(1) This section applies to tropical or subtropical fruit. “Tropical or subtropical fruit” means avocados, bananas, calamondins, carambolas, guavas, kumquats, limes, longans, loquats, lychees, mameys, mangoes, papayas, passion fruit, sapodillas, and fruit that must be grown in tropical or semitropical regions, except citrus fruit as defined in s. 601.03.

(2) Every purchaser of more than one bushel or crate of tropical or semitropical fruit at the point of growth shall obtain a sales certificate from the grower who shall prepare and furnish such certificates. The sales certificate shall accompany the fruit from the point of growth to the final processor or wholesaler who will offer for retail sale and such processor or wholesaler shall keep the sales certificate for inspection upon request by a peace officer for 1 year from date of purchase.

(3) The sales certificate shall indicate the name, address and telephone number of the grower from whom the fruit was purchased; the species, variety and amount purchased; and for the purchaser and each subsequent purchaser, her or his name, address and telephone number, date of purchase and driver license number; if the fruit is transported by other than the owner, the name of the transporting company and the make, type and license number of the vehicle transporting the fruit. The grower shall keep a copy of the sales certificate for 1 year from date of the purchase. The Commissioner of Agriculture, according to requirements of this section, shall prescribe the form of sales certificates.

(4) All firms or individuals transporting fruit for handlers, packinghouses or processors shall obtain a work order from the dispatcher of the named organizations which must remain in the possession of the driver to the point of pickup and thereafter with the fruit until delivered. The form of the work order shall be prescribed by the Commissioner of Agriculture and shall indicate the name of firm or individual transporting fruit, date, grove destination, time for pickup, truck number, number of crates, variety of fruit, name of packinghouse or other place where fruit is to be delivered, driver’s name, driver license number and the name of the truck dispatcher.

(5) Violation of the provisions of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

History.—ss. 1, 2, ch. 67-494; s. 830, ch. 71-136; s. 3, ch. 72-252; s. 990, ch. 97-103; s. 2, ch. 98-123; s. 76, ch. 2012-182.

Note.—Former s. 811.271.