New York Consolidated Laws, Agriculture and Markets Law - AGM § 56-a. Taking of composite sample; record of tests

Corporations, associations or persons buying milk and/or cream from producers of milk and/or cream to be paid for on the basis of the percentage of a component or components of such milk or cream and taking samples therefrom to form a composite sample to be tested periodically to determine its value on such basis, shall, at the request of the producer, or of his agent designated in writing, take such samples in duplicate and subject them to the same treatment. At the end of the period for which the composite samples were taken, such corporation, association or person shall tender same to the producer thereof, or to his authorized agent, and give such producer, or his authorized agent, the choice of one of the two composite samples so taken. Such producer, or his authorized agent, may send such duplicate composite sample, properly marked for identification of the component or components upon which payment or settlement for the milk is based and with the producer's name and post office address, to the New York State food laboratory of the department within three days from the receipt thereof. Such laboratory shall cause such sample to be tested for the per centum of such component or components contained therein, and shall cause a report of such test to be sent to the producer or to his authorized agent, from whom it was received within ten days thereof, or as soon thereafter as possible. Persons testing composite samples of milk and/or cream taken from milk or cream bought or received from producers, where the value thereof is determined by the percentage of a component or components contained in such milk or cream, shall preserve intact the remaining portion of the sample from which the test was made, and in the case of milk keep the same for at least ten days and in the case of cream keep the same for at least one day after the making of such test, for the purpose of permitting the commissioner or his duly authorized representative to examine and test the same. Whenever a producer shall designate in writing his authorized agent, the period for which such authorization shall be in effect shall be stated and the time or times when such duplicate composite sample or samples shall be tendered to the authorized agent. The corporation, association or person buying such milk and/or cream shall permit the authorized agent to collect the samples so chosen.

Persons making such tests of samples of milk and/or cream so purchased or received shall, immediately after such tests are completed, prepare a list containing the names or numbers of the producers whose milk and/or cream was so tested, and place opposite each such producer's name or number the percentage of each component or components, upon which payment or settlement is based, found to have been contained in the sample of milk and/or cream representing the milk and/or cream delivered by each such producer. Such lists so prepared shall be made with indelible pencil or permanent ink and shall be filed in the plant or place where such milk and/or cream is bought or received, and each such list shall be duly signed by the person making such tests and preparing such lists, and such person shall place beneath his signature the number of the state license under which he is testing.

All such lists shall be kept as a record for at least one year and shall be open to examination at all times by the commissioner or his duly authorized representative. At any time, upon request of any producer, or his authorized agent, the purchaser or receiver of such milk and/or cream shall permit such producer to examine such part of said record as contains information concerning the samples of milk and/or cream representing the milk and/or cream delivered by such producer. Every such purchaser or receiver of milk and/or cream from the producer thereof shall, on written request therefor, made by the producer or by his authorized agent, mail or deliver to the producer or his authorized agent, at each time thereafter when such list is made a written statement of the percentage of the component or components, upon which payment or settlement was based, found to have been contained in the sample or samples representing the milk and/or cream delivered by such producer.

Without the written permission of the commissioner, no sample of milk and/or cream so tested by the purchaser or his representative shall be tested at a plant or place other than the one where received, nor without such permission shall any such sample of milk be removed from any such plant or place where tested within ten days from the date of testing, nor shall any such sample of cream be removed therefrom within one day from such date of testing.