(a) When a shipment of produce is covered by a federal or federal-state inspection certificate, indicating compliance with the grade or quality stipulated in the contract or purchase order submitted to the vendor by the purchasing department, and the management of the institution receiving the produce concludes that the produce fails to meet the standard or quality stipulated in the purchase order, enforcing officers of the fruit and vegetable standards of the California Administrative Code should not enter into any controversy between the state agencies, the vendor and the inspection agency. If enforcing officers are contacted concerning such a controversy, they should advise the State Purchasing Department or state institution representatives to contact the inspecting agency.

(b) When inspection of produce at a state institution by an enforcing officer indicates that the products probably fail to meet the grade as marked on the container, as certified to by the federal or federal-state inspection agency, or without such certification, interpretation of the grade terms, as applied to the given commodity by the inspection agency, shall be considered as final. In controversies of this kind, if any should arise, the enforcement officers shall immediately contact representatives of the inspection agency in order to obtain guidance in the interpretation of grades. The federal and federal-state inspection agencies have indicated that they will be glad to cooperate whenever it is at all possible to do so.

(c) When inspection of produce being delivered to state institutions reveals the fact that the products fail to meet the minimum standards in the Food and Agricultural and California Administrative Codes, then rejection and proper action shall be taken in accordance with the facts independent of the federal or federal-state inspection and certification.