(a) The Commissioner of Agriculture may take all actions necessary and appropriate to create, register, license, promote, and protect a trademark for use on or in connection with the sale or promotion of North Carolina sweetpotatoes and products containing North Carolina sweetpotatoes. The Commissioner may impose and collect a reasonable royalty or license fee per hundredweight of sweetpotatoes for the use of such trademark on products containing North Carolina sweetpotatoes or the packaging containing such sweetpotato products. The Commissioner shall determine the fee in consultation with representatives of the sweetpotato industry and the Marketing Division of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The Commissioner shall remit all royalties and license fees received from this Article, less any costs associated with monitoring the use of the trademark, prohibiting the unlawful or unauthorized use of the trademark, and enforcing rights in the trademark, to the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission for the promotion of North Carolina sweetpotatoes.

(b) The Board of Agriculture may adopt rules that may include, but are not limited to, quality standards, grades, packing, handling, labeling, and marketing practices for the marketing of sweetpotatoes in this State, and such other rules as are necessary to administer this Article. The Board of Agriculture may also adopt rules establishing a registration, inspection, and verification program for the production and marketing of North Carolina sweetpotatoes in this State. All North Carolina sweetpotatoes sold shall conform to the prescribed standards and grades and shall be labeled accordingly.

(c) The Commissioner and the Commissioner’s agents and employees may enter any premises or other property where sweetpotatoes are produced, stored, sold, offered for sale, packaged for sale, transported, or delivered to inspect the sweetpotatoes for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Article and the rules adopted under this Article. (2020-18, s. 6.)