2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 2 - AGRICULTURE (§§ 2-1-1 — 2-23-12) › Chapter 8 - AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES PROMOTION (§§ 2-8-1 — 2-8-219) › Article 2 - AGRICULTURAL COMMODITY COMMISSIONS GENERALLY (§§ 2-8-10 — 2-8-38) › Section 2-8-31 - Inspections; holding of commodity; warning notice; notice of noncompliance; time for correction of deficiencies; petition to divert or destroy; show cause order; disposition of noncomplying commodity; penalty provisions not waived by disposal

(a)
Any authorized inspector or other authorized person discharging his duties in the checking of compliance with any marketing order made effective pursuant to this article may enter during normal business hours and inspect any premises, enclosure, building, or conveyance where he has reason to believe any agricultural commodity subject to a marketing order is produced, stored, being prepared for market, or marketed and may inspect or cause to be inspected such representative samples of the commodity as may be necessary to determine whether or not any lot of such commodity is in compliance with applicable regulations of any marketing order made effective pursuant to this article.
(b)
Any authorized inspector or other authorized person in the discharge of his duties, if he has reason to believe that a lot of any agricultural commodity subject to a marketing order issued under this article is not in compliance with the requirements of such marketing order or of marketing rules and regulations issued pursuant thereto, as to quality, condition, size, maturity, pack, labeling, or markings, may hold such lot for a reasonable period of time sufficient to enable such officer to ascertain by an authorized inspection whether such lot complies with such marketing requirements, but in any event not to exceed 24 hours in the case of perishables or 72 hours in the case of nonperishables, except as provided in this Code section.
(c)
(1)
Following inspection, an inspector or other authorized person may affix to any lot which is determined to be in noncompliance an official notice, warning tag, or other appropriate marking warning that the lot is held and stating the reasons therefor. It shall be unlawful for any person, other than an authorized inspector or enforcing officer, to detach, alter, deface, or destroy any such official notice, warning tag, or marking so affixed to any such lot or to remove or dispose of such lot in any manner or under conditions other than as prescribed in such notice of noncompliance, except upon written permission of an authorized enforcing officer or by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(2)
The Commissioner or the authorized person by whom such lot is being held shall serve the person in possession of such lot with a notice of noncompliance. Such notice shall be served in person or by mail to the last known address of the person in possession. It shall be the duty of the person in possession to notify the owner of the lot or other persons having an interest therein of the serving of such notice of noncompliance.
(3)
Such notice of noncompliance shall include a description of the lot and the place where and reasons for which it is held and shall cite the applicable marketing order or marketing rules and regulations and the Code section upon which the notice of noncompliance is based.
(d)
(1)
The owner of a lot shall have, in the case of a perishable commodity, not more than 48 hours and, in the case of a nonperishable commodity, not more than 72 hours from the time of the service of a notice of noncompliance for reconditioning or for the correction of the deficiencies noted in the notice of noncompliance. If such lot is reconditioned or the deficiencies are corrected, the enforcing officer shall remove the warning tags or markings and release the lot for marketing, provided that with the consent of the owner of the lot, the enforcing officer is authorized to divert the lot to other lawful uses or to destroy the lot.
(2)
(A)
If the owner of the lot fails or refuses to give consent to its diversion to other lawful uses or to its destruction or if the lot has not been reconditioned or the deficiencies otherwise corrected so as to bring the lot into compliance within the time specified in the notice, then the enforcing officer shall proceed as provided in this subsection.
(B)
The Commissioner may file a verified petition in the superior court of the county where the agricultural commodity is held or the county of the residence of the owner thereof requesting permission to divert such lot to any other available lawful use or to destroy such lot. Such verified petition shall show the condition of the lot; that the lot is situated within the territorial jurisdiction of the court in which the petition is being filed or that the owner thereof resides within the jurisdiction of the court; that the lot is held and the notice of noncompliance has been served as provided in this Code section; that the lot has not been reconditioned as required; the name and address of the owner and the person in possession of the lot; and that the owner has refused permission to divert or to destroy the lot. Upon the filing of such verified petition the court may issue an order to show cause, returnable five days after service upon the owner, why the lot shall not be reconditioned or the deficiencies corrected or why the lot shall not be diverted to other lawful uses or destroyed. The owner of the lot may, prior to the date when the order to show cause is returnable, either recondition or correct the deficiencies in the lot so as to bring the lot into compliance or file at or before the hearing on the order an answer with the court showing why the lot should not be reconditioned or the deficiencies corrected so as to bring it into compliance or showing why the lot should not be diverted to other lawful uses or destroyed.
(C)
If, at the expiration of the five days, the owner of the lot has failed or refused to recondition or to correct the deficiencies so as to bring the lot into compliance, the court may enter judgment ordering that the lot be reconditioned, diverted to any other lawful uses, or destroyed in the manner directed by the court or that the lot be relabeled, denatured, or otherwise processed or that the lot be sold or released upon such condition as the court in its discretion may impose, provided that the lot may not be sold or released into the regular channels of trade.
(D)
In the event of the sale of any lot by order of the court, the costs of storage, handling, and reconditioning or disposal shall be deducted from the proceeds of the sale and the balance, if any, shall be paid into the court for the account of the owner of any such lot.
(e)
Disposal of any lot or portion of any lot pursuant to this Code section, whether such disposal is by arrangement with an enforcing officer or by court order, shall not waive any of the penalty provisions of this article.
(f)
This Code section shall apply to any lot of any agricultural commodity regulated by a marketing order wherever or in the possession of whomever such lot may be in the marketing channels within this state.