Case Information
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
ult within the Citw8 11 333, cbaptrr 330 &datum, R~gulaar Sm8aien, fmwi hia own ttaer. ‘wit a uR4.r zwtoral qlarmtlne atlen that ha was truW- it to ccwglU8 chrltat% 'Pour, ulthln Eo o*aurd a Certklratr of ?4atur- ; grove lroa whioh tha fruit was at+- Tha Ortruer im pues- ve bean hensated. ooaply with f%o. e CJf I&u** 9111 683, Regular Sooston of 43ml Iagislatar~, which ra-plllw perDon@ oiiarlng 8oamBroial WaRti- uas, within the area ties of oitrue for ‘shipmnt’ af'feotod by the Act ts gf.90 *Uw and tinzrly BotfOO Of thr of ohipaunt Fo or&or that M fIupWtor RUIY bo inepwtlan.' Ths protl(L& to mike th* neoeo8 Grower Ln question further "f fa to caslply with led Coaal~rlonsr'r ReyZp?4on Yuabar Twelro of th* Ruh8 ta aarklng an8 peeking an8 Regulations rolatla~ ehlp:aat .
Department of Agrloulturo, Pago B
"It 18 tko oxHxd.lon ot the Grower that Seotlon FifteOn of the itot, oaptloned *Sale without Grading By Crower P8raitted,~ rmllave8 him of tlio neo- eamlty of oompllanoa with either ttm lnmpeotlon of the AOt, or the marking mqulre- reQuireaunt nont or tho Regulation.
"PrOeumln$that, a8 in the abaro ln~tanoe, a grower of oltrur plok8 fruit fma hia own govo in Oommrolal quantltlo8 a8 deilnod by hot, paOk tho 8-a in hi8 om oontalnora, oom- plleO rlth quarantine and maturity roqulromontu in all partlaulara transport8 maid irult in hl8 own truck to market, you ara rospeotiully r'a- quoetod to advlso uo a8 to tho followIn&: "1. AT0 inspootion Seotlon nquirementr
Eight of tho Act applioablo tho stat&punt of iaotu oboro 8ot out, ii aarkot destination 18 within tho oltrua area7
"2. Pn8uaing that tho markat dertlnation is beyond the boundary of tho Citrus Area, would tho InspeOtlOn roqUlremBnt8 OS Section Eight of tho got bo enforooable? "S. Are the marlrlnq ropulromontu of Regulation
*,~f:; molvm applloabla in the lastanoo8 net out
‘4. ProsUng that the iaOt8 with rolatlon to tho onner8hlp. eto. o? the rrult ln question are as above tatod, than, and In that wont, oould grower hlro any parron act au hi8 agot in tho traneportatlon of Bin fruit to market, rlthfn Or without tha oltruir area as bOilnOd la the Act?
-5. I rould like also to know if tho CoBml8rionor of Ap~oult0.m hae authority to atop trariio for the Oprolrlo purpose of dotarmlningl whethor or not tho oltrus lnspeotlon law haa bean oompllod with." 7, 8, 9, 10 lb, of Artlol.0 llBa, Ber- sootion non's Annotated Civil Statutr8, Act8 1935, Forty-third Mat- page BW, Chapter lB0 a8 amonded, AOtU l@BB, ialature, Pago $55, Ohaptor ES5 road aa fo~OW6: Forty-fourth Leglalaturo. *3 Department Or Agrioultun, Pago 3
“seo. 7. Nhoaover any grades or olaaelfi-
oatlooa and standards for oltrua fruit become
OffOOtiYO under this Aot, no Pormn thereafter shall paok salr, offer for aalo, oonaign for male, or Sdl, Uoept as provldod in this .%ot, any euoh de- aorlbed oitrua fruit grown within the State of Tezaa, to whloh auoh gradoa or olaasfifoatiom atandardo aro applloablo unlosa suoh oltrua frulta oonfora wlth auoh gradas or olaaaffioatlons and atandard8.* “Sea. 8. It ahell bo the duty of over7 person, firm, oorporatlon, aaaoofatlon, or othor orgonltatlon affootti by this AOt to give duo and tlmaly notlo.
the ConrPrLaaioner, his agents, inqeotora and employees am to the tine and plaoa or loading of oitrua frulta Subjaot t0 the pr0rl8io~a of this AOt, or to report t0 fho iaapeotlon station nearest the point of load- ing. The tarma *to ship', 'ahlppor,~ and *ahlpaent* a8 noted in this shell apply the transportation of oltrua frult by an autonmbile, truok, trailer, or any other 1061010, a8 well as the transportation bl rail au&/or rator." '800. 9. Whenever grades Or OlaS~ifiO~tiO~S be-
oomo ffootive under this kot, it ahall bo uulawful DSSOOiatiOn or othm any poreon, flra, oorporatlon, or&mlrutton uhlp any oltroa frulto to whloh a&oh gradaa olasalfloatlona are applloable (uorpt am provided In Seotlon 18 heroof) unless auoh oltrua frulta hrre first been bf a duly authorized lnapootor inapaoted who shall laaua a oortirioato of inapmotlon ahOwing grade, or other ola8alfloatlon thereof and ilalO88 Such fruit be paoked in aoatalnsra approved by tho OOm- aad in aoh Oontainor daaioaar of &rloulture must be unlformlf ~leed.~
livered to the shipper.
a&es thl# Aot shall aosopted in my Court Of thl* state aa prim faoie ovldenoo of the true -do Qr olpaslfloationa such crltrua fruit tit *be time of lnspeotlon."
DepartMmt of kgrloulture, Page 4
“8e0. 16. lo Provision of this hot shall be oonetruod to proront a mower of oltrue rruita wft:thin Fha area affeotad br this #at tram aolling or dollyer- b& tho Baabe unimokad and unmarked, or selling his OroD in bulk, or any Dart thereof, or to a paokar far gradinE. Daokln8 or 8torago within maid area. Nor l hall,any Pr ovision of this dot Drevant a IBVWOr or paoker fkoi Purnufaoturlng tha aaie into ani by-product or from aolling tha l auio ,Mpaoked or unmarked to any person actually au&aged In the oporatlon of a aomwo~- olal by-produota faotory for the solo and express pur- pose of being uaod In the aald area for the nanufao- tura of a br-produat for resale. Tha terms of this Aot shall not be appliad to any number of oontalnarr loam than mix (a), euoh a number la regarded am non- aomamrolal not aubjeot to provlalona this Aot.' (Undsraoorln(g OUrS)
Ragulatton No. 12 tha Qomwlaalonar of Agrloolturo reads am follow8:
(I REOULATXOX X0. 12. No handler shall paok or ship any ~apefruit unless said
la wicod au follow8t
my lot of fruit balow t&a requlreaentr of U.":: Ho. 9 arado 8hal.l be olaatily Indelibly brandad, stamped or printed with the word *cuU' on tho rind Of eaoh fruit la lattar8 uot 1888 than thraS- lshtha (3/B) of an laoh high. nnj lot of fruit bolow tho roqulrrsontr
"b. of u. 2. No. 2 Orade of Cla8ai.flaatlon of this grab, but aeating the roquiremntr of U. EL limo. S Grad0 shall be olearly an6 indellbl~ braMod, stamped or printed with words 'THIRD QtZADB* on tho rind of aoh fruit- in lettera not leas than three-aiXtOanth8 (S/16) of an lnoh high.
"0. my lot of fruit branded, atampod or prlnt- 'Third &ado* of 1CWLL9 a8 roqulred in this ng- *a, ulatlon,ahall slww no other mark.
“4. my ‘lot of fruit whloh shows at laaat aevaaty- five (7s) per cent of the fruit in lndivldual oontaln- ore clearly tuark8d aooordlng to the above deaignatlona shall ba damed as amplying with those regulations.
In order to allow for variation8 Incident to
roper grading ad handling, not mars than ten 10%) per cent by oouht of the in any eon- tainer may be below the pewentoge required
be clearly marked, provided the lot aa a whale
averagea seventy-five (73%) per cent or more.”
Seotion 7, of Article llBa, provides that cltrua fruit shall not sold, offered or oonslgned for sale un- leee It contorme to the applicable grades or standard6 and olaoaIrioetIons. The purpose 0r mctlon 7 la to faollltats by makin& It the duty of tery pereon to give due impeotion end timely notice the gomissioner of Agriculture as to the time end place or the loading oitru6 rruit r0r ehip- mnt In order that seotlon 9 my be more readily ooiaplled with.
ror any person to ship oltrue rrult without the prerequlaite Seotfxt [9] or the AHfcl6 1188 make6 it unlawful inspsutlon to determine (1) the grade or other ola5sirIoatIon or the rat; and (2) whether the rat is uniroraixy aIzeQ, und packed la oontalaem a proved by the CoarmiO6lOmr of owever, i6 a 1Imitatloa upon seo- Agriculture. 8wtioa lb, ii tlon 9 ana related seotlons 7 8.
AS provided In Seotioa 18, a genii;:",- aitrus area map sell or Qelivor his fm
marked, In bulk, or partly In bulk, to anyone, within the area, or to a paoker Sor grading, 8torage or poking, ulth- In the area. mm a careful study or them provlelona or the
Act it is cur opinion- you 4re advised that insorar as the rlret salt2 or delivery by a grower Is ooncerfted, whether it be to a packer or to shyone else, wIthIn the olttie ~weo, the grower so such sale or xlalftery may be oon~umma~ e . bokm2 th0 rat. leete, rlthout gxadlng, OiS846irybg or PI Inaoter as euoh sale or dolivery~le conoerned
euently, nelther seotions 7. 8. or 9 Art1010 ii.88 nor Rogul6tlon u? al.11 apply. - - A d.i :rerent remit might follow ii eu(lslple,
the grower elected olarsify or grade the iruit and suoh rat were ZTXZTF Qelltered a8 rdt a oertala olaesl- tioation or grade. A8 me undPrr8tand faotr, hawaver, we are dealing with e eituation where grower hea eleoted
515 mpartment 0r Agriculture, Page 6
to take a5rentage of action 15 by Belling cr dullvering his own fNit without grading or paoking it. This he may do, and It followe thnt your questione 1 and 3 must be answered in the negative, ineofer as ralea within the oItNs area 6re ooncerned.
Insofar mv sales to be oogeunnnnted wtsidm the citrus area me aoncerneb. we believe the Inspection re he- mente of Ssotlone 7, 8 and 9 are applIaable. seation 3 r pr3videe no exoeptlon b mch instanoes.
For alarfty we repsat seat&x 15: "140 provlalon ot this shall be con- strued to prewmt 4 grower of citrus fruits within the area affected by this hot rrom ~11~ jng or delIverfng the eeme unpnoked and un- marked, or selling his arop in bulk, or any art thereof, or to 6 paoker ror grading, aolc- ng or storage within said area. Her rhal P any provieian of this AOt prevent 4 grower or gaoker rr05 manurecturlng the same into any bj- product from selling the same unpncksd or un- marked to any person aotually engaged in tha opQr4tion of 4 oomercial b:-produot.9 rectory rorthe sole and express puxpow or :etng used in said area tar the manufaature or a by- product ror resale. The terms of this Aats hall not be ep lied to any number of containers lean than six s B), such 4 number la regard.& a~ no&i- oommwrclal and not subjeot to provisloize oi thin Act** (Undsreooring oura)
In order to mbtu8ts purpoesa the aat, we must Interpret the last phrase, *rIthin9a&fiarsaL a8 quali- fying the entire sentenoc and not merely th e clause of nhloh it Is a part. The purporse of the Xot was undoubt~mlly~to pm- rent the peddling of inftdor Sruit as bruit of' a superior guelity on an uneuspeoting publicI to inhence reegeqt Texas eltrus fruit in the eyes of the musket. If sale or delivery O? oftrus rrult my be made Sp the grower without inspection only to parsono within the cltrue area, then an Insi>4ctIon of thot fruit must be obtained at some tiir6 ~11- der the Act before It leaves the area& wherea@,, if the Act *7 &mpeTtment Of A@CUltYe, EC@J
WSTB intsrprstsd to pcsmiit ime eale or delivery by the enyons without the area, the gromer without inapectfcn whole purgose of tha Aot would be trustrated insofar aa growcsrs hmdllng their ow fruit was conaerued. Y:e believe the Somer intorprstatlon mm oonsonant with tha Leglsla- five intent. :gestion 2 is acoordingly anawersd in the affirmative, and queetion 3 in the airirmltive insofar as sales beyond the citrus araa are concerned.
Insofar a6 queotlon No. 4 is oonaernad we have found nothing that would prohibit a grower, under the facts ds6aribed in your letter, who electsto take adoantaKe OS Ssction 15, from hirlne any person to aot as hi6 agent in tranagortation hi6 fruit market within or with- out the cltru6 Wm. Seation 17, of couraa, makes it duty o: all carriere to see that any Ehipmant of Is aooompanied by a duly issued oertificate oi inspaotion in aams where mCh fnepeotlon is neoeeeary.
Your fin61 question (Ho. 3) is a general one aa to l2m authority o? the Commlisaioner of Agrlaultum to halt traifio for the speaiflc purpoa Uatarmlniug whether the inspection provisions of the Citrus harketing ham b*en We have caref'ullp emun~ned the Act and hrre complied with.
baen able to find no suoh authority.
Wails motion E: provide6 t&t in6psotion of all citrus fruitt shall be under the dlreatim of the Oonmissioner Section 8 naked It the duty of all personr of Agriculture, limotar au fruit subject to inspection IS conasmmad) to zve due notioe of the tlrne and plaoe ot loading ior rhipmmt '3 n order that au Lmpaatlon nal bo there obtained. In addi- tion, motion 17 mAtsa Lt unlawful, any shipper, tarward- ing oorapeny, private, aoatraot, or oomoa carrier to ship, transport or acoept for ahlploeat any oltrua fxuit lWqulred unlepig nocowpanisd by a duly I66ued orrtitlaet4 b8 inspected of lnsp%ction. ~owhsre in the kot is tha Consliesioner given authority to srra6t without warrant or conduct e sumnary asareh and seizure determine whether the iaspeotion repuira- @ants hsve been aotnplied with. Your flith question mumt ao- oordingly enewared in the mgative end to the srf*at that ths Comiissioner has no authority nuumarily to halt ljraffio.