Title 15, AGRICULTURE AND MARKETING

The director may adopt any United States or other state's standard for any fruits and vegetables, if that standard is determined by the director to be substantially equivalent to or better than the standard adopted under this chapter. [ 1998 c 154 s 5; 1963 c 122 s 6.]

It is unlawful for any person to sell for fresh consumption any fresh fruits classified as culls under the provisions of this chapter or rules adopted hereunder unless such fruit is packed in one-half bushel or one bushel wooden baskets ring faced, with the fruit in the ring face…

The director may approve and register a private grade or brand for any fruit or vegetable. The private grade or brand shall not be lower than the second grade and/or classification established under the provisions of this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter for the fruit …

(1) Any person financially interested in any fruits or vegetables in this state may request inspection and/or certification services provided for those fruits or vegetables under this chapter. (2) To facilitate the movement or sale of fruits and vegetables or other agricultural c…

Any shipper or packer of apples, apricots, cherries, pears, peaches, Italian prunes, potatoes, or asparagus may petition the director for authority to issue certificates of compliance for each season. The director may issue certificate of compliance agreements, granting this auth…

The director shall adopt rules establishing the necessary fees to recover the costs of providing inspection and/or certification or other requested services. (1) The fees are due and payable upon billing. (2) A late fee of one and one-half percent per month on the unpaid balance …

Every inspection certificate or other official document issued by the director under the provisions of this chapter shall be received in all the courts of the state as prima facie evidence of the statements therein. [ 1998 c 154 s 11; 1963 c 122 s 17.]

The director may enter during business hours and inspect any facility where any fruits or vegetables are processed, stored, packed, delivered for shipment, loaded, shipped, being transported, or sold, and may inspect all fruits or vegetables and the containers and the equipment i…

(1) For the purposes of this section, "lot" means any lot or any part of a lot. (2) When the director determines that any lot of fruits or vegetables fails to comply with the requirements of this chapter, the director may issue a hold order prohibiting the sale or movement of tha…

It is unlawful: (1) To sell any fruits or vegetables: (a) As meeting the standards for any fruit or vegetable as prescribed by the director unless they in fact do so; (b) For which no standards have been established under this chapter unless ninety percent or more by weight or co…

(1) This chapter does not apply: (a) To the movement in bulk of any fruits or vegetables from the premises where they are grown or produced to a packing shed, warehouse, or processing plant for the purpose of storing, grading, packing, labeling, or processing prior to entering co…

(1) The fruit and vegetable inspection account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All fees collected under this chapter must be deposited into the account. The director may authorize expenditures from the account solely for the implementation and enforcement of thi…

The director may bring an action to enjoin the violation of any provision of this chapter or rule adopted pursuant to this chapter in the superior court of Thurston county or of any county in which such violation occurs, notwithstanding the existence of other remedies at law. [ 1…

The director may cooperate with and enter into agreements with governmental agencies of this state, other states, and agencies of federal government in order to carry out the purpose and provisions of this chapter. [ 1963 c 122 s 31.]

Any person who violates this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter may be subject to: (1) Suspension of any compliance agreement under this chapter to which the person is a party for a period not to exceed twelve consecutive months; and/or (2) A civil penalty in an amount o…

The provisions of this chapter shall be cumulative and nonexclusive and shall not affect any other remedy. [ 1963 c 122 s 27.]