2023 Indiana Code › Title 15. Agriculture and Animals › Article 15. Horticulture Products › Chapter 1. Indiana Seed Law › 15-15-1-27. Commissioner's Duties; Agent's Authority

Sec. 27. (a) The state seed commissioner shall administer this chapter. The state seed commissioner may authorize an agent to act for the state seed commissioner under this chapter.
(b) The state seed commissioner may do any of the following to administer this chapter:
(1) Sample, inspect, analyze, and test agricultural and vegetable seed distributed within Indiana for seeding and sowing purposes, when, where, and to the extent the state seed commissioner considers necessary to determine whether the agricultural or vegetable seed is in compliance with this chapter.
(2) Notify a seed distributor of any violations of this chapter.
(3) Adopt rules:
(A) governing:
(i) methods of sampling, inspecting, analyzing, testing, and examining agricultural and vegetable seed; and
(ii) tolerances to be followed in the administration of this chapter; and
(B) necessary for the efficient enforcement of this chapter.
(4) Adopt rules to establish lists of prohibited and restricted noxious weeds.
(5) Adopt rules to establish reasonable standards of germination (as defined by rule adopted under section 28 of this chapter) for vegetable seed.
(6) Adopt rules to establish standards for the effectiveness of legume inoculant applied to pre-inoculated seed.
(7) Adopt rules to govern the treatment of seed and the labeling and distribution of treated seed.
(8) Publish at least one (1) time each year, in the form the seed commissioner considers proper, information concerning:
(A) the sales of agricultural and vegetable seed; and
(B) the results of the analysis of official samples of agricultural and vegetable seed sold within Indiana as compared with the analysis guaranteed on the label.
Information concerning production and use of agricultural and vegetable seed may not disclose the operation of any person.
(9) Enter any:
(A) public or private property during regular business hours; or
(B) vehicle that transports seed, whether by land, water, or air, at any time the vehicle is accessible;
to inspect seed and the records relating to the seed, subject to this chapter and the rules adopted under this chapter.
(10) As used in this subdivision, "stop sale order" refers to a written order issued by the state seed commissioner to the owner or custodian of a lot of agricultural or vegetable seed that the state seed commissioner has found violates this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter. The state seed commissioner may issue and enforce stop sale orders. A stop sale order prohibits the future sale, processing, and movement of the seed until the state seed commissioner issues a release from the stop sale order. The owner or custodian of the seed is entitled to appeal a stop sale order to a court with jurisdiction in the locality in which the seed is found, as provided in IC 4-21.5, seeking a judgment as to the justification for the order for the discharge of the seed from the stop sale order in accordance with the findings of the court. This subdivision does not limit the right of the state seed commissioner to proceed as otherwise authorized by this chapter.
(11) Establish and maintain or make provisions for seed testing facilities.
(12) Employ qualified persons.
(13) Incur necessary expenses.
(14) Test or provide for testing seed for purity and germination (as defined by rule adopted under section 28 of this chapter) for farmers and dealers on request of a farmer or dealer and:
(A) prescribe rules governing such testing; and
(B) charge for the tests made.
Without adopting a rule, the state seed commissioner shall charge fees that are commensurate with fees that are standard in the seed testing industry.
(15) Cooperate with the United States Department of Agriculture and other agencies in seed law enforcement.
(16) Enter the property of a producer of hybrid seed to determine whether the seed produced is as the seed is represented.
(17) Issue a written special use permit to a person to use a prohibited noxious weed seed or a restricted noxious weed seed for purposes of research, development, production, or education, subject to subsection (c).
(18) Adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to establish fees that are necessary for the administration of this chapter, including costs of inspections, analysis, and publications.
(19) Adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to establish civil fines for the following:
(A) Failure to submit a report required under this chapter.
(B) Failure to pay a fee required under this chapter.
(c) The seed commissioner, in response to an application for the issuance of a special use permit under subsection (b)(17), may:
(1) issue a special use permit;
(2) issue a special use permit subject to conditions; or
(3) deny a special use permit request.
In determining whether to issue a special use permit, the seed commissioner shall consider each species of prohibited noxious weed or restricted noxious weed separately. The seed commissioner may revoke a special use permit at any time if it appears that the permit holder is not complying with the conditions established under the special use permit.
[Pre-2008 Recodification Citation: 15-4-1-9.]
As added by P.L.2-2008, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.75-2010, SEC.5; P.L.10-2022, SEC.1; P.L.33-2022, SEC.1.