Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 69 - AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND ANIMALS (§§ 69-1-1 — 69-55-9) › Chapter 25 - PLANTS, PLANT AND BEE DISEASES (§§ 69-25-1 — 69-25-223) › Article 2 - ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING PROCEDURE FOR BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY (§§ 69-25-51 — 69-25-65) › Section 69-25-61 - Emergency procedure when herbicide or insecticide violation presents clear and present danger to public health, safety or welfare; Department of Agriculture and Commerce authorized to issue emergency orders prior to hearing

(1)
When a violation occurs, or is about to occur, that presents and clear and present danger to the public health, safety or welfare and requires immediate action, the commissioner, department field inspectors, or any person authorized by the commissioner, may issue an order to be effective immediately, prior to notice and a hearing, that imposes any or all of the following penalties against the accused:
(a)
A stop sale order for any pesticide, plant or other material regulated by the department that is mislabeled or otherwise not in compliance with applicable law or regulations.
(b)
Require the accused to relabel any pesticide, plant or other material regulated by the department that is mislabeled.
(c)
Seize any pesticide, plant or other material regulated by the department and sell, destroy or otherwise dispose of such material and apply the proceeds of such sale to the state's expenses and any fees or penalties levied.
(d)
Refuse to register, or cancel or suspend the registration of a pesticide, plant or other material that is not in compliance with any applicable law or regulation.
The order shall be served upon the accused in the same manner that the summons and complaint may be served upon him, except that, in the alternative, it may be served by giving a copy of the order to the attendant or clerk at the accused's establishment. The accused shall then have thirty (30) days after service of the order to request an informal administrative review before the Director of the Bureau of Plant Industry, or his designee, who shall act as reviewing officer. If the accused requests a review within thirty (30) days, the reviewing officer shall conduct an informal administrative review within ten (10) days after the request is made. If the accused does not request an informal administrative review within thirty (30) days, then he is deemed to have waived his right to a review. At the informal administrative review, subpoena power shall not be available, witnesses shall not be sworn nor be subject to cross-examination and there shall be no court reporter or record made of the proceedings. Each party may present its case in the form of documents or oral statements. The rules of evidence shall not apply. The reviewing officer's decision shall be in writing, and it shall be delivered to the parties by certified mail.
If either party is aggrieved by the order of the reviewing officer, he may request a full evidentiary hearing before the hearing committee in accordance with the procedures in Sections
69-25-51
and
69-25-53
. The request for an evidentiary hearing must be made with the department within thirty (30) days of receipt of the decision of the reviewing officer. Failure to request an evidentiary hearing within the thirty (30) days is deemed a waiver of such right. If either party is aggrieved by the decision of the hearing committee, he shall have the right of judicial review in circuit court and in the Supreme Court as provided in Section
69-25-59
.
Laws, 1992, ch. 474, § 6; Laws, 2005, ch. 533, § 5, eff. 7/1/2005.