(1) Any dealer in agricultural products violating the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall for the first offense be fined not less than one thousand dollars or, in the case of individuals, the members of a partnership, and the responsible officers and agents of an association or corporation, imprisoned not exceeding six months, and for a second or subsequent offense shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not less than three thousand dollars or imprisoned not exceeding one year, or both in the discretion of the court.
(2) In addition to the remedies provided in this chapter and notwithstanding the existence of any adequate remedy at law, the Commissioner is hereby authorized to make application for injunction to a circuit court and such circuit court shall have jurisdiction upon hearing and for cause shown to grant a temporary or permanent injunction, or both, restraining any person from violating or continuing to violate any of the provisions of this chapter, or any rule or regulation, such injunction to be issued without bond.
(3) The Commissioner may, by issuing his order, place any licensee who violates any provision of the chapter or any unlicensed person found to have been dealing in agricultural products on probation or levy a civil fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or both. All monies received as civil fines shall be remitted to the State Treasurer to be credited to the Grain Producers Guaranty Fund established by Article 2 of this chapter. When the fund reaches six million dollars such civil fines shall be remitted to the general fund of the State. The licensee may appeal the levy of the civil fines to the circuit court of the county in which the alleged unlawful activity was performed.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 3-767; 1967 (55) 349; 1981 Act No. 156 Section 27; 2000 Act No. 381, Part II, Section 2(C), eff June 14, 2000.