34-234. Withholding grain from storage; notice; penalty for refusal to comply. (a) If an owner or consignee of grain is dissatisfied with the inspection or grade of any lot of grain or for any reason wants to receive the owner's or consignee's grain without its passing into store, the owner or consignee may have the grain withheld from going into the public warehouse (whether or not the grain has previously been consigned to the public warehouse) by giving notice to the person or entity possessing the grain at the time of giving the notice. The grain shall be withheld from going into store and be delivered to the owner or consignee subject only to those proper charges that are a lien upon the grain before the notice is given. If the grain is in railroad cars, it shall be removed by the owner or consignor within 24 hours after the notice is given to the railroad company having the grain in its possession, and the railroad company shall place the grain in a proper and convenient place for unloading.

(b) Notice that grain is not to be delivered into storage may also be given to the proprietor of any public warehouse to which it would otherwise have been delivered, and after notice is given, the warehouse shall not take the grain into storage.

(c) If, after notice is given as provided in this section, the person or entity in possession of grain refuses to allow the owner or consignee to have the grain or the warehouse takes the grain into storage, the person, entity or proprietor of the warehouse is guilty of a class C misdemeanor and shall be liable to the owner or consignee of the grain for damages for conversion.

History: L. 1931, ch. 194, § 12; L. 1970, ch. 156, § 2; L. 1983, ch. 135, § 8; July 1.