Tex. AGRIC Code § 111.001. GINNERS; PUBLIC USE.
A person who operates a gin in this state for ginning cotton for commercial purposes shall be known as a ginner and is charged with the public use.
GINNING AND COMPRESSING COTTON
Tex. AGRIC Code ch. 111
in effectTex. AGRIC Code § 111.002. GINNER'S RECORD.
Each ginner shall keep in a book a public record of all cotton brought to the ginner for ginning. The record shall show:
(1) the amount of cotton received;
(2) the date on which the cotton was received;
(3) the name of the person who brought the cotton to the gin; and
(4) the name of each person claiming to own the cotton.
Tex. AGRIC Code § 111.003. IDENTIFICATION OF BALES.
(a) Each ginner shall mark each bale of cotton with the following:
(1) "B____________", filling the blank with the number of the bale as shown on the books of the gin;
(2) the initials of each party who claims to own the cotton; and
(3) an individual ginner's mark.
(b) The ginner's mark under Subsection (a) of this section shall be placed under the initials of the parties claiming ownership.
Tex. AGRIC Code § 111.004. BALING.
(a) Each bale of cotton ginned by a ginner shall be wrapped so that:
(1) the bale will be completely covered when compressed and the ends of the bale are closed and well sewn; and
(2) the markings on the bale will remain intact and visible under ordinary conditions.
(b) In compressing, recompressing, baling, or rebaling cotton, each person owning, operating, or working for a compress in this state shall, prior to delivery of a bale to a common carrier, bind and tie the bale so that the bale is free of:
(1) dangerously exposed ends of bands or buckles; or
(2) dangerously exposed or protruding parts of ties, bands, buckles, or splices.
Tex. AGRIC Code § 111.005. LIABILITY FOR IMPROPER BALING.
(a) A person who delivers to a common carrier a bale of cotton that is not tied or bound as required by Section 111.004 (b) of this code shall forfeit to the state not less than $50 nor more than $250. A suit may be brought in the name of the state to recover that forfeiture.
(b) A person who receives for storage, loads for transportation, or transports in this state a bale that is not tied or bound as required by Section 111.004 (b) of this code is liable for damages to any of the person's employees who is injured in the course of employment by a dangerously exposed end of band or buckle or dangerously exposed or protruding part of a tie, band, buckle, or splice. The employer and not the employee has the duty to inspect the bales of cotton.
Tex. AGRIC Code § 111.007. PENALTIES.
(a) A person commits an offense if the person operates a cotton gin for himself or herself or for commercial purposes without complying with this chapter.
(b) A person commits an offense if, as a ginner, the person:
(1) fails, neglects, or refuses to keep a record in accordance with Section 111.002 of this code; or
(2) fails, neglects, or refuses to mark a bale of cotton with the initials of each party who claims to own the cotton and with the ginner's mark in the manner required by Section 111.003 of this code.
(c) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.