Article 6. Inspection And Certification By A County Commissioner of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 17. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 6.

The commissioner of each county and any qualified representative of the commissioner may, upon request, issue certificates which state that the fruits, nuts, or vegetables which have been inspected meet all the requirements of this division or the requirements of the state or country of intended destination.

The certificate shall contain a description of the fruits, nuts, or vegetables which were inspected, including quantity, indentifying marks on containers, identification of location or vehicle, and any other facts which are necessary to readily identify such lot.

(a) The board of supervisors of a county with a mandatory inspection ordinance for any commodity may by county ordinance, in lieu of the certificate authorized by Sections 42791 and 42792, certify compliance of a product by means of a county certification stamp or device. The certification stamp or device shall be affixed to a bill of lading, invoice, or other document which shall bear the information required by Section 42792, and which shall accompany each lot or load during transportation.
  (b) The commissioner may issue the county certification stamp or device, or may authorize its use by a grower, shipper, packer, or financially interested person. Any such person shall maintain records of shipments which shall inform when the stamp or device was used and the number of containers in each lot or load represented as being so certified. The records shall be presented upon demand of the commissioner, the commissioner's representative, or any representative of the director.
  (c) It shall be unlawful for any person who has been authorized to use a county certification stamp or device to do any of the following:
  (1) Alter the stamp or device.
  (2) Use the stamp or device to represent any lot or load of a product which is not in compliance with this division.
  (3) Use the stamp or device in a manner other than provided in this section.
  (d) The commissioner shall revoke or suspend the right of any person to use any certification stamp or device when that person violates any provision of this section.
  (e) It shall be unlawful for any person whose right to use any certification stamp or device has been revoked or suspended to refuse to surrender to the commissioner, upon demand, any unused stamps or other device issued to that person.
  (f) Any county ordinance authorized by this section shall conform with the provisions of this division and regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

(a) The board of supervisors of the county may establish a schedule of fees for the certification inspection or certificates to be paid by owners, shippers, or other interested parties that request such certification inspection or certificates. The schedule of fees which is established for such certification inspection or certificates shall be based upon the approximate cost of the inspection which is necessary to determine that the fruits, nuts, or vegetables have met the requirements of this division or the requirements of the state or country of intended destination.
  (b) The schedule of fees may include fees for certification of fruits, nuts, or vegetables which are exempted from the general standards of the state, as provided by statute, or by regulation pursuant to Section 42682 or 42684 when shipped out of the state for commercial processing, preserving, or manufacturing under a permit of the county commissioner.

Any lot of fruits, nuts, or vegetables which bears or is accompanied by a certificate of inspection that readily identifies such lot which was issued by any commissioner or the qualified representative of the commissioner shall not be rejected from transportation or sale within this state for the purported violation of any provision of this division. Such certified lot of fruits, nuts, or vegetables may, however, be held for inspection at any time by any enforcing officer who holds a valid standardization certificate. If such enforcing officer shall find that the certified lot of fruits, nuts, or vegetables is in violation of any provision of this division he may appeal to the director who shall within 24 hours cause a reinspection to be made of the certified lot of fruits, nuts or vegetables. The lot of certified fruits, nuts, or vegetables shall be released or rejected in accordance with the findings upon such reinspection.

(a) The board of supervisors of the county may establish reasonable fees to cover the cost incurred by commissioners in the enforcement of standards for salad products as defined by regulations established pursuant to Section 42684.
  (b) The fees shall be based on the approximate cost of the inspection necessary to enforce the standards, and shall be paid by persons engaged in the preparation of salad products.
  (c) The director may adopt regulations, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
  (1) Establishing recommended county enforcement fees.
  (2) Establishing inspection fees applicable to processors not subject to county inspection fees.
  (3) Establishing inspection and reporting requirements for enforcement of salad product standards by the commissioners and the director.

(a) This section applies to lots of fruits, nuts, and vegetables imported into California which have not been sold, offered for sale, distributed in this state, or have not otherwise entered commercial distribution channels in this state.
  (b) When the director or a commissioner finds a lot of fruits, nuts, or vegetables which fails to comply with this division, or regulations adopted pursuant thereto, and the person in possession requests permission to hold the lot for shipment out of state, the director or commissioner may, by permit, authorize the lot to be so held and transported, in full or as partial lots. The director or commissioner may charge a fee to cover any costs incurred for the permit and related inspections to determine compliance with this division.