reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 11 - Puerto Rico Soil Conservation (§§ 241 — 253) › § 249 - Petition for adjustment of regulations

(a) Any land occupier may file a petition with the Committee alleging great difficulties or unnecessary hardship in carrying out the strict letter of a land use regulation upon his lands, and praying the Committee to authorize a variance from the terms of the regulation in their application to his lands. Copies of such petition shall be served upon the chairman of the district supervisors and to the Puerto Rico Soil Conservation Committee. The Committee shall consider favorably the petition of the land occupier if he can prove that noncompliance with any specific regulations will not adversely affect the land use of his neighbors. The Committee shall cause due notice to be given of and hold a hearing on such petition. Any of the parties to the hearing may appear in person, by agent, or by attorney. If the Committee determines that there are great difficulties or unnecessary hardship in the way of applying the strict letter of the land use regulations on the land of the petitioner, it shall investigate the facts as to the conditions causing such difficulties or hardships and shall enter its finding and determination. The Committee may, by order, authorize such variance from the terms of the regulations, in their applications to the petitioner, as will relieve such great practical difficulties or unnecessary hardship, if such variance will not adversely affect the land use of his neighbors.
(b) If any petitioner is aggrieved by an order of the Committee, the district supervisors, or any intervening party, such petitioner may obtain a review of such order in the part of the Court of First Instance where the lands of the petitioner are located. The court shall have power to grant such temporary relief as it deems proper, and to enter a decree enforcing, modifying, or setting aside, in whole or in part, the order of the Committee.
History —Mar. 26, 1946, No. 211, p. 374, § 10, eff. July 1, 1946.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 11 - Puerto Rico Soil Conservation (§§ 241 — 253) › § 250 - Cooperation of agencies

Agencies of the Commonwealth Government, or other governmental subdivision of the Commonwealth, which have jurisdiction over publicly-owned lands lying within any soil conservation district, shall cooperate with such district in the development of the programs and operations of such district.
History —Mar. 26, 1946, No. 211, p. 374, § 11, eff. July 1, 1946.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 11 - Puerto Rico Soil Conservation (§§ 241 — 253) › § 251 - Discontinuance of districts

At any time after three (3) years following the organization of a district under §§ 241—252 of this title, any twenty-five (25) occupiers of land lying within such district may file a petition with the Soil Conservation Committee to terminate the existence of the district. The Committee may conduct such meetings and hearings upon such petition as may be necessary and, within sixty (60) days after the filing of such a petition, shall hold a referendum upon such proposal. All occupiers of land, within the definition of §§ 241—252 of this title, within the district, shall be eligible to vote in such referendum. After such referendum the Committee shall determine whether the continued operation of the district is necessary or practical and feasible. The Committee shall not have authority to determine in favor of the continued operation of the district unless a majority of the votes cast in the referendum were cast in favor of such continued operation. If the Committee determines in favor of the discontinuance of the district, it shall certify such determination to the district supervisors and to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall issue to the Committee a certificate of dissolution in duplicate, and file a copy of such certificate in his office. Upon receipt of such certificate the Committee shall direct the supervisors to terminate the activities of the district. The Committee shall dispose of all property belonging to the district in accordance with the rules of the Department of the Treasury. Any contract theretofore in force to which the district is a party, shall remain in force and effect for the period provided in such contract. The Committee shall be substituted for the district as party to such contract.
History —Mar. 26, 1946, No. 211, p. 374, § 12, eff. July 1, 1946.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 11 - Puerto Rico Soil Conservation (§§ 241 — 253) › § 252 - Appropriations and expenditures

The sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) is hereby appropriated from any funds in the Commonwealth Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the use of the Puerto Rico Soil Conservation Committee of Puerto Rico in carrying out any of the provisions of §§ 241—252 of this title; Provided, That the Committee is hereby vested with power to prescribe the administrative policy in accordance with the rules of the Department of the Treasury, and to authorize and audit disbursements and investments made from this appropriation to carry out the purposes of said sections. Any sums appropriated, allocated, or available at any time to any agency to carry out activities of the character provided for in said sections, shall be expended by the said agency according to the terms and subject to the limitations provided for by the law or laws under which such sums may have been appropriated, allocated, or made available.
History —Mar. 26, 1946, No. 211, p. 374, § 13, eff. July 1, 1946.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 11 - Puerto Rico Soil Conservation (§§ 241 — 253) › § 253 - Representative soil; Bayamón Series of Soils

The Bayamón series of soils is hereby designated as the representative type of soil for Puerto Rico.
History —May 12, 1999, No. 115, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter I - Development of the Coffee Zone (§§ 318 — 318e) › § 318 - Creation

Under the direction and supervision of the Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico there is hereby established a program of incentives, services and other measures that may tend to the integrated development of the coffee zone of Puerto Rico, both in the agricultural and the industrial aspect.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 6, p. 37, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter I - Development of the Coffee Zone (§§ 318 — 318e) › § 318a - Phases

In accordance with the provisions of § 318 of this title the Program shall consist of economic aids, technical assistance, payment of incentives and subsidies, rendering of services and other measures to help the coffee zone industry to carry out the following phases, without it being construed as a limitation to the extension of the Program:
(a) Plantings of coffee plantations on suitable lands, with varieties recommended by the Agricultural Experiment Station.
(b) Improvement of coffee plantations whose agronomical condition makes them susceptible to improvements that increase their yield and which are planted in the most suitable lands.
(c) Diversification of the coffee lands which are not used for the phases described in subsections (a) and (b) of this section. The lands which are not needed for the production of coffee may be devoted to diversified uses such as pasture lands, foodstuffs, fruits, ornamental plants, forests, establishment of poultry farms and/or swine or for any other agricultural cattle enterprise.
(d) Special incentives to industries which manufacture products of the coffee zone.
(e) Establishment of pilot farms in the coffee zone where the most advanced techniques in agricultural cattle development are used or practiced which serve as models to coffee growers. For these purposes the Department of Agriculture may operate them on its own, through contract with other private agricultural agencies, or may contract with farmers or other private agricultural entities.
(f) Economic and technical assistance for the improvement of the beneficiary, and for the manufacturing, marketing and promotion of coffee consumption.
(g) Testing, adaptation and purchase of agricultural equipment and machinery which facilitate and/or improve any of the phases or practices above mentioned.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 6, p. 37, § 2; June 2, 1967, No. 98, p. 321, § 2; May 6, 1968, No. 34, p. 52; June 25, 1969, No. 68, p. 210, § 1, eff. July 1, 1969.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter I - Development of the Coffee Zone (§§ 318 — 318e) › § 318b - Transfer of items

The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized with the approval of the Governor or the officer on whom he may delegate, to make transfers among the different items appropriated by §§ 318—318e of this title.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 6, p. 37, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter I - Development of the Coffee Zone (§§ 318 — 318e) › § 318c - Functions of Secretary

The Secretary of Agriculture is vested with such faculties, rights and powers as may be necessary to carry out, by his own or through employees, agents or authorized representatives, the purposes of §§ 318—318e of this title, including without it being construed as a limitation, the following purposes:
(a) To receive as a gift from any natural or juridical person or from any private or public institution of Puerto Rico or from any country, money, seeds or propagation material, equipment, materials and services to be used or invested in accordance with the purposes of §§ 318—318e of this title.
(b) To enter, with any natural or juridical person or any private or public institution of Puerto Rico or with any country, into such contracts, covenants or agreements that the Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico may deem necessary and advisable to carry out the purposes of §§ 318—318e of this title.
(c) To acquire all kinds of real estate, properties and equipment that may be necessary to implement this program.
(d) To render by himself or to contract the rendering of services provided by §§ 318—318e of this title.
(e) To transfer funds and resources, upon the previous authorization of the Governor or the officer on whom he may delegate, to other agencies or instrumentalities of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to carry out specific phases or activities of the program established by §§ 318—318e of this title.
(f) To enter upon the lands or sites of the persons or entities which may benefit from any of the provisions of §§ 318—318e of this title for the purposes of verifying that the standards established in §§ 318—318e of this title and in the regulations that may be promulgated are or have been complied with.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 6, p. 37, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter I - Development of the Coffee Zone (§§ 318 — 318e) › § 318d - Regulations

The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby vested with powers and faculties to promulgate the standards and regulations that he may deem necessary to establish the terms and conditions for the granting of benefits in the different phases of the program, [whose] rules and regulations shall have force of law after the requirements established in §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3 have been complied with. The Secretary of Agriculture shall, on so doing, annually establish the maximum contributions for the carrying out of each one of the eligible practices under this program. In no case shall the contribution or incentive for any of said practices exceed two-thirds of the whole cost.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 6, p. 37, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter I - Development of the Coffee Zone (§§ 318 — 318e) › § 318e - Operation and expense information

The Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Legislature, at the beginning of each Regular Session, a report containing a relation of his operations in compliance with §§ 318-318e of this title, and the amounts used for operation and administrative expenses.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 6, p. 37, § 9.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter II - Eradication of Plant Pests and Diseases in Coffee Plantations (§§ 319 — 319g) › § 319 - Creation; machinery, equipment, personnel and expenses

There is hereby created in the Agricultural Services Administration the Program for the Eradication of Plant Pests and Diseases in Coffee Plantations, and the Administration is hereby authorized, with the funds herein provided, to acquire machinery and equipment, employ personnel and to incur in other expenses necessary to carry out said Program.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 8, p. 43, § 1; June 24, 1968, No. 122, p. 282, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter II - Eradication of Plant Pests and Diseases in Coffee Plantations (§§ 319 — 319g) › § 319a - Appropriations and authorized obligations

The sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is hereby appropriated from unencumbered funds in the Commonwealth Treasury to the Agricultural Services Administration for the above mentioned purposes and it is authorized to incur obligations up to the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) to be used in the development of this program.
The sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is hereby appropriated from unencumbered funds in the Commonwealth Treasury to said Administration, to be effective July 1, 1967, to pay the obligations contracted by virtue of the authorization herein granted.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 8, p. 43, § 2; June 24, 1968, No. 122, p. 282, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter II - Eradication of Plant Pests and Diseases in Coffee Plantations (§§ 319 — 319g) › § 319b - Inclusion in budget

The cost of the replacement of machinery and equipment and the administration expenses of this program from and after the Fiscal Year 1967-68, shall be included in the General Budget of Expenses of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 8, p. 43, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter II - Eradication of Plant Pests and Diseases in Coffee Plantations (§§ 319 — 319g) › § 319c - Regulations

The Agricultural Services Administration shall be empowered to prescribe rules and regulations to enforce the purposes of §§ 319—319g of this title; it being understood, that, for the purposes of reasonably reducing the cost of this service as far as possible, the farmer shall only pay half of the cost of the materials used in this program.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 8, p. 43, § 4; June 24, 1968, No. 122, p. 282, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter II - Eradication of Plant Pests and Diseases in Coffee Plantations (§§ 319 — 319g) › § 319d - Personnel

The personnel appointed chargeable to the funds appropriated by §§ 319—319g of this title shall be included in the Exempt Service created by Act No. 345 of May 12, 1947, as amended.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 8, p. 43, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter II - Eradication of Plant Pests and Diseases in Coffee Plantations (§§ 319 — 319g) › § 319e - Faculties of Agricultural Services Administration

There is hereby conferred to the Agricultural Services Administration those faculties, rights and powers as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of §§ 319—319g of this title, including, but without it being construed as a limitation, the following:
(a) To receive as a gift from any natural or juridical person or private or public institution, money, equipment, machinery or services to be used or invested according to the purposes of §§ 319—319g of this title.
(b) To execute with any natural or juridical person, such contracts, covenants or agreements to carry out the purposes of §§ 319—319g of this title.
(c) To acquire all kinds of real estate, properties, equipment and machinery necessary for implementing §§ 319—319g of this title.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 8, p. 43, § 6; June 24, 1968, No. 122, p. 282, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter II - Eradication of Plant Pests and Diseases in Coffee Plantations (§§ 319 — 319g) › § 319f - Farmers Advisory Committee

To facilitate the cooperation between farmers and the Government for the attainment of the purposes of §§ 319—319g of this title, there is hereby created a Farmers Advisory Committee appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, which Committee shall have the function of advising the Agricultural Services Administration on everything related to the development of the Program herein established. Said Committee shall be empowered to adopt a regulation governing its internal functioning, and to appoint zone subcommittees where and when necessary.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 8, p. 43, § 7; June 24, 1968, No. 122, p. 282, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14 - Program for the Production of Coffee (§§ 318 — 319g) › Subchapter II - Eradication of Plant Pests and Diseases in Coffee Plantations (§§ 319 — 319g) › § 319g - Transfers

All rights, obligations, funds, appropriation balances, properties, equipment, materials and all kinds of real property corresponding to the program created hereunder are hereby transferred to the Agricultural Services Administration. The Agricultural Services Administration is hereby authorized to use for this program and/or for its regular program of farm machinery service any unencumbered remainder of the appropriation of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) made to the Farm Development Program of the Land Authority by J.R. No. 7 approved April 21, 1965.
History —Dec. 8, 1966, No. 8, p. 43, added as § 7-A on June 24, 1968, No. 122, p. 282, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320 - Definitions

For the purposes of §§ 320—320 l of this title, the following terms and phrases shall have the meaning stated below:
(a) Beneficiary.— Means a person who owns, manages or is in charge of an establishment to receive, purchase and process ripe and green coffee beans on a commercial scale, to submit it to the cleaning, washing and drying process which leaves it as dry and hulled coffee beans.
(b) Roaster.— Means a person who owns, manages or is in charge of an establishment to receive, purchase, roast, grind and sell coffee to be sold to the consumer.
(c) Coffee.— Means the bush belonging to the Rubiaceae family, Coffea genus, with perennial, coriaceous, single leaves and [opposing] white, aromatic axillary flowers whose fruit is a berry, red, white and yellow in color, that generally contains two seeds from which the beverage known by the same name is produced, among other byproducts.
(d) Coffee farmer or producer.— Means any person who owns, leases, is the usufructuary or is, himself, the middleman, or through his/her representative agents, managers, employees, or others, devotes any part or all of his/her lands to the agricultural activity of sowing, cultivating, harvesting or processing coffee.
(e) Importer.— Any person engaged in the introduction of processed or industrialized coffee to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from any jurisdiction including the United States of America.
(f) Department.— Means the Department of Agriculture of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(g) Secretary.— Means the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(h) Person.— Is any natural or juridical person, including, but without it being understood as a limitation, a partnership, association, institution, corporation, credit union or group of persons.
(i) Purchaser.— Means any person who owns, manages or is in charge of an establishment for the purpose of buying, processing, classifying and selling [dried] coffee beans.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320a - License—Requirement

Every person who operates a roasting operation, is engaged in the purchase of, or is a processor of coffee on a commercial scale or imports coffee to be sold at wholesale or retail, must obtain a license to engage in said business from the Secretary of Agriculture and it shall be illegal for that person to engage in such business without obtaining said license.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320b - License—Procedure; forms

Every application for a license shall be filed at the Department of Agriculture on a form provided by it and shall contain the information required by that Department. Every coffee roaster, purchaser, importer, and processor must display his/her license in a place visible to the public.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320c - License—Denial, suspension or revocation

The Secretary is hereby authorized to deny, revoke, or suspend the license of any person who has failed to comply with the provisions of §§ 320—320 l of this title or with the applicable regulations.
Any applicant or holder of a license, who has been affected by the decision of the Secretary of Agriculture denying, suspending or revoking a license, as the case may be, can go before the pertinent forum to appeal the decision taken in keeping with the provisions of §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3, known as the “Uniform Administrative Procedure Act of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico”.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320d - Prohibitions

It is hereby declared to be illegal:
(a) To adulterate or blend fine or coarse ground coffee beans with any other grain or substance, with the intention of selling, offering, or having it for sale, without previously obtaining a license from the Department, or without having paid the corresponding fees to the Department of the Treasury.
(b) To sell, offer, have for sale, transport or store adulterated, or illegally blended coffee for the purpose of human consumption, or for industrial purposes.
(c) Introduce coffee into the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico without previously obtaining a license from the Department of Agriculture or without having paid the corresponding fees to the Department of the Treasury.
(d) To allow, collaborate with, consent to or use, with personal knowledge or through another person, an establishment to roast, purchase or process, for the processing of illegally imported coffee, or to adulterate or blend fine or coarse ground coffee beans with any other grain or substance.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320e - Penalties

Every natural or juridical person who violates § 320d of this title by him/herself or through an agent or employee, shall be guilty of a felony and upon conviction, shall be sentenced: for the first violation, to imprisonment for a fixed term of three (3) years. If there are aggravating circumstances, the established fixed penalty could be increased to a maximum of five (5) years; if there are extenuating circumstances, the penalty could be reduced to a minimum of two (2) years.
The court, at its discretion, may impose the established fixed penalty of confinement, and a fine equal to twice the worth of the smuggled coffee, or ten thousand dollars ($10,000), whichever of the two is greater, or any combination thereof.
In case of a second offense, the penalty to be imposed shall be twice the aggravated penalty, and twice the fine. The court, at its discretion, may impose the fixed penalty of confinement, a fine, or any combination thereof.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 6; Aug. 13, 1994, No. 80, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320f - Prima facie evidence

The report submitted by the Laboratory for the Analysis and Registry of Agricultural Materials of the Department of Agriculture, certified by its Director, shall be prima facie evidence that any coffee bean or fine or coarse ground coffee has been adulterated or mixed with any other grain or substance.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 7.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320g - Administrative sanctions

The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby empowered to impose administrative sanctions pursuant to §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3, known as the “Uniform Procedure Act”, on any person who fails to comply with the provisions of §§ 320—320 l of this title, except that which is regulated by § 320d of this title or with any norm or regulation established by the Secretary of Agriculture.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 8.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320h - Attachment of assets

The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby empowered to attach any property that has been used in the commission of any of the felonies typified herein.
The procedure established by §§ 1723 et seq. of Title 34, known as the “Uniform Attachments Act”, shall govern the attachment and disposal of the assets indicated above.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 9.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320i - Secretary—Information required

The coffee producers, processors, purchasers, importers and roasters:
(1) Shall provide all the information that the Secretary deems necessary to draft those orders, resolutions and regulations that must be approved.
(2) They will maintain and put at the disposal of the Secretary; the books, records of acreage, variety and production and documents, and any other source he/she deems necessary from which the following information arises:
(a) Amount of coffee cultivated and its classification.
(b) Amounts of coffee beans bought by the processors or roasters and its classification.
(c) Amounts of hulled and unhulled coffee bought and sold by the producers, processors and roasters of coffee.
(d) Amounts of produced or processed coffee marketed by coffee importers.
(e) Any information that is relevant and necessary as provided by the Secretary.
(3) Shall allow the Secretary to take samples and perform any coffee tasting test that the Secretary deems necessary during any stage of the production.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 10.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320j - Secretary—Powers

In addition to the other powers provided by §§ 320—320 l of this title, the Secretary shall have the following:
(1) To examine the books, accounts and any other document of the coffee producers, purchasers, processors and roasters in order to carry out the investigations he/she deems necessary in order to enforce the public policy and the purposes of §§ 320—320 l of this title.
(2) To inspect the warehouses where coffee is stored during any stage of its processing, including hulled, roasted, packed or ready for the retail market.
(3) To regulate the purchasing, receiving, processing and sale of coffee produced by coffee growers in their farms.
(4) To regulate the purchasing, receiving, roasting and sale of coffee by roasters.
(5) To grant and regulate the granting of licenses to establishments engaged in roasting coffee.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 11.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320k - List of coffee blends

The Secretary is empowered to require roasters to submit a list of the coffee blends to be sold and marketed in Puerto Rico under specific norms in order to guarantee the composition and origin of the coffee blend to the consumer.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 12.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14A - Coffee Industry (§§ 320 — 320l) › § 320l - Regulations

The Secretary is empowered to adopt the regulations needed to enforce of §§ 320—320 l of this title. The regulations adopted to such effect shall be subject to the provisions of §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3.
History —Oct. 29, 1992, No. 82, § 13.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14C - Manos Pal’ Campo Act (§§ 322 — 322e) › § 322 - Declaration of public policy

It shall be the public policy of the Government of Puerto Rico to support, promote, develop, and strengthen the Puerto Rican agricultural industry, by means of all available and feasible mechanisms within constitutional, governmental, and economic parameters in order to create the highest number of jobs in the Island, giving priority to local workers and without excluding immigrant workers, when the local workforce is not enough to satisfy the demand for the tasks related to coffee harvesting. The objectives of this chapter shall be the following:
(a) To establish agreements between the Department of Labor and Human Resources and the Department of Agriculture to estimate the demand and availability of the local workforce for coffee harvesting per municipality on an annual basis.
(b) To guarantee the greatest possible participation of Puerto Rican workers in coffee harvesting tasks and to support the programs of different Commonwealth and Federal Government agencies, as well as those of bona fide and nonprofit entities, in order to promote job creation in agriculture, whether permanent or seasonal in nature.
(c) To provide mechanisms so that, when conditions so require, farmers may choose to hire foreign workforce for the exclusive performance of coffee harvesting tasks.
(d) To direct the Department of Labor and Human Resources to, as a public policy, authorize and approve the certificates of need for foreign workers required by federal immigration agencies for the entry of seasonal immigrant workers within a reasonable timeframe that does not affect the farmers” operations, for those agricultural businesses that, after exhausting all resources for hiring a local workforce, reveal a true need according to the local agencies” estimates. Such attempts to hire a local workforce must have proven unsuccessful, with a cap of up to half of the annual estimates regarding the need of said workforce in such farms. For example, if it is determined that, after counting the number of local workers available, such amount is still insufficient for the following year’s coffee harvest by some 5,000 coffee pickers throughout the Island, the entry of up to 2,500 foreign workers may be authorized for said year, thus complying with “up to 50% of the need.
(e) To boost the expansion of agricultural activities by reducing the uncertainty of the agricultural entrepreneur regarding workers to perform the tasks required by their enterprises, and to foster an increase in the production and quality of our products.
(f) To participate as citizens of the United States of America in all programs available under the federal regulations known as the “Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986” in an orderly, controlled, and legal manner, in order to provide our farmers with alternatives to import non-immigrant foreign agricultural workers, better known as H-2A and/or “Guest Worker”.
History —Mar. 30, 2011, No. 38, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14C - Manos Pal’ Campo Act (§§ 322 — 322e) › § 322a - Definitions

For purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meaning stated hereinbelow:
(a) Government of Puerto Rico, or Government.— Means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities, offices, municipalities, and public corporations.
(b) Local worker, or local workforce.— Means a Puerto Rico resident who is a U. S. citizen.
(c) Foreign worker, or foreign workforce, or guest worker.— Means a person who is not a U. S. citizen and is issued a non-immigrant visa, depending on the particular classification thereof, and who has the intention of staying in the United States, whether temporarily or during a period of time other than permanently.
(d) Department of Labor and Human Resources.— Means the Department of Labor and Human Resources of the Government of Puerto Rico.
(e) Department of Agriculture.— Means the Department of Agriculture of the Government of Puerto Rico.
(f) Department of State.— Means the Department of State of the Government of Puerto Rico.
History —Mar. 30, 2011, No. 38, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14C - Manos Pal’ Campo Act (§§ 322 — 322e) › § 322c - Report

Within the first ninety (90) days of each calendar year, the Departments of Agriculture and of Labor and Human Resources of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall submit to the Governor of Puerto Rico and to the Legislative Assembly a report on the activities that have been conducted in compliance with this chapter, which shall include, but not be limited to the number of jobs created under the program, the coffee harvest picked, and the impact, either positive or negative, on the economy of Puerto Rico, particularly in the Mountain Region.
History —Mar. 30, 2011, No. 38, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14C - Manos Pal’ Campo Act (§§ 322 — 322e) › § 322d - Compliance with the act

The Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Department of Labor and Human Resources, and through the Department of State, shall exercise all discretion and authority to implement the public policy set forth as a purpose of this chapter; and shall observe and oversee faithful compliance with the federal immigration statutes and laws in effect for the import of foreign workers.
History —Mar. 30, 2011, No. 38, § 6.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 14C - Manos Pal’ Campo Act (§§ 322 — 322e) › § 322e - Applicability to government entities

The Department of Labor and Human Resources and the Department of Agriculture shall be the agencies entrusted with the application of this public policy, which shall be extensive to other government instrumentalities and to municipalities that wish to develop similar programs.
History —Mar. 30, 2011, No. 38, § 7.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 15 - Tobacco (§§ 331 — 359) › § 348 - Tobacco Industry—Generally

The function of the University of Puerto Rico, to be performed by the Agricultural Experiment Station, shall be to study the problems of the cultivation of tobacco and of the tobacco industry; to furnish technical and promotional services to the tobacco growers of Puerto Rico, and to extend its activities over all aspects of the tobacco industry, including the survey of the possibility of new foreign markets.
History —May 11, 1937, No. 89, p. 221, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 15 - Tobacco (§§ 331 — 359) › § 350 - Tobacco Industry—Donations; contracts with other institutions and corporations

The Agricultural Experiment Station is authorized to receive any donation that may be made to it; and it is likewise authorized to make contracts or agreements with any other institution of the country or with private corporations for the benefit of tobacco experimentation and the promotion of the tobacco industry.
History —May 11, 1937, No. 89, p. 221, § 12.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 15 - Tobacco (§§ 331 — 359) › § 351 - Trust Fund-Tobacco Institute of Puerto Rico—Generally

Any balance on deposit, as of June 30, 1950, in the Trust Fund-Tobacco Institute of Puerto Rico created by Act No. 89 of May 11, 1937, as amended, is hereby transferred to the General Fund of the Commonwealth Treasury; Provided, That on and after July 1, 1950, all the receipts for said Trust Fund-Tobacco Institute of Puerto Rico shall be transferred to the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Puerto Rico.
History —Apr. 27, 1950, No. 137, p. 366, § 1, eff. July 1, 1950.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 15 - Tobacco (§§ 331 — 359) › § 352 - Tobacco Industry—Reports

At the end of each fiscal year, the Agricultural Experiment Station shall submit a report to the Governor of the Commonwealth.
History —May 11, 1937, No. 89, p. 221, § 15.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 15 - Tobacco (§§ 331 — 359) › § 353 - Loans for tobacco curing sheds

The sum of $50,000 is hereby appropriated to the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico, from unencumbered funds in the Commonwealth Treasury, for the granting of loans for constructing, enlarging, improving and/or repairing sheds for tobacco curing. Growers having individual tobacco production and marketing quotas shall be eligible for such loans. The necessary funds to defray the operating expenses may be used out of this sum.
History —June 26, 1959, J.R. No. 101, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 15 - Tobacco (§§ 331 — 359) › § 354 - Tobacco Shed Loans Revolving Fund

A revolving fund is hereby created in the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico to be known as Tobacco Shed Loans Revolving Fund. There shall be covered into the said Fund the appropriation made in § 353 of this title, future appropriations, the repayments of such loans, and any gifts received by the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico for such purpose.
History —June 26, 1959, J.R. No. 101, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 15 - Tobacco (§§ 331 — 359) › § 355 - Rules and regulations

The Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico is hereby empowered to prescribe the proper rules and regulations necessary for the effectuation of §§ 353—357 of this title, including, among other things, the fixing of the maximum limit of the loans, the priorities for the granting thereof, the securities and/or insurance to be required, and the standards or specifications for the tobacco sheds to be constructed, enlarged, improved and/or repaired with loans granted hereunder.
History —June 26, 1959, J.R. No. 101, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 15 - Tobacco (§§ 331 — 359) › § 356 - Officers and employees

The Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico is hereby empowered, in enforcing §§ 353—357 of this title, to use any organization established in any of the dependencies of the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico that he may deem convenient. He is, furthermore, empowered to appoint and fix the compensation of the officers and employees in charge of carrying out the purposes of §§ 353—357 of this title, without subjection to the Personnel Act of Puerto Rico.
History —June 26, 1959, J.R. No. 101, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 15 - Tobacco (§§ 331 — 359) › § 357 - Gifts and contracts

The Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico is hereby authorized to accept gifts for the purposes of §§ 353—357 of this title and to execute such contracts, covenants and agreements as he may deem necessary and convenient for the effectuation of the purposes hereof.
History —June 26, 1959, J.R. No. 101, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 15 - Tobacco (§§ 331 — 359) › § 358 - Insurance

(a) The Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico is hereby empowered to procure, through the Bureau of Public Bonds and Insurance of the Department of the Treasury of Puerto Rico, insurance against risks of destruction, totally or partially, as a result of winds or of fire, of the tobacco sheds constructed, enlarged, improved and/or repaired with loans granted by the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico under §§ 353—357 of this title, as well as of those sheds to be constructed, enlarged, improved and/or repaired with loans granted by said Department from subsequent appropriations. Said official is likewise empowered to pay, from the appropriation herein provided, in part or in whole, along with the borrowers, the premiums corresponding to said insurance, in such proportion and manner as he may determine. To such effect the Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico may execute such contracts, covenants and agreements he may deem necessary and convenient to carry out the purposes of this section.
(b) In the insurance policies contracted by the Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico through the Bureau of Public Bonds and Insurance of the Department of the Treasury of Puerto Rico in accordance with this section, the sheds of those farmers who have not constructed, enlarged, improved and/or repaired them with loans granted to that effect by the Secretary of Agriculture may also be covered. To this end said farmers shall execute an application addressed to the Secretary of Agriculture and pay the corresponding premium, as determined by said office upon appraisal of the shed. Payment of such premiums may be made in cash or through check or money order drawn in favor of the Secretary of the Treasury of Puerto Rico.
(c) The sum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) is hereby appropriated to the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico, from unencumbered funds in the Commonwealth treasury, for the payment of the insurance premiums to which subsection (a) of this section refers.
History —June 5, 1961, No. 22, p. 51, §§ 1, 2; June 15, 1965, No. 27, p. 53.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 17 - Sugar (§§ 371 — 420g) › Subchapter I - Sugar Act of Puerto Rico (§§ 371 — 390) › § 372 - Grinding priorities

No sugar mill [shall] refuse to grind the sugarcane of a grower or his/her successors or successors in interest, who has been a grower of said mill during any of the three (3) years prior to the date on which he/she offers said cane to be ground, and the mill shall give preference to them to grind their cane, over the new growers; Provided, That in those cases in which a grower has been a grower for two or more mills, the obligation of the mill shall be to grind the proportional part of the crop that said grower delivered to said mill to be ground during the last year he/she was a grower thereof.
In order for a grower to be entitled to change from the mill in which he/she grinds his/her sugarcane to another mill, he/she shall be bound to notify the mills thus affected of his/her intention to make said change no later than the 1st day of November prior to the grinding season in which he/she intends to make said change.
The mill shall be bound to grind the sugarcane of the new growers, unless the Department exempts the mill from such obligation after it shows the Department that the mill lacks sufficient capacity to assume the grinding of the sugarcane of said growers.
History —May 13, 1951, No. 426, p. 1138, § 3; Aug. 5, 1993, No. 43, § 10, retroactive to July 1, 1993.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 17 - Sugar (§§ 371 — 420g) › Subchapter I - Sugar Act of Puerto Rico (§§ 371 — 390) › § 373 - Sugar content

In all cases in which a colono delivers his cane to a central for the manufacture of sugar, the following method shall govern in determining the sugar content of 96 degrees of polarization, of the cane delivered:
(a) A continuous sample of first extraction juice for not less than three (3) minutes shall be taken from each cart, truck, wagon, or any other unit of cane delivery, at the time the cane is ground in the first unit of the mill. When the grinding lasts less than three (3) minutes, the sample shall be taken for such time as the cane may take to pass through the first unit of the mill. Said sample shall be analyzed by Horne’s dry-acetate method, and the Brix shall be found by means of duly gauged hydrometers.
(b) The content of sugar of 96 degrees of polarization shall only be determined according to the following formula:
Y = (S — 0.3B) F where: Y = Yield of sugar of 96 degrees of polarization S = Polarization of first extraction juice B = Brix of first extraction juice F = Factor to be computed by substituting in the following formula: Y F = _____, the average values by weight of Y, S, and B, (S — 0.3B) obtained from the aggregate grinding during the fortnight (if the cane is liquidated fortnightly), or during the month (if the cane is liquidated monthly), in which the cane of the colono has been ground; Provided, That for the purpose of daily information of the probable yield of the cane, the value of factor F, computed on the values Y, S, and B of the aggregate result of the preceding grinding season, may be used, and said factor may be diminished by a figure not greater than.05; It being understood, That it shall be compulsory to make liquidations by using the Factor obtained during the fortnight or month, as above defined.
The Department, motu proprio, or at the instance of a party, may adopt another formula or other methods than those established in this section to determine the sugar content of the cane delivered by the growers when, in its judgment, a change is justified. Likewise, the Department may adopt a different formula to determine the sugar yield of the Uba, Japanese, Zuinga, Coimbatore 213, Coimbatore 281, Kavengerie or Caledonia sugarcane varieties.
History —May 13, 1951, No. 426, p. 1138, § 4; Aug. 5, 1993, No. 43, § 11, retroactive to July 1, 1993.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 17 - Sugar (§§ 371 — 420g) › Subchapter I - Sugar Act of Puerto Rico (§§ 371 — 390) › § 377 - Final liquidations

The final liquidations of shipping and marketing expenses will be made after the mill has sold all the sugar and has completed its real expenses incurred for shipping and marketing, which must be previously approved by the Department; Provided, That if the Department or any owner does not agree with the fairness or correctness of said expenses, or deems that said expenses or any part thereof have not been deducted under the terms of §§ 371—405 of this title, the Department, upon a petition by the grower or motu proprio, shall hold a hearing in which all parties shall have the opportunity to state their allegations and present evidence on the rights they believe they are entitled to, and the mill shall not make the final liquidation until the Department resolves the controversy.
History —May 13, 1951, No. 426, p. 1138, § 8; Aug. 5, 1993, No. 43, § 15, retroactive to July 1, 1993.