1. (A) When a buyer claims to have been damaged by the failure of seed for planting to produce or perform as represented by the label required to be attached to seed pursuant to Section 46-21-215, or by warranty, or as a result of negligence, as a prerequisite to the buyer's right to maintain a legal action against the dealer or another seller of the seed, the buyer shall first submit the claim to arbitration as provided in Section 46-21-1010(C)(2). The applicable period of limitations with respect to the claim must be tolled until ten days after the filing of the report of arbitration with the Commissioner as provided in Section 46-21-1020.

   No claim may be asserted as a counterclaim or defense in an action brought by a seller against a buyer, until the buyer has submitted a claim to arbitration as provided in this section and in Section 46-21-1020. Upon the buyer's filing of a written notice of intention to assert the claim as a counterclaim or defense in the action, accompanied by a copy of the buyer's complaint in arbitration filed pursuant to Section 46-21-1020(B)(1), the action must be stayed, and the applicable statute of limitations must be suspended with respect to the claim, until ten days after the filing of the report of arbitration with the Commissioner as provided in Section 46-21-1020.

2. (B) The following notice or calling attention to the requirement for arbitration pursuant to this section must be included on the analysis label required pursuant to Section 46-21-215, or attached to or printed on the seed bag or package. Arbitration is not required unless this notice is included:

   "NOTICE

   ARBITRATION/CONCILIATION/MEDIATION REQUIRED BY SEVERAL STATES

   Pursuant to the seed law of several states arbitration, mediation, or conciliation is required as a prerequisite to maintaining a legal action based upon the failure of seed to which this notice is attached to produce as represented. The consumer shall file a complaint along with the required filing fee, if applicable, with the Commissioner of Agriculture, Seed Commissioner, or Chief Agricultural Officer within that time as to permit inspection of the crops, plants, or trees by the designated agency and the seedsman from whom the seed was purchased. A copy of the complaint must be sent to the seller by certified or registered mail or as otherwise provided by state statute."

3. (C) Effect of arbitration.

   1. (1) The report of arbitration is binding upon all parties who have agreed to binding arbitration in a contract governing the sale of the seed.
   2. (2) In the absence of an agreement to be bound by arbitration, a buyer may commence legal proceedings against a seller or assert the claim as a counterclaim or defense in an action brought by the seller, at any time after the receipt of the report of arbitration.
   3. (3) In litigation involving a complaint which has been the subject of arbitration pursuant to this section, a party may offer into evidence the facts of the arbitration report. The court may give weight to the committee's findings and recommendations as to damages and costs as the court may see fit based upon all the evidence before the court. The court also may consider the findings of the committee with respect to the failure of a party to cooperate in the arbitration proceedings, including the findings as to the effect of delay in filing the arbitration claim upon the committee's ability to determine the facts of the case.

HISTORY: 1986 Act No. 488, Section 1; 1987 Act No. 193, Section 1; 1976 Code Section 46-21-260; 2010 Act No. 238, Section 1, eff. upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature on June 8, 2010).