KRS 260.036: Agricultural products grading program.

(1) The Department of Agriculture may promote the sale of raw agricultural products

produced in the state by operating, maintaining, and administering a standard

grading program for evaluating raw agricultural products.

(2) The department may, after consultati on with the University of Kentucky College of

Agriculture and associations actively involved in promoting the sale of agricultural

products within the state, promulgate standards for grading, marking, weighing,

storing, transporting, and harvesting these a gricultural products. These standards

shall promote the sale of agricultural products by standardizing the quality and

quantity of the raw agricultural products produced by participants in the

department's standard grading program.

(3) The department may u ndertake appropriate measures to aid, encourage, foster, and

promote the sale, development, and improvement of raw agricultural products

produced in the state which have been graded by a department standard grading

program.

(4) The department may employ persons to carry out the provisions of this section.

(5) The department may administer the provisions of this section and adopt

administrative regulations to carry out the provisions of this section. The

department may conduct examinations, inspections, or h earings for the proper

administration of this standard grading program. All authorized hearings shall be

conducted in accordance with KRS Chapter 13B.

(6) The department may collect a reasonable fee for grading services provided to a

participant in the standard grading program. However, the fee shall not exceed thirty

dollars ($30) per sample graded by the department's employees. All fees collected

under the provisions of this section shall be credited to the department for use in

carrying out the standard grading program.