(1)    No person receiving any fruits, vegetables, melons, dairy, or poultry products or any perishable farm products of any kind or character, other than cattle, sheep, hogs or horses, referred to in this section as produce, for or on behalf of another, may without good and sufficient cause therefor, destroy, or abandon, discard as refuse or dump any produce directly or indirectly, or through collusion with any person, nor may any person knowingly and with intent to defraud make any false report or statement to the person from whom any produce was received, concerning the handling, condition, quality, quantity, sale or disposition thereof, nor may any person knowingly and with intent to defraud fail truly and correctly to account and pay over to the consignor therefor.

   (2)   The department shall by rule provide for the making of prompt investigations and the issuing of certificates as to the quality and condition of produce received, upon application of any person shipping, receiving or financially interested in, the produce. The rules shall designate the classes of persons qualified and authorized to make the investigations and issue the certificates, except that any investigation shall be made and any certificate shall be issued by at least 2 disinterested persons in any case where the investigation is not made by an officer or employee of the department.

   (3)   A certificate made in compliance with the rules shall be prima facie evidence in all courts of the truth of the statements contained in the certificate as to the quality and condition of the produce; but if any such certificate is put in evidence by any party, in any civil or criminal proceeding, the opposite party shall be permitted to cross-examine any person signing the certificate, called as a witness at the instance of either party, as to his or her qualifications and authority and as to the truth of the statements contained in the certificate.