Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia Department 40 - RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Department 40 – Rules of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, as compiled in the Georgia Administrative Code:
📘 Overall Structure
Department 40 encompasses a broad range of divisions covering agriculture-related regulation. Major chapters include:
Chapter 40-1: Administration (Department structure, licensing procedures) agr.georgia.gov+12law.cornell.edu+12regulations.justia.com+12
Chapter 40-2: Milk & Milk Products
Chapter 40-3: Egg Inspection
Chapter 40-4: Entomology & Plant Industry
Chapter 40-5: Commercial Feed Stuffs
Chapter 40-6: Fertilizer
Chapter 40-7: Food Division Regulations (food safety, retail, processing, Vidalia onions, etc.) rules.sos.state.ga.us+2regulations.justia.com+2law.cornell.edu+2
Chapter 40-8: Farmers & Consumers Market Bulletin
Chapter 40-9: State Farmers’ Market
Chapter 40-10: Meat & Poultry Inspection
Chapter 40-11: Economic Poisons
Chapter 40-12: Seed Division
Chapter 40-13: Animal Health Division
Chapter 40-14: State Warehouse Division
Chapter 40-15: Weights & Measures
Chapter 40-16: Animal Industry Division
Chapters 40-17: Repealed
Chapter 40-18: Leaf Tobacco Sales
Chapter 40-19: Bedding
Chapter 40-20: Fuel Oil Inspection
Chapter 40-21: Pesticide Use & Application (includes groundwater protection) rules.sos.ga.gov+2regulations.justia.com+2law.cornell.edu+2rules.sos.ga.gov+1rules.sos.ga.gov+1
Chapter 40-22: Treated Timber Products
Chapter 40-23: Prevention of Ground & Surface Water Contamination agr.georgia.gov+15regulations.justia.com+15law.cornell.edu+15
Chapter 40-24: Boll Weevil Eradication
Chapter 40-25: Grain Dealers
Chapter 40-26: Agricultural Commodity Commissions rules.sos.state.ga.us+2law.cornell.edu+2regulations.justia.com+2rules.sos.state.ga.us+4regulations.justia.com+4regulations.justia.com+4
Chapter 40-27: Liming Materials
Chapter 40-28: Agricultural Tourist Attractions (e.g., Vidalia tourist signage) law.cornell.edu+1regulations.justia.com+1rules.sos.state.ga.us+3law.cornell.edu+3regulations.justia.com+3
Chapter 40-29: Georgia Agriculture Tax Exemption
Chapter 40-30: Dealers in Agricultural Products
Chapter 40-31: Soil Amendments
Chapter 40-32: Hemp and Hemp Products agr.georgia.gov+15regulations.justia.com+15law.cornell.edu+15
The Justia/ Cornell summaries reflect this structure and note that code updates are current through June 2025 regulations.justia.com+1regulations.justia.com+1.
⚙️ Select Chapter Highlights
Chapter 40-1 – Administration
Defines the Department’s mission: regulation, licensing, inspection, and enforcement of agricultural products rules.sos.state.ga.us.
Sets rules for license applications, including authority to suspend or deny for unpaid obligations, and requirements for out-of-state applicants rules.sos.state.ga.us.
Chapter 40-7 – Food Division
Includes retail food safety, physical facility standards (e.g., handwashing sinks) regulations.justia.com.
Covers specific topics like manufactured food processing (Rule 40-7-18) rules.sos.state.ga.us+9agr.georgia.gov+9agr.georgia.gov+9 and Vidalia onion handling (Rule 40-7-8) rules.sos.state.ga.us+1rules.sos.ga.gov+1.
Addresses produce safety in compliance with FSMA via Food Safety Modernization Act guidelines under Rule 40-7-20 rules.sos.ga.gov+15agr.georgia.gov+15agr.georgia.gov+15.
Chapter 40-21 & 40-23 – Pesticides & Water Protection
40‑21: Licensing for pesticide applicators and pesticide regulations .
40‑23: Rules for preventing contamination of groundwater and surface water agr.georgia.gov+9agr.georgia.gov+9regulations.justia.com+9.
Chapter 40-28 – Agricultural Tourist Attractions
Establishes the Department’s role in signage and coordination with GDOT for directional signs to agritourism sites law.cornell.edu+1rules.sos.state.ga.us+1.
📑 Administrative Updates
The rules are current as of June 11, 2025 rules.sos.ga.gov.
Quarterly publications track amendments and emergency rules (e.g., for plant pests, meat inspection) going back to the 1960s.
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