Fla. Stat. 601.67
Disciplinary action by Department of Agriculture against citrus fruit dealers

(1)

The Department of Agriculture may impose an administrative fine in the Class IV category pursuant to s. 570.971 not to exceed $50,000 for each violation against a licensed citrus fruit dealer who violates this chapter and, in lieu of or in addition to such fine, may revoke or suspend the license of such a dealer when it has been satisfactorily shown that such dealer, in her or his activities as a citrus fruit dealer, has:Obtained a license by means of fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment;Violated or aided or abetted in the violation of any law of this state governing or applicable to citrus fruit dealers or any lawful rules of the Department of Citrus;Been guilty of a crime against the laws of this or any other state or government involving moral turpitude or dishonest dealing or has become legally incompetent to contract or be contracted with;Made, printed, published, distributed, or caused, authorized, or knowingly permitted the making, printing, publication, or distribution of false statements, descriptions, or promises of such a character as to reasonably induce a person to act to her or his damage or injury, if such citrus fruit dealer then knew, or by the exercise of reasonable care and inquiry could have known, of the falsity of such statements, descriptions, or promises;Knowingly committed or been a party to any material fraud, misrepresentation, concealment, conspiracy, collusion, trick, scheme, or device whereby another person lawfully relying upon the word, representation, or conduct of the citrus fruit dealer has acted to her or his injury or damage;Committed any act or conduct of the same or different character than that enumerated which constitutes fraudulent or dishonest dealing; orViolated ss. 506.19-506.28.

(a)

Obtained a license by means of fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment;

(b)

Violated or aided or abetted in the violation of any law of this state governing or applicable to citrus fruit dealers or any lawful rules of the Department of Citrus;

(c)

Been guilty of a crime against the laws of this or any other state or government involving moral turpitude or dishonest dealing or has become legally incompetent to contract or be contracted with;

(d)

Made, printed, published, distributed, or caused, authorized, or knowingly permitted the making, printing, publication, or distribution of false statements, descriptions, or promises of such a character as to reasonably induce a person to act to her or his damage or injury, if such citrus fruit dealer then knew, or by the exercise of reasonable care and inquiry could have known, of the falsity of such statements, descriptions, or promises;

(e)

Knowingly committed or been a party to any material fraud, misrepresentation, concealment, conspiracy, collusion, trick, scheme, or device whereby another person lawfully relying upon the word, representation, or conduct of the citrus fruit dealer has acted to her or his injury or damage;

(f)

Committed any act or conduct of the same or different character than that enumerated which constitutes fraudulent or dishonest dealing; or

(g)

Violated ss. 506.19-506.28.

(2)

The Department of Agriculture may impose an administrative fine in the Class IV category pursuant to s. 570.971 not to exceed $100,000 for each violation against a person who operates as a citrus fruit dealer without a current citrus fruit dealer license issued by the Department of Agriculture pursuant to s. 601.60. In addition, the Department of Agriculture may order such person to cease and desist operating as a citrus fruit dealer without a license. An administrative order entered by the Department of Agriculture under this subsection may be enforced pursuant to s. 601.73.

(3)

The Department of Agriculture shall impose an administrative fine in the Class IV category pursuant to s. 570.971 not to exceed $100,000 for each violation against a licensed citrus fruit dealer and shall suspend, for 60 days during the first available period between September 1 and May 31, the license of a citrus fruit dealer who:Falsely labels or otherwise misrepresents that a fresh citrus fruit was grown in a specific production area specified in s. 601.091; orKnowingly, falsely labels or otherwise misrepresents that a processed citrus fruit product was prepared solely with citrus fruit grown in a specific production area specified in s. 601.091.

(a)

Falsely labels or otherwise misrepresents that a fresh citrus fruit was grown in a specific production area specified in s. 601.091; or

(b)

Knowingly, falsely labels or otherwise misrepresents that a processed citrus fruit product was prepared solely with citrus fruit grown in a specific production area specified in s. 601.091.

(4)

A fine imposed pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (3), when paid, shall be deposited by the Department of Agriculture into its General Inspection Trust Fund.

(5)

Whenever an administrative order has been made and entered by the Department of Agriculture that imposes a fine pursuant to this section, such order shall specify a time limit for payment of the fine, not exceeding 15 days. The failure of the citrus fruit dealer to pay the fine within that time shall result in the immediate suspension of such citrus fruit dealer’s current license, or any subsequently issued license, until the order has been fully satisfied. An order suspending a citrus fruit dealer’s license shall include a provision that the suspension shall be for a specified period not to exceed 60 days, and such period of suspension may begin at any designated date within the current license period or subsequent license period. Whenever an order has been entered that suspends a citrus fruit dealer’s license for a definite period and that license, by law, expires during the period of suspension, the suspension order shall continue automatically and shall be effective against any subsequent citrus fruit dealer license issued to such dealer until the entire period of suspension has elapsed. Whenever any such administrative order of the Department of Agriculture is sought to be reviewed by the offending dealer involved in a court of competent jurisdiction, if such court proceedings should finally terminate in such administrative order being upheld or not quashed, such order shall, upon the filing with the Department of Agriculture of a certified copy of the mandate or other order of the last court having to do with the matter in the judicial process, become immediately effective and shall then be carried out and enforced notwithstanding such time will be during a new and subsequent shipping season from that during which the administrative order was first originally entered by the Department of Agriculture.

Source: Section 601.67 — Disciplinary action by Department of Agriculture against citrus fruit dealers, https://www.­flsenate.­gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0601.­67 (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

§ 601.67. Disciplinary action by Dept. of Agric. against citrus fruit dealers's source at flsenate​.gov