Rhode Island § 2-6-4 - Rhode Island Seed Act

§ 2-6-4. Prohibitions.

(a) It is unlawful for any person to sell, offer for sale, expose for sale, or transport for sale any agricultural or vegetable seed within this state:

(1) Unless the test to determine the percentage of germination required by § 2-6-3 has been completed within a nine (9) month period exclusive of the calendar month in which the test was completed, immediately prior to sale, exposure for sale, or offering for sale or transportation, except that seeds packaged in hermetically-sealed containers under the conditions defined in rules and regulations promulgated under the provisions of this chapter may be sold, exposed for sale or offered for sale or transportation for a period of thirty-six (36) months after the last day of the month that the seeds were tested for germination prior to packaging. If seeds in hermetically-sealed containers are sold, exposed for sale, or offered for sale or transportation more than thirty-six (36) months after the last day of the month in which they were tested prior to packaging, they must have been retested for germination within the nine (9)-month period, exclusive of the calendar month in which the retest was completed, immediately prior to sale, exposure for sale, or offering for sale or transportation;

(2) Not labeled in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or having a false or misleading labeling;

(3) Pertaining to which there has been false or misleading advertisement;

(4) Consisting of or containing prohibited noxious weed seeds, subject to recognized tolerances;

(5) Consisting of or containing restricted noxious weed seeds per pound in excess of the number prescribed by rules and regulations promulgated under this chapter, or in excess of the number declared on the label attached to the container of the seed or associated with the seed;

(6) Containing more than two and one-half percent (2½%) by weight of all weed seeds;

(7) If any labeling, advertising, or other representations subject to this chapter represents the seed to be certified or registered seed unless:

(i) It has been determined by a seed certifying agency that the seed was produced, processed, and packaged, and conforms to standards of purity as to kind or variety, in compliance with rules and regulations of the agency pertaining to the seed; and

(ii) The seed bears an official label issued for the seed by a seed certifying agency stating that the seed is certified or registered.

(b) It is unlawful for any person within this state:

(1) To detach, alter, deface, or destroy any label provided for in this chapter or the rules and regulations made and promulgated under this chapter, or to alter or substitute seed in a manner that may defeat the purpose of this chapter;

(2) To disseminate any false or misleading advertisements concerning agricultural or vegetable seeds in any manner or by any means;

(3) To hinder or obstruct in any way, any authorized person in the performance of his or her duties under this chapter;

(4) To fail to comply with a “stop sale” order or to move or otherwise handle or dispose of any lot of seed held under a “stop sale” order or tags attached to the lot of seed, except with the express permission of the director and for the purpose specified by the director.

(5) To use the word “trace” as a substitute for any statement which is required.

(6) To use the word “type” in any labeling in connection with the name of any agricultural seed variety.