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<section article="gag" article_name="Agriculture" number="2-103.1" title_number="2" title_name="Department of Agriculture" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Organization, Powers and Authority of Department -- in General">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The Secretary may establish a farm quarantine and issue appropriate orders necessary to control or restrict the use of farmland, crops, livestock, poultry, or a farm product existing on a farm that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Has been exposed to or contaminated by a radiological or chemical toxic material or agent; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Is infected or infested with a disease, pest, or pathogen.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Before establishing a quarantine for a farm, the Secretary shall consult with the Governor, the Secretary of Health, and the Secretary of the Environment on issues of human health and the environment.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Before a quarantine or order issued under this section takes effect, the Secretary shall give reasonable notice of the quarantine or order:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>In a newspaper of general circulation in the quarantine area;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Through television or radio serving the quarantine area;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>By circulating notices or posting signs at conspicuous places in the quarantine area; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>By notifying each landowner, tenant, or animal owner of the quarantine or order.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Secretary shall establish procedures to allow a landowner, tenant, or animal owner to request the amendment, rescission, or termination of a quarantine or order issued under this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A request to amend, rescind, or terminate a quarantine or order issued under this section may not suspend a quarantine or order of the Secretary.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>For the purpose of controlling or restricting the use of farmland, crops, livestock, poultry, or farm products as provided by this section, the Secretary may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Quarantine a farm area of the State known or reasonably believed to contain a farm product, crops, livestock, poultry, or farmland in an infected, infested, or contaminated condition;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Regulate the movement, distribution, sale, or transportation of a crop, livestock, poultry, or farm product when it is reasonably likely to transfer infestation, infection, or contamination;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Regulate or prohibit the on–farm grazing of livestock and poultry, slaughter and processing of livestock and poultry, packing of eggs, and harvesting or planting of a crop in a quarantined area when the Secretary determines that the action may prevent, limit, control, or eradicate any threat;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Direct as part of a quarantine order for a quarantined farm area, treatments or decontamination;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Enter private land that is part of a farm operation to inspect, sample, or test soil or crops, livestock, poultry, or a farm product on a farm; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Direct the treatment, stop–sale, detention, condemnation, seizure, or destruction of any crop, livestock, poultry, or farm product when the Secretary knows or reasonably believes that the action is necessary to control, retard, or eradicate a threat on a farm.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>A person may not resist the application of a quarantine or order of the Secretary.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>A person may not conceal the fact that a farm has been exposed to or contaminated by any radiological or chemical agent or toxic material or has been infected or infested with any disease, pest, or pathogen.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>Any farm quarantine or order by the Secretary under this section may provide for:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The imposition of a civil penalty not exceeding $10,000 for each violation; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The method and conditions of collecting the civil penalty.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Secretary may bring an action for an injunction against a person violating the provisions of this section, or violating a valid order or farm quarantine issued by the Secretary.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In an action for an injunction brought under this section, a finding of the Secretary after a hearing shall be prima facie evidence of each fact found.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>On a showing by the Secretary that a person is violating or is about to violate the provisions of this section or is violating or is about to violate any valid order or quarantine issued by the Secretary, an injunction shall be granted without the necessity of showing a lack of adequate remedy at law.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>In circumstances of an emergency creating conditions of imminent danger to agriculture, public health and safety, or the environment, the Secretary may institute an action for an immediate injunction to halt any activity causing the danger.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>An injunction instituted under this section shall be issued without bond.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>The Secretary may order any sheriff, deputy sheriff, or other law enforcement officer of the State or of any county to provide information or assist in the execution or enforcement of any farm quarantine or order of the Secretary.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit any authority of the Secretary of the Environment under § 8–105 of the Environment Article.</text>
  </level>
</section>
