The Agricultural Commissioner, in collaboration with CDFA, enforces laws to maintain standards of quality for certain agricultural commodities. The goals of standardization are to assure consumers that they are purchasing commodities at a level of acceptable quality, to protect and promote agricultural industries of California, and to remove from the channels of trade agricultural commodities that do not comply with minimum standards. California standardization laws establish minimum standards for maturity, quality, size, standard container and pack, and container markings. For a list of laws and regulations regarding Standardization and Container Requirements, please visit Codes: Code Search (ca.gov)

For a current of Assessment Rates and the CDFA Standardization Program, please visit:
Current Commodity List (ca.gov) and CDFA - IS - I&C - Standardization (ca.gov)

Produce Inspection Program

The Monterey County Commodity Inspection List includes artichokes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and leaf lettuce, farm stands/retail markets, flea market vendors, salad products/food service items, and wholesale dealers.

Commodity Standardization Inspections:
State law requires that agricultural products are packed and shipped in standardized containers with labels containing appropriate producer information.

Monterey County, in contract with CDFA, conducts inspections of field packing operations for quality, size, maturity and standard container requirements.

Container Marking requirements: Identity, Responsibility and Quantity (IRQ). IRQ markings are required to be on the container; the Identity of the specific commodity, the name and address of the company that is Responsible for producing the commodity, and the Quantity of the commodity that is packed in the container (IRQ).

County Ordinance requires that all retail establishments, restaurants, flea markets and roadside vendors that sell agricultural products must be inspected and provide proof of purchase of the commodities they sell. This aids in consumer protection and helps to prevent the theft of valuable agricultural commodities.