Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:923 – Authority; enforcement
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:923
- Commissioner: means the Louisiana commissioner of agriculture and forestry. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:921
- Covered produce farm: means any farm engaged in the growing, harvesting, packing, or holding of produce for human consumption which is subject to the requirements of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, but shall not include farms that have twenty-five thousand dollars or less of gross income from sales of produce in a year. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:921
- Department: means the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:921
- Person: means an individual or any legal or commercial entity, including a corporation, business trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, or joint venture. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:1
- Produce: means any food that is defined as such within the meaning of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act and is a raw agricultural commodity, including raw agricultural commodities that are grown domestically or imported or offered for sale in Louisiana. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:921
A. The commissioner is authorized to and may adopt rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to do the following:
(1) Enforce standards for growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption and administer the provisions of this Part.
(2) Enter the premises of any covered produce farm during reasonable hours to inspect the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce.
(3) Investigate the organization, business, conduct, practices, and management of any covered produce farm engaged in intrastate commerce.
(4) Inspect or copy any covered produce farm record related to the growing, harvesting, packing, or holding of produce.
(5) Issue stop orders prohibiting the growing, harvesting, packing, or holding of produce.
B. No person shall impede, obstruct, hinder, or otherwise prevent or attempt to prevent the department, an inspector of the department, or any employee of the department in the performance of his duties pursuant to this Part.
C. The provisions of this Section shall not limit the commissioner’s authority to respond to an emergency in order to prevent a public health hazard, including communication with applicable state and federal agencies.
Acts 2017, No. 327, §1, eff. June 22, 2017.