The Florida Senate

601.48  Grading processed citrus products.--

(1)  All processed citrus products for which grade standards may be established, if sold, shipped, or offered for sale or shipment, except as provided in s. 601.50, shall be inspected for grade in a registered processing plant, and shall be graded according to standards established by the Department of Citrus, and the grade of such processed citrus products shall be designated on the immediate container thereof in such manner as the Department of Citrus may by rule prescribe.

(2)  If such processed citrus products meet the requirements of the two highest grades as established by the Department of Citrus or, at the option of the processor, the two highest grades established by the United States Department of Agriculture, the processor shall have the privilege, in lieu of the grade declaration requirements of subsection (1), of using labels, brands, or trademarks properly registered with the Department of Citrus, as provided in subsection (3), to represent state or U.S. grades.

(3)  In accordance with such rules as the Department of Citrus may prescribe, licensed citrus fruit dealers in this state shall be entitled to register labels, brands, or trademarks for grade identification purposes. The department shall maintain a record of all labels, brands, and trademarks registered for grade identification purposes, which record may be purged as necessary.

(4)  The grade labeling requirements of this section shall not apply to intrastate shipments of processed citrus products between licensed citrus fruit dealers who are operators of processing plants duly registered under s. 601.40.

History.--s. 48, ch. 25149, 1949; s. 1, ch. 71-78; s. 22, ch. 71-186; s. 1, ch. 77-5.