The commissioner may determine or design brands, labels or trademarks for identifying farm products, sardines and, subject to the additional conditions of this section, other natural resource products and commodities, packed in accordance with such official grades and standards established as provided by law and may furnish information to packers and shippers as to where those labels and trademarks may be obtained. A written application to the commissioner requesting permission to use brands, labels or trademarks, and a written acceptance by the commissioner or duly authorized assistants, shall be a condition precedent to the use of those brands, labels or trademarks. The right to use those brands, labels or trademarks may be suspended or revoked in a manner consistent with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act, Title 5, chapter 375, whenever it appears on investigation that they have been used to identify farm products, sardines or other natural resource products and commodities not in fact conforming to the grade indicated. [PL 1989, c. 670, §1 (AMD).] 1. Nonagricultural products. Before any natural resource product or commodity that is not a farm product is eligible to use a brand, label or trademark designed by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, a commissioner of any other department with regulatory authority, marketing or promotion responsibility or other authority for that product or commodity shall determine whether the use of the brand, label or trademark is in the best interests of packers and shippers of the product or commodity and shall request that the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry permit the use of the brand, label or trademark in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter. Grades and standards may be established by reference to marketing orders or to federal or state laws and regulations. Grades and standards may also be established through joint rulemaking by the appropriate department and the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. [PL 1989, c. 670, §1 (NEW); PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §§5, 6 (REV).] 2. Marine resource products. All marine resource products, as defined in Title 12, section 6001, except sardines, are excluded from the provisions of this subchapter except when the Commissioner of Marine Resources finds that a resource and its related industry would benefit by participation. [PL 1989, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
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