Section 700.50  Division of Agricultural Industry Regulation

a)         The Division of Agricultural Industry Regulation is separated into two bureaus:

1)         The Bureau of Agricultural Products Inspection provides regulation and consumer protection pertaining to animal feeds, fertilizers, soil amendments, seeds, and anhydrous ammonia products.  The Bureau maintains registrations of products and facilities associated with these agricultural products.  Required labeling information is reviewed for each product to assure that guarantees and product identity are truthfully labeled for the consumer.  Samples for these products are obtained by inspectors from various sources and analyzed to assure that stated guarantees are met.  The Bureau contains a chemistry laboratory and a seed laboratory which provide laboratory support to the Bureau's activities. The chemistry laboratory analyzes samples of products to assure that legal requirements are maintained and that guarantees to the consumer are correct. The seed laboratory conducts tests on official seed samples submitted by field staff and performs consumer service seed testing for the public.

2)         The Bureau of Warehouses licenses and regulates grain dealers, grain warehousemen, personal property warehousemen, agricultural cooperatives and speciality farm product buyers.   The Bureau's duties include protecting consumers, which include farmers, bankers, urban landlords, and the United States Department of Agriculture who store grain in warehouses or who sell grain to grain dealers in the normal course of business.  The Illinois Grain Insurance fund offers protection to consumers who have grain stored in warehouses equal to 100% of the value of the grain.  In the event that consumers have sold grain to grain dealers and have not received payment, the Illinois Grain Insurance fund affords coverage equal to 85% up to a maximum of $100,000 to individual claimants.  The Personal Property Warehouse Act requires the Department to license and regulate warehousemen who store personal property for hire.  These warehouses include household goods warehouses and commercial distribution warehouses.  The bulk of these warehouses are in the Chicago metropolitan area.  The Speciality Farm Product buyers Act is aided at identifying the specialty farm product buyers.  The Bureau performs grain warehouse and grain dealer examinations under a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture.

b)         Addresses and phone numbers for the Division of Agricultural Industry Regulation:

1)         Superintendent, Division of Agricultural Industry Regulation, Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Building, State Fairgrounds, Post Office Box 19281, Springfield, 62794-9281; Phone 217/782-3629.

2)         Bureau of Agricultural Products Inspection; Phone 217/782-3817.

3)         Bureau of Warehouses; Phone 217/782-2895.

(Source:  Amended at 16 Ill. Reg. 3893 effective February 28, 1992)