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HomeFood and Agricultural CodeDiv. 17Ch. 10§ 46020 Organic Product Sales Violations

§ 46020 Organic Product Sales Violations

Food and Agricultural Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 46020 Organic Product Sales Violations

Key Takeaways

  • •You can't sell, advertise, or label a product as something it's not.
  • •If you're a store or seller and you sell something as 'organic' because the maker said it was, you won't get in trouble unless you knew it wasn't organic or you helped make it.
  • •If you're the one who made or changed the product, you can't lie about what it is.

Example

A grocery store sells apples with a label that says 'organic' because the farmer told them the apples were organic.

The store won't get in trouble if they really believed the farmer. But if the store knew the apples weren't organic, or if they grew the apples themselves and lied, they could get in trouble.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 46020 Organic Product Sales Violations

(a) It is unlawful for a person to sell, offer for sale, advertise, or label any product in violation of this act. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a person engaged in business as a handler, distributor, or retailer of food who in good faith sells, offers for sale, labels, or advertises any product in reliance on the representations of a producer, processor, or other distributor that the product may be sold as organic, shall not be found to violate this act unless the handler, distributor, or retailer either: (1) Knew or should have known that the product could not be sold as organic. (2) Was engaged in producing or processing the product. (3) Prescribed or specified the manner in which the product was produced or processed. (Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 456, Sec. 11. (SB 1117) Effective January 1, 2025.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

unlawfulselloffer for saleadvertiselabelorganichandlerdistributorretailergood faithproducerprocessor

Related Statutes

  • § 46013 Late Fee Penalty Rules
  • § 34622 Milk Container Return Requirements
  • § 65012 Beef And Cattle Definitions
  • § 22003 Producer Cattle Slaughter Transport
  • § 34568 Milk Case Return Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 46020.
View Official Source