Maine Revised Statutes Title 7. Agriculture and Animals § 490. Sampling and analysis of seed, commercial feed, commercial fertilizer and food

1. Right of entry. For the purposes of administering and enforcing this subchapter, the commissioner and agents authorized by the commissioner have rights of access, ingress and egress at reasonable hours to any place or building where seeds, commercial feed, commercial fertilizer or food is sold or offered for sale or where those items are stored, manufactured or transported prior to sale or being offered for sale.

2. Taking of samples. For the purposes of administering and enforcing this subchapter, the commissioner and agents authorized by the commissioner may open any case, package or other container of seeds, commercial feed, commercial fertilizer or food. Upon receipt of a written request for payment, the commissioner shall pay the fair market value of any samples taken and retained or destroyed.

3. Analysis and disclosure of test results. The commissioner may submit a sample obtained for the purposes of enforcing this subchapter to a public or private laboratory for analysis. The commissioner shall make available to the public the results of such an analysis, including the name of the person from whom the sample was obtained, the name of the manufacturer of the sample and additional information that the commissioner believes is advisable.

4. Issuance of certificate. A certificate stating the results of an analysis performed in accordance with this section and signed by the director of the laboratory performing the analysis is presumptive evidence of the facts stated in the certificate.