As used in this Chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings ascribed to them:

(1)  “Buyer in the ordinary course of business” means a person who, in the ordinary course of business, buys farm products from a person who is engaged in farming operations and who is in the business of selling farm products.

(2)  “Central registry” means the master index maintained by the secretary as provided by this Chapter, reflecting information contained in all effective financing statements, and statements evidencing assignments, amendments, extensions, and cancellations thereof.

(3)  “Commission merchant” means any person engaged in the business of receiving any farm product for sale, on commission, or for or on behalf of another person.

(4)  “Creditor” means any person who holds a security interest in a farm product.

(5)  “Debtor” means any person who owns or has an ownership interest in farm products which are subject to a security interest of creditors.

(6)  “Effective financing statement” means a written instrument which is an abstract of a security device and which complies with the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 3:3654(E).  An effective financing statement may also contain additional information sufficient to constitute a financing statement or other statement under Chapter 9 of Title 10 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.

(7)  “Encumbrance certificate” means a written document which lists all effective financing statements affecting a person which have been filed with the filing officer and containing the information required by this Chapter to be transmitted to the secretary for inclusion in the central registry on the date and at the time the certificate is issued and which complies with the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 3:3654(F).

(8)  “Farm product” means any type of crop whether growing or to be grown, and whether harvested or unharvested, or any species of livestock, or any type of agricultural commodity or product raised or cultivated of every type and description, including but not limited to cattle, hogs, sheep, horses, bees, rabbits, or poultry, and oysters, crabs, prawns, shrimp, alligators, turtles, and fish raised, produced, cultivated, harvested, or gathered on any beds of bodies of water, whether owned, leased, or licensed by the debtor, grains, beans, vegetables, grasses, legumes, melons, tobacco, cotton, flowers, shrubberies, plants and fruits, nuts and berries, and other similar products whether of trees or other sources, or if they are a product of such crop or livestock in its unmanufactured state, such as seed, ginned cotton, wool-clip, honey, syrup, meat, milk, eggs, and cut, harvested, or standing timber, or supplies used or produced in farming operations, and if they are in the possession, including civil possession as defined in Civil Code Articles 3421 and 3431, of a debtor engaged in planting, producing, raising, cultivating, harvesting, gathering, fattening, grazing, or other farming operations.

(9)  “Filing officer” means the clerk of court of any parish.

(10)  “Knows” or “knowledge” means actual knowledge.

(11)  “Office” means the office of the secretary of state of the state of Louisiana.

(12)  “Person” means any individual, partnership, corporation, trust, or other business entity.

(13)  “Secretary” means the secretary of state of the state of Louisiana, or his duly authorized agent.

(14)  “Secured party” means a creditor with a security interest in farm products.

(15)  “Security device” means a written security agreement that establishes a creditor’s security interest in farm products or any agricultural lien as defined in La. Rev. Stat. 10:9-102(a)(5) whether or not evidenced by a written instrument.

(16)  “Security interest” means an interest in or encumbrance upon farm products that secures payment or performance of an obligation.

(17)  “Selling agent” means any person, other than a commission merchant, who is engaged in the business of negotiating the sale and purchase of any farm products on behalf of a person engaged in farm operations.

Acts 1987, No. 451, §1, eff. Oct.  1, 1987; Acts 1989, No. 548, §1, eff. Aug. 22, 1989; Acts 1990, No. 123, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Acts 1991, No. 539, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 2001, No. 128, §2, eff. July 1, 2001; Acts 2010, No. 378, §1.