Title AG, Agriculture Code

Sec. 94.011. REGISTRATION. (a) Each year, the owner, manager, or operator of a packing house that is in operation during the fruit shipping season shall register the packing house with the department at least 10 days before packing or preparing citrus fruit for sale or transporta…

Sec. 94.012. NOTICE OF OPERATION. After October 14 and before December 17 of each year, the owner, manager, or operator of a packing house shall notify the department in writing of the date packing operations are to begin. The notice is due at least seven days prior to beginning …

Sec. 94.021. GRAPEFRUIT. Grapefruit that meet the maturity standards for grapefruit established by rule of the department are mature. Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1243, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 290, Sec. 3, eff. June 5, 1995.

Sec. 94.022. ORANGES. Oranges that meet the maturity standards for oranges established by rule of the department are mature. Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1244, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 240, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1995, 74th L…

Sec. 94.025. UNFIT CITRUS FRUIT. (a) Citrus fruit that is immature, unripe, overripe, frozen, frost damaged, or otherwise unfit for consumption may not be sold or offered for sale. (b) Grapefruit that is immature or otherwise unfit for consumption may not be prepared for sale or …

Sec. 94.031. INSPECTION. (a) Grapefruit may not be transported, or prepared, received, or delivered for transportation or market, after July 31 and before December 2 each year unless the grapefruit has been inspected for maturity and approved by a citrus fruit inspector employed …

Sec. 94.032. MATURITY STAMPS. (a) If the requirements of this chapter are met and the department receives the fee required under this subchapter, the department shall issue maturity stamps to vendors and shippers of citrus fruit. (b) The maturity stamp is evidence that the inspec…

Sec. 94.033. INSPECTION SITES. Citrus fruit shall be inspected and certificates of inspection and maturity issued only at a grove, registered packing house, or distributing house. Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1245, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.

Sec. 94.034. INSPECTION AT A GROVE. (a) A person may request and is entitled to receive a citrus fruit inspection by the department at a grove. (b) An inspector shall test a representative sample of the citrus fruit in the grove in the presence of the owner of the grove or the ow…

Sec. 94.035. INSPECTION FEES. (a) A person who sells or ships grapefruit after July 31 and before December 2 of a year, or early or midseason oranges after July 31 and before November 2 of a year, shall pay to the department a fee, as provided by department rule. (b) The fees und…

Sec. 94.036. DENIAL OF CERTIFICATE. A department inspector may not issue a certificate of inspection and maturity to a packing house that has not complied with Section 94.011, 94.012, or 94.025 of this code. Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1245, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.

Sec. 94.037. IMPORTED CITRUS FRUIT. The department may test citrus fruit brought into this state from any outside area for marketing or sale if there is reason to believe that the citrus fruit does not comply with the maturity standards of this chapter for similar citrus fruit pr…

Sec. 94.038. INSPECTION FOR SUBSTITUTION AND CONDEMNATION OF UNFIT CITRUS FRUIT. (a) The department may conduct tests of citrus fruit at any location where citrus fruit is offered for sale or for shipment if there is reason to believe that immature or green citrus fruit has been …

Sec. 94.051. OFFENSES. A person commits an offense if the person: (1) as a department inspector, falsifies a certificate of inspection and maturity or fails to collect the inspection fee under this chapter; (2) operates a citrus fruit packing house, or packs or prepares citrus fr…

Sec. 94.052. PENALTY. An offense under Section 94.051 of this code is a Class B misdemeanor. Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1246, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 230, Sec. 110, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.