Section 10-4-5. Powers and duties of Commissioner; annual reports; adoption of rules and regulations

   (a) It shall be the duty of the Commissioner to foster and promote in every possible way good warehousing practices so as to afford proper storage of agricultural products; to enforce with vigilance this article; to promulgate such rules and regulations having the force and effect of law as will effectuate the purposes of this article.

(b) The Commissioner shall, on or before January 1, prepare and submit to the Governor and the General Assembly a report covering all the activities of the Commissioner for the preceding year which shall, among other things, show the number of licenses issued, the number of warehouse examinations made on application for license, and the number of examinations of warehouses to ascertain whether their operation, condition, and business are in compliance with this article and the rules and regulations promulgated under this article. The report shall account for all fees collected and money expended and shall indicate the fiscal needs for administration of this article for the succeeding year. The report may be printed by the Commissioner and distributed to any persons, organizations, and public officials as may be interested.

(c) The Commissioner is authorized to investigate the storage and weighing of agricultural products; at any time, to examine or cause to be examined all warehouses under this article and all agricultural products stored therein; to determine whether such warehouses are suitable for the proper storage of the agricultural product or products stored or proposed to be stored therein; and to classify such warehouses in accordance with their ownership, location, surroundings, capacity, conditions, and other qualities, and as to the kinds of licenses issued or that may be issued for them pursuant to this article.

(d) The Commissioner may make such rules and regulations as are necessary or appropriate governing the operation of warehouses under this article with respect to their receipt, care, and delivery of and responsibility for agricultural products received at such warehouses for storage; the issuance, cancellation, division, and consolidation of receipts and other matters relative to the management of the business of such warehouses; and such other rules and regulations as are necessary or appropriate to carry out this article, to the end that any farmer or producer or storer of agricultural commodities may be assured that agricultural products stored by him are maintained in as nearly the same status as practicable according to the grade, standard, and condition as when stored.

Ga. L. 1953, Nov.-Dec. Sess., p. 412, §§ 3, 25; Ga. L. 1989, p. 14, § 10.