Fla. Stat. 601.54
Seizure of unwholesome fruit by Department of Agriculture’s agents

(1)

The Department of Agriculture or its duly authorized inspectors shall seize and destroy all citrus fruit found by the Department of Agriculture or inspectors to be unwholesome or decomposed so that it is unfit for canning or concentrating purposes as defined by law or by any rule adopted by the Department of Citrus under this chapter, and in the event any inspector finds that any canner or concentrator is canning or concentrating fruit prohibited to be used, she or he may seize and destroy not only such fresh fruit found in the canning or concentrating plant but also citrus fruit or juice in the process of being canned or concentrated or that has been canned or concentrated from the same lot or shipment wherein the fresh fruit is found by such inspector to be subject to seizure under this section.

(2)

Whenever any inspector finds citrus fruit in the canning or concentrating plant which should be destroyed under the provisions of this law, the operator, manager, or other person in charge of the canning or concentrating plant shall make known to the inspector the code number or other manner of identifying any fruit or the canned or concentrated products thereof that has been canned or concentrated from the same lot or shipment wherein is found the said fruit subject to be seized.

Source: Section 601.54 — Seizure of unwholesome fruit by Department of Agriculture’s agents, https://www.­flsenate.­gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0601.­54 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).

601.01
Short title 601.02
Purposes 601.03
Definitions 601.04
Florida Citrus Commission 601.05
Department of Citrus a body corporate 601.06
Compensation and expenses of commission members 601.07
Location of executive offices 601.08
Authenticated copies of commission records as evidence 601.09
Citrus districts 601.10
Powers of the Department of Citrus 601.11
Department of Citrus 601.13
Citrus research 601.15
Advertising campaign 601.24
Department of Citrus to prescribe methods of testing and grading 601.25
Determination of soluble solids and acid 601.27
Department of Agriculture 601.28
Inspection fees 601.29
Powers of Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 601.31
Citrus inspectors 601.32
Compensation of inspectors 601.33
Interference with inspectors 601.34
Duties of law enforcement officers 601.35
Disputes as to quality, etc. 601.36
Inspection information required when two or more lots of fruit run simultaneously 601.37
Unlawful acts of inspectors 601.38
Citrus inspectors 601.39
Special inspectors 601.40
Registration of citrus packinghouses, processing plants with Department of Agriculture 601.41
Operation without registration unlawful 601.041
The Friends of Florida Citrus Program 601.42
Revocation of registration 601.43
Immature and unfit citrus fruit 601.44
Destruction of immature fruit 601.45
Grading of fresh citrus fruit 601.045
Commission meetings 601.46
Condition precedent to sale of citrus fruit 601.47
Condition precedent to processing citrus 601.48
Grading processed citrus products 601.49
Condition precedent to selling processed citrus products 601.50
Exemptions 601.51
Certification required for shipment of citrus fruit or products 601.52
Carriers not to accept fruit without evidence of payment of assessments and fees 601.53
Unlawful to process unwholesome citrus 601.54
Seizure of unwholesome fruit by Department of Agriculture’s agents 601.55
Citrus fruit dealer 601.56
Application for dealers’ licenses 601.57
Examination of application 601.58
Application approval or disapproval 601.59
Dealer’s license fee 601.60
Issuance of dealers’ licenses 601.61
Bond requirements of citrus fruit dealers 601.64
Citrus fruit dealers 601.65
Liability of citrus fruit dealers 601.66
Complaints of violations by citrus fruit dealers 601.67
Disciplinary action by Department of Agriculture against citrus fruit dealers 601.68
Investigation of violations 601.69
Records to be kept by citrus fruit dealers 601.70
Inspection of records by Department of Agriculture 601.72
Penalties for violations 601.73
Additional methods of enforcement 601.74
Fees for licensing and analysis of processing materials 601.79
To color grapefruit and tangerines prohibited 601.80
Unlawful to use uncertified coloring matter 601.85
Standard shipping box for fresh fruit 601.86
Standard field boxes for fresh citrus fruit 601.88
Oversized boxes to be stamped 601.89
Citrus fruit 601.91
Unlawful to sell, transport, prepare, receive, or deliver freeze-damaged citrus 601.091
Florida SunRidge, Indian River, and Gulf production areas, boundaries and designation 601.92
Use of arsenic in connection with citrus 601.93
Sale of citrus containing arsenic 601.94
Fruit containing arsenic 601.95
Seizure of citrus fruit containing arsenic 601.96
Seized fruit 601.97
Destruction of certain fruit containing arsenic 601.98
Shipment, sale, or offer of imported citrus fruit or citrus products 601.99
Unlawful to misbrand wrappers or packages containing citrus fruit 601.101
Ownership of rights under patent and trademark laws developed or acquired under this chapter 601.111
Maturity standards 601.152
Special marketing orders 601.155
Equalizing assessment 601.281
Road guard fees 601.461
Falsification of weights 601.471
Definition of “canned or concentrated citrus fruit products” expanded 601.501
Charitable shipments exempt from assessments 601.601
Registration of dealers’ agents 601.611
Applicable law in event ch. 61-389 held invalid 601.641
Fraudulent representations, penalties 601.671
Appropriation of fines collected 601.701
Penalty for failure to keep records 601.731
Transporting citrus on highways 601.992
Collection of dues and other payments on behalf of certain nonprofit corporations engaged in market news and grower education 601.9901
Certificates of inspection 601.9902
Payment of salaries and expenses 601.9903
Annual report of Department of Citrus 601.9904
Frozen citrus juices 601.9908
Canned tangerine juice 601.9910
Legislative findings of fact 601.9911
Fruit may be sold or transported direct from producer 601.9912
Penalties 601.9918
Rules related to issuance and use of symbols 601.99035
Annual travel report of Department of Citrus 601.99036
Approval of specified salary changes

Current through Fall 2025

§ 601.54. Seizure of unwholesome fruit by Dept. of Agric.’s agents's source at flsenate​.gov