Authorized representatives of the department may enter, at reasonable hours, places of business where a licensee or license applicant maintains books, papers, accounts, records, or other documents related to the production, storage, processing, manufacturing, or sale of dairy products. The commissioner may subpoena, and the commissioner’s authorized representative may inspect, audit, and make copies of relevant books, papers, records, accounts, or other documents of persons doing business with licensees. Any information gained by the department or by the commissioner under this section is confidential and may be used only for the administration of this chapter. The department or the commissioner may divulge the information when testifying in any departmental administrative hearing, in a duly noticed proceeding before the milk marketing board, or in any court proceeding in which the department or the commissioner is a party. This chapter does not prevent the department or the commissioner from using the information to compile or disseminate general statistical data so long as the data does not reveal individual information for any licensee or license applicant.

The commissioner may subpoena and take the testimony under oath of persons believed by the commissioner to have information needed in administering and enforcing this chapter.