54-861. Violations; penalty; county attorney; duties; injunction; appeal; trade secret disclosure; penalty.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (6) of this section, any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of the Commercial Feed Act or any rules and regulations adopted and promulgated pursuant thereto or who shall impede, hinder, or otherwise prevent or attempt to prevent the director in the performance of his or her duty shall be guilty of a Class IV misdemeanor for the first violation and guilty of a Class II misdemeanor for any subsequent violation.

(2) Nothing in the Commercial Feed Act shall be construed as requiring the director to (a) report for prosecution, (b) institute seizure proceedings, or (c) issue a withdrawal-from-distribution order, as a result of minor violations of the act or when he or she believes the public interest will best be served by suitable notice of warning in writing.

(3) It shall be the duty of the county attorney of the county in which any violation occurs or is about to occur, when notified by the department of such violation or threatened violation, to pursue appropriate proceedings pursuant to subsection (1) or (4) of this section without delay. Before the director reports a violation, an opportunity shall be given the manufacturer or distributor to present his or her view to the director.

(4) In order to insure compliance with the Commercial Feed Act, the department may apply for a restraining order, a temporary or permanent injunction, or a mandatory injunction against any person violating or threatening to violate the act or the rules and regulations adopted and promulgated pursuant to such act. The district court of the county where the violation is occurring or is about to occur shall have jurisdiction to grant such relief upon good cause shown. Relief may be granted notwithstanding the existence of any other remedy at law and shall be granted without bond.

(5) Any person adversely affected by an act, order, or ruling made by the department pursuant to the Commercial Feed Act may appeal the act, order, or ruling, and the appeal shall be in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.

(6) Any person who uses to his or her own advantage or reveals to other than the director, representatives of the department, the Attorney General, other legal representatives of the state, or the courts when relevant in any judicial proceeding any information acquired under the authority of the Commercial Feed Act concerning any method, record, formulation, or process which as a trade secret is entitled to protection shall be guilty of a Class IV misdemeanor. The director shall not be prohibited from exchanging information of a regulatory nature with duly appointed officials of the federal government or other states who are similarly prohibited by law from revealing this information.

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