The department may make rules, subject to chapter 91:
(1) Defining grades and grade labeling requirements of agricultural commodities and standard containers for packing of particular agricultural commodities;(2) Prohibiting the sale, offering for sale, or transportation of agricultural commodities unless packed in standard containers and labeled with the appropriate grade or offgrade designation; provided that this prohibition shall not apply to the sale, offering for sale, or transportation to a plant for grading, packing, or processing, or transportation to a warehouse for storage;(3) Prohibiting the use of grade terms or abbreviations of grade terms on agricultural commodities for which no grades have been established under this part;(4) Defining "suitable shipping condition" for agricultural commodities which are to be shipped for sale from one island to another within the State or to points outside the State, and prohibiting such shipment for sale of agricultural commodities which do not meet the minimum standards set for "suitable shipping condition";(5) Prescribing records to be kept in connection with purchases of agricultural commodities by persons, other than produce dealers purchasing from a producer or producers, for purposes of resale five or more tons of agricultural commodities during any one calendar month;(6) Prescribing records to be kept by produce dealers in connection with the purchase, sale, transport for sale, solicitation, or negotiation of sale with respect to an agricultural commodity; and(7) Relating to the inspection and documentation of the geographic origin of Hawaii-grown green coffee beans. In making the rules the department shall take into account, among other things, the factors of maturity, condition, soundness, color, shape, size, and freedom from defects of the agricultural commodity in question and shall also take into consideration the official standards, grades or classifications adopted by the secretary of the Department of Agriculture of the United States, commonly known as U.S. Grades.
Amended by L 2012, c 328, § 3, eff. 7/11/2012.L 1945, c 252, §4; RL 1955, § 22-4; am L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §22; am L 1961, c 132, §2; am L 1965, c 73, §4; HRS § 147-4; am L 1991, c 134, §1 Measurement standards, see chapter 486, pt V. Rulemaking procedure, see chapter 91.