# Agriculture (GAG) ## Title 1. Definitions; General Provisions ### Subtitle 1. Definitions #### Section 1-101 (a) In this article the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) "Any state" means any state, possession or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (c) "County" means every county of the State and Baltimore City, unless otherwise indicated. (d) "Department" means the State Department of Agriculture. (e) "Intrastate commerce" means commerce wholly within the State. (f) "Livestock" means living or dead cattle, equines, goats, sheep, or swine, unless otherwise provided. (g) "Person" includes the State, any county, municipal corporation or other political subdivision of the State, or any of their units, or an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, executor, administrator, fiduciary, or representative of any kind, or any partnership, firm, association, public or private corporation, or any other entity, unless otherwise provided. (h) "Poultry" means any living or dead domesticated bird. (i) "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary's designee. ### Subtitle 1A. Agricultural Mediation Program #### Section 1-1A-01 (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) "Agricultural mediation" means a voluntary process in which a mediator helps private parties or government agencies resolve agriculturally related disputes in a confidential and nonadversarial setting. (c) "Mediator" means an impartial person who is trained to help people find mutually acceptable solutions to shared problems and has no power to impose a solution. #### Section 1-1A-02 (a) The Secretary may establish a federally certified State agricultural mediation program in the Department. (b) The purpose of the program is to provide eligible persons and government agencies with a voluntary and low-cost process to settle agriculturally related disputes. #### Section 1-1A-03 (a) The Secretary may: (1) Establish qualifications for a person requesting agricultural mediation services from the Department; (2) Establish qualifications for an individual applying to serve as a mediator in the State agricultural mediation program; (3) Contract with any qualified individual to provide mediation services for qualified mediation applicants; and (4) Receive grants for purposes of defraying the costs of the State agricultural mediation program. (b) The Secretary may adopt regulations to: (1) Meet the requirements of the United States Department of Agriculture for establishing a federally certified State agricultural mediation program; and (2) Implement the provisions of this subtitle. #### Section 1-1A-04 Except for purposes of meeting the reporting requirements of the United States Department of Agriculture for a federally certified State agricultural mediation program, the Department shall maintain the confidentiality of all mediation records. ### Subtitle 2. General Provisions #### Section 1-201 Before a license or permit may be issued under this article to an employer to engage in an activity in which the employer may employ a covered employee, as defined in Sec. 9-101 of the Labor and Employment Article, the employer shall file with the issuing authority: (1) A certificate of compliance with the Maryland Workers' Compensation Act; or (2) The number of a workers' compensation insurance policy or binder. ### Subtitle 3. Consignment of Farm Products #### Section 1-301 (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) "Carrier" includes a transportation agent. (c) (1) "Consignee" means a person selling farm products on commission. (2) "Consignee" includes an agent, factor, and commission merchant. #### Section 1-302 (a) A consignee of a farm product of a person in the State shall require the purchaser of the farm product to deposit with the consignee at the time of sale the full market value, as determined by the consignee, of each container used to hold and transport the farm product. (b) If the purchaser returns the container to the consignee within 5 days in the same condition as the purchaser originally received it, the consignee shall refund the deposit to the purchaser. (c) If the purchaser fails to return the container to the consignee within 5 days, the purchaser forfeits the right to the return of the deposit and the consignee shall pay the deposit to the owner of the container at the next settlement of accounts. #### Section 1-303 (a) If the purchaser returns the container to the consignee: (1) The consignee shall deliver the container within 48 hours to the carrier that delivered the container to the place of sale; and (2) The consignee shall obtain a receipt for the container from the carrier. (b) After the consignee delivers the container to the carrier: (1) The consignee shall have no further responsibility for the container; and (2) The carrier shall be responsible to the owner for the full value of the container until it has been returned to the point at which it was received from the owner. #### Section 1-304 (a) A consignee who fails to comply with Sec. 1-302(a) or Sec. 1-303(a) of this subtitle shall pay to the owner the full market value of the container with and in addition to the price of the farm product in the container. (b) A consignee who violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine of $5 for each violation and court costs. #### Section 1-305 (a) After a sale of a farm product consigned for sale by a person in this State to a person engaged in the business of selling goods on consignment, the consignee shall transmit to the consignor within 24 hours after the sale a full account of the sale, including: (1) The amount and price of the goods sold; and (2) The name and address of the purchaser, including the house or business number, street, and city. (b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine of $5 for each violation, and court costs. #### Section 1-306 The penalties under Title 12 of this article do not apply to this subtitle. --- Md. Code Ann., Agric. (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)