-operator, or agent in charge, a duplicate sample. (d) If the owner of any factory, warehouse, or establishment described in subsection (a), or his or her agent, refuses to admit the commissioner or his or her agent to inspect in accordance with subsections (a) and (b), the commissioner is authorized to obtain from any state court a warrant directing such owner or his or her agent to submit the premises described in such warrant to inspection. (e) For the purpose of the enforcement of this chapter, the commissioner or the duly designated agent of the commissioner is authorized to enter upon any public or private premises including any vehicle of transport during regular business hours to have access to, to obtain samples, and to examine records relating to distribution of commercial feeds. (f) Sampling and analysis shall be conducted in accordance with methods published by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, or in accordance with other generally recognized methods approved by the commissioner. Testing and analysis may be performed as otherwise authorized in Section 2-2-33. (g) The results of all analyses of official samples revealing deficiencies shall be forwarded by the commissioner to the person named on the label and to the purchaser when he or she can be located. When the inspection and analysis of an official sample indicates a commercial feed is in violation of the provisions of this chapter and upon request within 30 days following receipt of the analysis, the commissioner shall furnish to the licensee a portion of the sample concerned. (h) The commissioner, in determining for administrative purposes whether a commercial feed is deficient in any component, shall be guided by the permitted analytical variation as defined in subdivision (16) of Section 2-21-17 and obtained and analyzed as provided for in subsections (c), (e) and (f) of this section. (i) Penalties may be invoked if the analysis of a sample shows a deviation from permitted analytical variation established by the commissioner and established in rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter. (j) For repeated or flagrant violations, the commissioner may cancel the manufacturer's license. (k) Samples and portions of samples shall be retained according to sample retention times established by the commissioner in the rules and regulations. (Acts 1978, No. 780, p. 1143, §11; Act 2015-262, §2.)