2011 Maine Revised Statutes
TITLE 7: AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS
Chapter 103: PRODUCTS CONTROLLED
7 §993. Definitions

Part 2: MARKETING, GRADING AND LABELING

Subchapter 10: POTATOES

§993. Definitions

As used in sections 991 to 994, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [RR 1999, c. 2, §9 (COR).]

1. Committee.

[ 1999, c. 668, §69 (RP) .]

2. Consumer pack. "Consumer pack" means a unit of less than 50 pounds new weight of potatoes contained in a bag, crate or any other type of container.

3. District. "District" means each one of the geographical divisions of the production area established as follows:

A. District No. 1. Township 11, Range 8, Townships 11, 12, 13 and 14, Range 7, Township 14, Range 6, Townships 14, 15, 16, Range 5, Townships 16, 17, Range 4, Township 17, Range 3, the Towns of Van Buren, Cyr, Connor, Caswell, Hamlin and all towns and townships north and west thereof in Aroostook County;

B. District No. 2. All the towns and townships in Aroostook County not included in Districts Nos. 1 and 3;

C. District No. 3. Mount Chase Plantation, Stacyville Plantation, the Town of Patten and Township 2, Range 6, in Penobscot County, and Township 8, Range 5, Township 8, Range 4, Township 8, Range 3, Township C, Range 2, the Town of Monticello and all the towns and townships south thereof in Aroostook County;

D. District No. 4. All the remaining counties, towns and townships in the State not included in Districts 1, 2 and 3.

4. Export. "Export" means shipment of potatoes beyond the boundaries of continental United States.

5. Fiscal year. "Fiscal year" means the period beginning July 1st of each year and ending June 30th of the following year.

6. Grade. "Grade" means one of the officially established grades of potatoes and "size" means any one of the officially established sizes of potatoes, as defined and set forth in:

A. The United States Standards for Potatoes issued by the Department of Agriculture on September 10, 1941, effective June 1, 1942 (12 F. R. 3651), or amendments thereto, or modifications thereof, or variations based thereon;

B. United States Consumer Standards for Potatoes as issued by the United States Department of Agriculture on November 3, 1947, effective December 8, 1947 (12 F. R. 7281), or amendments thereto, or modifications thereof, or variations based thereon;

C. State of Maine Standards for Potatoes issued by the commissioner in accordance with section 951. [1979, c. 541, Pt. A, §62 (AMD).]

[ 1979, c. 541, Pt. A, §62 (AMD) .]

7. Handler. "Handler" is synonymous with shipper and means any person, except a common or contract carrier of potatoes owned by another person, who ships potatoes in fresh form or packs or prepares potatoes for market.

8. Person. "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, legal representative or any organized group or business unit.

9. Potatoes. "Potatoes" means all Irish potatoes grown within the State which retain the same physical form as possessed when harvested. The effects of the following operations shall not be considered as changing the physical form possessed by potatoes when harvested: Washing with or without chemicals; drying for the removal of surface moisture; slicing or cutting for seed purposes only; precooling, preheating, ventilating, humidifying or otherwise controlling atmospheric conditions in storage; treating with chemical formulations for sprout inhibition; waxing, packaging or otherwise preparing potatoes for marketing in what is generally considered to be fresh form.

[ 1971, c. 600, §1 (AMD) .]

10. Potatoes prepared for market. "Potatoes prepared for market" means and includes all potatoes packed in containers and intended for delivery or in transit or exposed for sale or in the process of delivery or in transit or located at a depot, station, boat dock or any place where potatoes are held in storage or for immediate or future sale or transit.

11. Producer. "Producer" means any person engaged in the production of potatoes for market.

12. Seed potatoes. "Seed potatoes" means and includes all potatoes officially certified and tagged, marked or otherwise appropriately identified, under the supervision of the official seed potato certifying agency of the State.

13. Ship or handle. "Ship" or "handle" means to transport, sell or in any other way to pack or prepare potatoes for market.

14. Table stock potatoes. "Table stock potatoes" means and includes all potatoes not included within the definition of "seed potatoes".

15. Varieties. "Varieties" means and includes all classifications or subdivisions of Irish potatoes according to those definitive characteristics now or hereafter recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture.

16. Wholesale pack. "Wholesale pack" means a unit of 50 pounds net weight or more of potatoes contained in a bag, crate or any other type of container.

SECTION HISTORY

1965, c. 513, §9 (AMD). 1971, c. 600, §1 (AMD). 1979, c. 541, §§A61,A62 (AMD). 1981, c. 154, §§2,3 (RP). 1981, c. 513, §11 (AMD). RR 1999, c. 2, §9 (COR). 1999, c. 668, §69 (AMD).