1. A person injured by the breach of an obligation of a warehouse operator, for the performance of which a bond on agricultural products other than bulk grain, a deficiency bond, or an irrevocable letter of credit has been given under any of the provisions of this chapter, may sue on the bond on agricultural products other than bulk grain, deficiency bond, or irrevocable letter of credit in the person’s own name in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover any damages the person has sustained by reason of the breach.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 203C.14

  • Bond: means a bond issued by a surety company or an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a financial institution. See Iowa Code 203C.1
  • Bulk grain: shall mean grain which is not contained in sacks. See Iowa Code 203C.1
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Department: means the department of agriculture and land stewardship. See Iowa Code 203C.1
  • Fund: means the grain depositors and sellers indemnity fund created in section 203D. See Iowa Code 203D.1
  • Grain: means the same as defined in section 203. See Iowa Code 203C.1
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • License: means a license issued under this chapter. See Iowa Code 203C.1
  • Licensee: means a licensed grain dealer or licensed warehouse operator. See Iowa Code 203D.1
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Person: means the same as defined in section 4. See Iowa Code 203C.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Warehouse: shall mean any building, structure, or other protected enclosure in this state used or usable for the storage of agricultural products. See Iowa Code 203C.1
  • Warehouse operator: means a person engaged in the business of operating or controlling a warehouse for the storing, shipping, handling or processing of agricultural products, but does not include an incidental warehouse operator. See Iowa Code 203C.1
  • week: means seven consecutive days. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. a. Upon the cessation of a warehouse operator’s license due to revocation, cancellation, or expiration, a claim against the warehouse operator arising under this chapter shall be made in writing with the warehouse operator, with the issuer of a bond on agricultural products other than bulk grain, a deficiency bond, or an irrevocable letter of credit, and, if the claim relates to bulk grain, with the department. The claim must be made within one hundred twenty days after the cessation of the license. The failure to make a timely claim relieves the issuer and, if the claim relates to bulk grain, the grain depositors and sellers indemnity fund provided in chapter 203D of all obligations to the claimant.

 b. Upon revocation of a warehouse license, the department shall cause notice of the revocation to be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in each of the counties in which the licensee maintains a business location and in a newspaper of general circulation within the state. The notice shall state the name and address of the warehouse operator and the effective date of revocation. The notice shall also state that any claims against the warehouse operator shall be made in writing and sent by ordinary mail to the warehouse operator, to the issuer of a bond on agricultural products other than bulk grain, deficiency bond, or an irrevocable letter of credit, and to the department within one hundred twenty days after revocation, and the notice shall state that the failure to make a timely claim does not relieve the warehouse operator from liability to the claimant.
 c. This subsection does not apply if a receiver is appointed as provided in this chapter pursuant to a petition which is filed by the department prior to the expiration of one hundred twenty days after cessation of warehouse operator’s license.