OAR 603-054-0040: Intent

Civil penalties encourage compliance with plant protection and marketing regulatory requirements. The intent of this civil penalty regulation is to implement the authority provided by the Oregon Legislature in order to protect Oregon’s natural resources and enhance the marketing of our agricultural products. Communication is an important first step in reaching the Department of Agriculture’s goal of educating the public and industry into compliance with its regulatory requirements. Occasionally, however, the violation is so obvious and threatening that stronger measures are appropriate in the first instance. Enforcement serves as an important, though usually secondary, educational tool.