SECTION 31A. Disposition of corn stubble; destruction; postponement

In any town or part thereof in which an order issued under section thirty-one in connection with the suppression of the European corn borer shall be in effect, every person in possession of land on which corn of any kind has been grown shall, except as hereinafter provided, not later than December first of the year of its growth, plow or cause to be plowed the field in which it was grown, so as to bury the stubble to a depth of at least six inches, or pull up said stubble or cause it to be pulled up and destroy it, or cause it to be destroyed, by burning, and every person having in his possession corn stalks shall, not later than April tenth of the year following that of their growth, completely dispose of such corn stalks by using them as fodder or by burning them. Whenever it shall be determined by the director that such plowing or burning would be detrimental to soil conservation or to the production of food or feed crops, he may issue an order or permit which shall authorize postponement of such plowing or burning, or shall authorize replanting without plowing, under such conditions not inconsistent with the purpose of this section as he may specify. Such an order or permit may be issued to apply to an individual field, to a farm, or to a geographical or political unit. Whoever violates any provision of this section or any order or permit issued hereunder shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five nor more than five hundred dollars.