2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 17 - 43 — Agriculture › Chapter 21 — Seeds › Section 21.75 — Powers And Duties Of Commissioner.

21.75 POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER.
Subdivision 1.
Enforcement; rulemaking.
The commissioner must enforce sections 21.71 to 21.78. The commissioner must:
(1) sample, inspect, make analysis of, and test weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, transported, sold, or offered, or exposed for sale within this state for any purpose, at such time and place, and to such extent as the commissioner may deem necessary to determine whether such weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grain, or screenings, is in compliance with the provisions of sections 21.71 to 21.78, and to notify promptly the person who transported, sold, offered, or exposed the weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, for sale of any violation; and
(2) prescribe and, after public hearing following due public notice, adopt such rules as may be necessary to secure the efficient enforcement of sections 21.71 to 21.78.
Subd. 2.
Entry, orders, and testing.
The commissioner of agriculture, personally or through agents, is further authorized to:
(1) enter upon any public or private premises, excluding the home, during regular business hours in order to have access to weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, subject to sections 21.71 to 21.78, and the rules thereunder;
(2) issue and enforce a written or printed stop-sale order to the owner or custodian of any lot or amount of weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, which the commissioner finds is in violation of any of the provisions of sections 21.71 to 21.78, which order shall prohibit further sale of such weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, until such officer has evidence that the law has been complied with; provided, that no stop-sale order shall be issued or attached to any lot or amount of weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, without first giving the owner or custodian of such weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, an opportunity to comply with the law; provided, further, that in respect to weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, which have been denied sale as provided in this paragraph, the owner or custodian of such weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, shall have the right to appeal from such order to a court of competent jurisdiction in the locality in which the weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, are found, praying for a judgment as to the justification of said order and for the discharge of such weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, from the order prohibiting the sale in accordance with the findings of the court; and provided, further, that the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed as limiting the right of the enforcement officer to proceed as authorized by other sections of 21.71 to 21.78;
(3) test weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, under presently existing facilities; and
(4) make or provide for making tests of weed-seed infested agricultural seeds and grains, or screenings, for farmers and dealers on request; to prescribe rules governing such testing; and to fix and collect charges for the tests made.
History:
1959 c 172 s 5; 1961 c 127 art 1 s 7; 1985 c 248 s 70; 1986 c 444; 2020 c 89 art 2 s 7