§ 19-16-6 — Duties and authority of Commissioner of Agriculture

West Virginia § 19-16-6

• Jurisdiction: West Virginia
• Ch. 19: AGRICULTURE
• Art. 16: WEST VIRGINIA SEED LAW

Text

The commissioner may:

(a) Establish by legislative rule germination standards for agricultural, vegetable, tree and shrub, or flower seeds;

(b) Enter and inspect, during reasonable hours, any location where agricultural, vegetable, tree and shrub, or flower seeds, or seed potatoes for sowing purposes are manufactured, distributed, transported, or used, and where records relating to the manufacture, distribution, shipment, labeling, or sale of seed are kept. This inspection shall include, but is not limited to, examining, photographing, verifying, copying, and auditing records as is necessary to determine compliance with this article, labels, consumer complaints, and papers relating to the manufacturing, distribution, sampling, testing, and sale of agricultural, vegetable, tree and shrub seeds, or seed potatoes;

(c) Open, examine, sample, and test agricultural, vegetable, tree and shrub, or flower seed, or seed potatoes, equipment, containers, transport containers, and packages used or intended to be used in the manufacture and distribution of seeds used for sowing purposes;

(d) Issue certificates of registration pursuant to this article;

(e) Refuse applications for registration, or suspend or revoke registrations as provided in this article;

(f) Issue “stop sale or embargo” orders as provided in this article;

(g) Condemn and confiscate any agricultural, vegetable, tree and shrub, or flower seed, or seed potato that is not brought into compliance with this article;

(h) Collect fees and penalties and expend moneys under the terms of this article;

(i) Conduct sampling in accordance with the official methods as established by the Association of American Seed Control Officials, the United States Department of Agriculture, or the Association of Official Seed Analysts;

(j) Conduct hearings as provided by this article;

(k) Assess civil penalties and refer violations to a court of competent jurisdiction;

(l) Obtain court orders directing any person refusing to submit to inspection, sampling, and auditing to submit;

(m) Establish and maintain seed testing facilities, establish reasonable fees for the tests, incur expenses, and conduct tests in accordance with the Association of Official Seed Analysts;

(n) Be guided by the analytical results of the official sample when determining whether the agricultural, vegetable, tree and shrub, or flower seed is deficient in any component;

(o) Report the analytical results on all official deficient samples to the registrant, dealer, purchaser if known, and or the distributor;

(p) Upon request made within 30 days from the date the official sample results are reported, furnish a portion of the official sample to the registrant;

(q) Cooperate with and enter into agreements with governmental agencies of this state and other states, agencies of the federal government and foreign governments, and private associations in order to carry out the purpose and provisions of this article;

(r) Establish fees by legislative rule;

(s) Propose rules for promulgation, in accordance with §29A-3-1et seq. of this code;

(t) Promulgate emergency rules within 90 days of the passage of this bill into law; and

(u) Inspect and approve seed conditioning facilities in the state, issue permits, and establish fees.

Legislative History

2022 Reg. Sess., SB424; 2020 Reg. Sess., SB491; 1998 Reg. Sess., HB4332; 1967 Reg. Sess., HB1065; 1947 Reg. Sess., SB212