(a) The board of supervisors of a county with a mandatory inspection ordinance for any commodity may by county ordinance, in lieu of the certificate authorized by Sections 42791 and 42792, certify compliance of a product by means of a county certification stamp or device. The certification stamp or device shall be affixed to a bill of lading, invoice, or other document which shall bear the information required by Section 42792, and which shall accompany each lot or load during transportation.

(b) The commissioner may issue the county certification stamp or device, or may authorize its use by a grower, shipper, packer, or financially interested person. Any such person shall maintain records of shipments which shall inform when the stamp or device was used and the number of containers in each lot or load represented as being so certified. The records shall be presented upon demand of the commissioner, the commissioner’s representative, or any representative of the director.

(c) It shall be unlawful for any person who has been authorized to use a county certification stamp or device to do any of the following:

(1) Alter the stamp or device.

(2) Use the stamp or device to represent any lot or load of a product which is not in compliance with this division.

(3) Use the stamp or device in a manner other than provided in this section.

(d) The commissioner shall revoke or suspend the right of any person to use any certification stamp or device when that person violates any provision of this section.

(e) It shall be unlawful for any person whose right to use any certification stamp or device has been revoked or suspended to refuse to surrender to the commissioner, upon demand, any unused stamps or other device issued to that person.

(f) Any county ordinance authorized by this section shall conform with the provisions of this division and regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

(Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 379, Sec. 1.)