The department may inspect any nursery or other place or vehicle that might become infested or infected with plant pests or that may contain from time to time plants so infested or infected. The department may inspect or reinspect any nursery or florist stock within the state and inspect associated documentation. Nursery or florist stock or other plant material not found to meet viability standards as provided in Section 76-5-20 NMSA 1978 may be destroyed or removed from sale or managed in a manner deemed necessary by the department until the conditions are corrected.
History: 1953 Comp., § 45-8-24, enacted by Laws 1959, ch. 195, § 3; 1967, ch. 53, § 2; 1973, ch. 97, § 2; 2013, ch. 15, § 3.
The 2013 amendment, effective June 14, 2013, authorized the department of agriculture to inspect documentation associated with nursery and florist stock and to destroy or remove from sale nursery or florist stock that does not meet viability standards; in the second sentence, after "within the state", added "and inspect associated documentation"; and added the last sentence.
Purpose of this act is to insure that only disease-free nursery products are shipped into New Mexico. In order to accomplish this purpose there is a provision for the inspection of out-of-state nurseries to insure that such nursery is free from diseased plants and shrubs. The fee charged is merely for the purpose of providing means for the enforcement of the act and is not an unreasonable amount. 1956 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 56-6377 (rendered under former law).
Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 58 Am. Jur. 2d Occupations, Trades, and Professions §§ 1, 4, 63 to 66, 69, 70, 72, 87, 88, 90, 94, 97, 99, 113, 120, 122 to 126.
3 C.J.S. Agriculture § 90.
Structure New Mexico Statutes
Article 5 - Insect Pests and Plant Diseases
Section 76-5-3 - Purpose of act.
Section 76-5-4 - Definition; transfer.
Section 76-5-5 - Duties and powers of the board.
Section 76-5-6 - Land users' consent; control districts; local control committees.
Section 76-5-7 - Alternative method when disaster area declared.
Section 76-5-8 - Duties and powers of local control committees.
Section 76-5-9 - Special land user's assessment; enforced collection.
Section 76-5-10 - Disposition of assessments proceeds.
Section 76-5-11 - Short title.
Section 76-5-12 - Definitions.
Section 76-5-13 - Authority to inspect.
Section 76-5-14 - Inspection before sale.
Section 76-5-15 - Inspection of nurseries.
Section 76-5-16 - Dealers' or agents' licenses.
Section 76-5-20 - Viability standards.
Section 76-5-21 - Collected plants.
Section 76-5-23 - Transporting within the state.
Section 76-5-25 - Powers of board and department.