The Commissioner of Agriculture is granted the authority to promulgate rules and regulations concerning the operations of the department and such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out and enforce the duties and responsibilities imposed upon him by law, according to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) § 2-2-7. Additionally, the Georgia Food Act (O.C.G.A. Title 26, Chapter 2) empowers the Commissioner to promulgate regulations for the efficient enforcement of the article. The Commissioner is authorized to make the regulations promulgated under this article conform, insofar as practicable, with those promulgated under the federal act (Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act), in § 26-2-34.
Basic Regulatory Requirements for Licensing Food Manufacturing/Processing Firms
Basic Regulatory Requirements for Retail Food Establishments
The Georgia Department of Agriculture's rules and regulations Chapter 40, Section 7 specifically deals with the manufacture and sale of food. Chapter 40, Section 7 contains the following sub-sections:
40-7-1 Retail Food Sales
40-7-2 Additional Regulations Applicable To Salvageable Foods and Single Service Items
40-7-4 Additional Regulations Applicable to Crab Meat Plants
40-7-5 Additional Regulations Applicable to Retail Sale of Fresh and Frozen Seafood, Meat, Poultry and Other Foods from Mobile Vehicles
40-7-6 Additional Regulations Applicable to Commercially Bottled Water and Water Vending Machines
40-7-7 Additional Regulations Applicable to Pecans
40-7-8 Additional Regulations Applicable to Vidalia Onions
40-7-9 Additional Regulations Applicable to Manufacturers, Distributors, and Bottlers of Bottled Soft Drinks and Soft Drink Syrups
40-7-10 Additional Regulations Applicable to Nuts
40-7-11 Additional Regulations Applicable to the Sale of Meat by Weight and Food Service Contracts
40-7-12 The Handling, Storage, Shucking, Packing, Shipping and-or Sale of Shellfish
40-7-13 Additional Regulations Applicable to the Grading and Sales of Citrus Fruit
40-7-17 Additional Regulations Applicable to Organic
40-7-18 Manufactured Food Regulations - **Effective as of 9/16/2019.
40-7-19 Cottage Food Regulations
40-7-20 Produce Safety Regulations
Additional regulations for specific commodity and products include the following:
Basic Regulatory Requirements for Licensing Honey Producers
Basic Regulatory Requirements for Licensing a Small Egg Producer
Georgia Egg Law and Supporting Regulations
Wholesale Seafood Law