1. U.S. Code
  2. title 7
  3. chapter 26
  4. subchapter III
  5. § 608c

Collapse to view only § 608c. Orders

§ 608. Powers of Secretary
(1) Investigations; proclamation of findings
Whenever the Secretary of Agriculture has reason to believe that:
(a) The current average farm price for any basic agricultural commodity is less than the fair exchange value thereof, or the average farm price of such commodity is likely to be less than the fair exchange value thereof for the period in which the production of such commodity during the current or next succeeding marketing year is normally marketed, and
(b) The conditions of and factors relating to the production, marketing, and consumption of such commodity are such that the exercise of any one or more of the powers conferred upon the Secretary under subsections (2) and (3) of this section would tend to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter,
he shall cause an immediate investigation to be made to determine such facts. If, upon the basis of such investigation, the Secretary finds the existence of such facts, he shall proclaim such determination and shall exercise such one or more of the powers conferred upon him under subsections (2) and (3) of this section as he finds, upon the basis of an investigation, administratively practicable and best calculated to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter.
(2) Agreements for adjustment of acreage or production and for rental or benefit payments
Subject to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall provide, through agreements with producers or by other voluntary methods,
(a) For such adjustment in the acreage or in the production for market, or both, of any basic agricultural commodity, as he finds, upon the basis of the investigation made pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, will tend to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter, and to make such adjustment program practicable to operate and administer, and
(b) For rental or benefit payments in connection with such agreements or methods in such amounts as he finds, upon the basis of such investigation, to be fair and reasonable and best calculated to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter, and to make such program practicable to operate and administer, to be paid out of any moneys available for such payments or, subject to the consent of the producer, to be made in quantities of one or more basic agricultural commodities acquired by the Secretary pursuant to this chapter.
(3) Payments by Secretary
Subject to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall make payments, out of any moneys available for such payments, in such amounts as he finds, upon the basis of the investigation made pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, to be fair and reasonable and best calculated to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter:
(a) To remove from the normal channels of trade and commerce quantities of any basic agricultural commodity or product thereof;
(b) To expand domestic or foreign markets for any basic agricultural commodity or product thereof;
(c) In connection with the production of that part of any basic agricultural commodity which is required for domestic consumption.
(4) Additional investigation; suspension of exercise of powers
Whenever, during a period during which any of the powers conferred in subsection (2) or (3) is being exercised, the Secretary of Agriculture has reason to believe that, with respect to any basic agricultural commodity:
(a) The current average farm price for such commodity is not less than the fair exchange value thereof, and the average farm price for such commodity is not likely to be less than the fair exchange value thereof for the period in which the production of such commodity during the current or next succeeding marketing year is normally marketed, or
(b) The conditions of and factors relating to the production, marketing, and consumption of such commodity are such that none of the powers conferred in subsections (2) and (3), and no combination of such powers, would, if exercised, tend to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter,
he shall cause an immediate investigation to be made to determine such facts. If, upon the basis of such investigation, the Secretary finds the existence of such facts, he shall proclaim such determination, and shall not exercise any of such powers with respect to such commodity after the end of the marketing year current at the time when such proclamation is made and prior to a new proclamation under subsection (1) of this section, except insofar as the exercise of such power is necessary to carry out obligations of the Secretary assumed, prior to the date of such proclamation made pursuant to this subsection, in connection with the exercise of any of the powers conferred upon him under subsections (2) or (3) of this section.
(5) Hearings; notice
(6) Commodity in which payment made
(7) Additional payments to producers of sugar beets or sugarcane
(8) Pledge by rice producer for production credit of right to rental or benefit payments
(9) Advances of payments on stored nonperishable commodity
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 8, 48 Stat. 34; Apr. 7, 1934, ch. 103, § 7, 48 Stat. 528; May 9, 1934, ch. 263, § 14, 48 Stat. 676; Mar. 18, 1935, ch. 32, § 7, 49 Stat. 46; Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, §§ 2, 4–7, 49 Stat. 751, 753–762.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 608

§ 608–1. Omitted

CITE AS: 7 USC 608-1

§ 608a. Enforcement of chapter
(1) to (4) Omitted
(5) Forfeitures
(6) Jurisdiction of district courts
(7) Duties of United States attorneys; investigation of violations by Secretary; hearings
(8) Cumulative remedies
(9) “Person” defined
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 8a, as added May 9, 1934, ch. 263, § 4, 48 Stat. 672; amended Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, §§ 8–10, 49 Stat. 762; June 3, 1937, ch. 296, §§ 1, 2(c), 50 Stat. 246, 247; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 1, 62 Stat. 909; Pub. L. 87–128, title I, § 141(2), Aug. 8, 1961, 75 Stat. 304.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 608a

§ 608a–1. Repealed. Sept. 1, 1937, ch. 898, title V, § 510, 50 Stat. 916

CITE AS: 7 USC 608a-1

§ 608b. Marketing agreements; exemption from anti-trust laws; inspection requirements for handlers not subject to agreements
(a) In order to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter, the Secretary of Agriculture shall have the power, after due notice and opportunity for hearing, to enter into marketing agreements with processors, producers, associations of producers, and others engaged in the handling of any agricultural commodity or product thereof, only with respect to such handling as is in the current of interstate or foreign commerce or which directly burdens, obstructs, or affects, interstate or foreign commerce in such commodity or product thereof. The making of any such agreement shall not be held to be in violation of any of the antitrust laws of the United States, and any such agreement shall be deemed to be lawful: Provided, That no such agreement shall remain in force after the termination of this chapter.
(b)
(1) If an agreement with the Secretary is in effect with respect to peanuts pursuant to this section—
(A) all peanuts handled by persons who have not entered into such an agreement with the Secretary shall be subject to inspection to the same extent and manner as is required by such agreement;
(B) no such peanuts shall be sold or otherwise disposed of for human consumption if such peanuts fail to meet the quality requirements of such agreement; and
(C) any assessment (except with respect to any assessment for the indemnification of losses on rejected peanuts) imposed under the agreement shall—
(i) apply to peanut handlers (as defined by the Secretary) who have not entered into such an agreement with the Secretary in addition to those handlers who have entered into the agreement; and
(ii) be paid to the Secretary.
(2) Violation of this subsection by a person who has not entered into such an agreement shall result in the assessment by the Secretary of a penalty equal to 140 percent of the support price for quota peanuts multiplied by the quantity of peanuts sold or disposed of in violation of subsection (b)(1)(B), as determined under section 1445c–3 1
1 See References in Text note below.
of this title, for the marketing year for the crop with respect to which such violation occurs.
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 8b, formerly § 8(2), 48 Stat. 34; Apr. 7, 1934, ch. 103, § 7, 48 Stat. 528; renumbered and amended Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 4, 49 Stat. 753; June 3, 1937, ch. 296, § 1, 50 Stat. 246; June 30, 1947, ch. 166, title II, § 206(d), 61 Stat. 208; Pub. L. 101–220, § 4, Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1878; Pub. L. 102–237, title I, § 115(1), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1840; Pub. L. 103–66, title I, § 1109(b), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 326.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 608b

§ 608c. Orders
(1) Issuance by Secretary
(2) Commodities to which applicable
(3) Notice and hearing
(4) Finding and issuance of order
(5) Terms—Milk and its productsIn the case of milk and its products, orders issued pursuant to this section shall contain one or more of the following terms and conditions, and (except as provided in subsection (7)) no others:
(A) Classifying milk in accordance with the form in which or the purpose for which it is used, and fixing, or providing a method for fixing, minimum prices for each such use classification which all handlers shall pay, and the time when payments shall be made, for milk purchased from producers or associations of producers. Such prices shall be uniform as to all handlers, subject only to adjustments for (1) volume, market, and production differentials customarily applied by the handlers subject to such order, (2) the grade or quality of the milk purchased, and (3) the locations at which delivery of such milk, or any use classification thereof, is made to such handlers. Throughout the 2-year period beginning on the effective date of this sentence (and subsequent to such 2-year period unless modified by amendment to the order involved), for purposes of determining prices for milk of the highest use classification, the Class I skim milk price per hundredweight specified in section 1000.50(b) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), shall be the sum of the adjusted Class I differential specified in section 1000.52 of such title 7 (or successor regulations), plus the adjustment to Class I prices specified in sections 1005.51(b), 1006.51(b), and 1007.51(b) of such title 7 (or successor regulations), plus the simple average of the advanced pricing factors computed in sections 1000.50(q)(1) and 1000.50(q)(2) of such title 7 (or successor regulations), plus $0.74.
(B) Providing:
(i) for the payment to all producers and associations of producers delivering milk to the same handler of uniform prices for all milk delivered by them:
(ii) for the payment to all producers and associations of producers delivering milk to all handlers of uniform prices for all milk so delivered, irrespective of the uses made of such milk by the individual handler to whom it is delivered;
subject, in either case, only to adjustments for (a) volume, market, and production differentials customarily applied by the handlers subject to such order, (b) the grade or quality of the milk delivered, (c) the locations at which delivery of such milk is made, and (d) a further adjustment, equitably to apportion the total value of the milk purchased by any handler, or by all handlers, among producers and associations of producers, on the basis of their marketings of milk during a representative period of time.,2
2 So in original.
[(e) omitted] and (f) a further adjustment, equitably to apportion the total value of milk purchased by any handler or by all handlers among producers on the basis of the milk components contained in their marketings of milk 3
3 So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.
(C) In order to accomplish the purposes set forth in paragraphs (A) and (B) of this subsection, providing a method for making adjustments in payments, as among handlers (including producers who are also handlers), to the end that the total sums paid by each handler shall equal the value of the milk purchased by him at the prices fixed in accordance with paragraph (A) of this subsection.
(D) Providing that, in the case of all milk purchased by handlers from any producer who did not regularly sell milk during a period of 30 days next preceding the effective date of such order for consumption in the area covered thereby, payments to such producer, for the period beginning with the first regular delivery by such producer and continuing until the end of two full calendar months following the first day of the next succeeding calendar month, shall be made at the price for the lowest use classification specified in such order, subject to the adjustments specified in paragraph (B) of this subsection.
(E) Providing (i) except as to producers for whom such services are being rendered by a cooperative marketing association, qualified as provided in paragraph (F) of this subsection, for market information to producers and for the verification of weights, sampling, and testing of milk purchased from producers, and for making appropriate deductions therefor from payments to producers, and (ii) for assurance of, and security for, the payment by handlers for milk purchased.
(F) Nothing contained in this subsection is intended or shall be construed to prevent a cooperative marketing association qualified under the provisions of sections 291 and 292 of this title, engaged in making collective sales or marketing of milk or its products for the producers thereof, from blending the net proceeds of all of its sales in all markets in all use classifications, and making distribution thereof to its producers in accordance with the contract between the association and its producers: Provided, That it shall not sell milk or its products to any handler for use or consumption in any market at prices less than the prices fixed pursuant to paragraph (A) of this subsection for such milk.
(G) No marketing agreement or order applicable to milk and its products in any marketing area shall prohibit or in any manner limit, in the case of the products of milk, the marketing in that area of any milk or product thereof produced in any production area in the United States.
(H) Omitted
(I) Establishing or providing for the establishment of research and development projects, and advertising (excluding brand advertising), sales promotion, educational, and other programs designed to improve or promote the domestic marketing and consumption of milk and its products, to be financed by producers in a manner and at a rate specified in the order, on all producer milk under the order. Producer contributions under this subparagraph 4
4 So in original. Probably should be “paragraph”.
may be deducted from funds due producers in computing total pool value or otherwise computing total funds due producers and such deductions shall be in addition to the adjustments authorized by paragraph (B) of this subsection. Provision may be made in the order to exempt, or allow suitable adjustments or credits in connection with, milk on which a mandatory checkoff for advertising or marketing research is required under the authority of any State law. Such funds shall be paid to an agency organized by milk producers and producers’ cooperative associations in such form and with such methods of operation as shall be specified in the order. Such agency may expend such funds for any of the purposes authorized by this subparagraph 4 and may designate, employ, and allocate funds to persons and organizations engaged in such programs which meet the standards and qualifications specified in the order. All funds collected under this subparagraph 4 shall be separately accounted for and shall be used only for the purposes for which they were collected. Programs authorized by this subparagraph 4 may be either local or national in scope, or both, as provided in the order, but shall not be international. Order provisions under this subparagraph 4 shall not become effective in any marketing order unless such provisions are approved by producers separately from other order provisions, in the same manner provided for the approval of marketing orders, and may be terminated separately whenever the Secretary makes a determination with respect to such provisions as is provided for the termination of an order in subsection (16)(B). Disapproval or termination of such order provisions shall not be considered disapproval of the order or of other terms of the order. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any producer against whose marketings any assessment is withheld or collected under the authority of this subparagraph,4 and who is not in favor of supporting the research and promotion programs, as provided for herein, shall have the right to demand and receive a refund of such assessment pursuant to the terms and conditions specified in the order.
(J) Providing for the payment, from the total sums payable by all handlers for milk (irrespective of the use classification of such milk) and before computing uniform prices under paragraph (A) and making adjustments in payments under paragraph (C), to handlers that are cooperative marketing associations described in paragraph (F) and to handlers with respect to which adjustments in payments are made under paragraph (C), for services of marketwide benefit, including but not limited to—
(i) providing facilities to furnish additional supplies of milk needed by handlers and to handle and dispose of milk supplies in excess of quantities needed by handlers;
(ii) handling on specific days quantities of milk that exceed the quantities needed by handlers; and
(iii) transporting milk from one location to another for the purpose of fulfilling requirements for milk of a higher use classification or for providing a market outlet for milk of any use classification.
(K)
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, milk produced by dairies—(I) owned or controlled by foreign persons; and(II) financed by or with the use of bonds the interest on which is exempt from Federal income tax under section 103 of title 26;
shall be treated as other-source milk, and shall be allocated as milk received from producer-handlers for the purposes of classifying producer milk, under the milk marketing program established under this chapter. For the purposes of this subparagraph,4 the term “foreign person” has the meaning given such term under section 3508(3) of this title.
(ii) The Secretary of Agriculture shall prescribe regulations to carry out this subparagraph.4
(iii) This subparagraph 4 shall not apply with respect to any dairy that began operation before May 6, 1986.
(L) Providing that adjustments in payments by handlers under paragraph (A) need not be the same as adjustments to producers under paragraph (B) with regard to adjustments authorized by subparagraphs (2) and (3) of paragraph (A) and clauses (b), (c), and (d) of paragraph (B)(ii).
(M)Minimum Milk Prices for Handlers.—
(i)Application of minimum price requirements.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a milk handler described in clause (ii) shall be subject to all of the minimum and uniform price requirements of a Federal milk marketing order issued pursuant to this section applicable to the county in which the plant of the handler is located, at Federal order class prices, if the handler has packaged fluid milk product route dispositions, or sales of packaged fluid milk products to other plants, in a marketing area located in a State that requires handlers to pay minimum prices for raw milk purchases.
(ii)Covered milk handlers.—Except as provided in clause (iv), clause (i) applies to a handler of Class I milk products (including a producer-handler or producer operating as a handler) that—(I) operates a plant that is located within the boundaries of a Federal order milk marketing area (as those boundaries are in effect as of April 11, 2006);(II) has packaged fluid milk product route dispositions, or sales of packaged fluid milk products to other plants, in a milk marketing area located in a State that requires handlers to pay minimum prices for raw milk purchases; and(III) is not otherwise obligated by a Federal milk marketing order, or a regulated milk pricing plan operated by a State, to pay minimum class prices for the raw milk that is used for such dispositions or sales.
(iii) Obligation to pay minimum class prices.—For purposes of clause (ii)(III), the Secretary may not consider a handler of Class I milk products to be obligated by a Federal milk marketing order to pay minimum class prices for raw milk unless the handler operates the plant as a fully regulated fluid milk distributing plant under a Federal milk marketing order.
(iv) Certain handlers exempted.—Clause (i) does not apply to—(I) a handler (otherwise described in clause (ii)) that operates a nonpool plant (as defined in section 1000.8(e) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on April 11, 2006);(II) a producer-handler (otherwise described in clause (ii)) for any month during which the producer-handler has route dispositions, and sales to other plants, of packaged fluid milk products equaling less than 3,000,000 pounds of milk; or(III) a handler (otherwise described in clause (ii)) for any month during which—(aa) less than 25 percent of the total quantity of fluid milk products physically received at the plant of the handler (excluding concentrated milk received from another plant by agreement for other than Class I use) is disposed of as route disposition or is transferred in the form of packaged fluid milk products to other plants; or(bb) less than 25 percent in aggregate of the route disposition or transfers are in a marketing area or areas located in one or more States that require handlers to pay minimum prices for raw milk purchases.
(N)Exemption for Certain Milk Handlers.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, no handler with distribution of Class I milk products in the marketing area described in Order No. 131 shall be exempt during any month from any minimum price requirement established by the Secretary under this subsection if the total distribution of Class I products during the preceding month of any such handler’s own farm production exceeds 3,000,000 pounds.
(O)Rule of Construction Regarding Producer-Handlers.—Subparagraphs (M) and (N) shall not be construed as affecting, expanding, or contracting the treatment of producer-handlers under this subsection except as provided in such subparagraphs.
(6) Terms—Other commoditiesIn the case of the agricultural commodities and the products thereof, other than milk and its products, specified in subsection (2) orders issued pursuant to this section shall contain one or more of the following terms and conditions, and (except as provided in subsection (7)), no others:
(A) Limiting, or providing methods for the limitation of, the total quantity of any such commodity or product, or of any grade, size, or quality thereof, produced during any specified period or periods, which may be marketed in or transported to any or all markets in the current of interstate or foreign commerce or so as directly to burden, obstruct, or affect interstate or foreign commerce in such commodity or product thereof, during any specified period or periods by all handlers thereof.
(B) Allotting, or providing methods for allotting, the amount of such commodity or product, or any grade, size, or quality thereof, which each handler may purchase from or handle on behalf of any and all producers thereof, during any specified period or periods, under a uniform rule based upon the amounts sold by such producers in such prior period as the Secretary determines to be representative, or upon the current quantities available for sale by such producers, or both, to the end that the total quantity thereof to be purchased, or handled during any specified period or periods shall be apportioned equitably among producers.
(C) Allotting, or providing methods for allotting, the amount of any such commodity or product, or any grade, size, or quality thereof, which each handler may market in or transport to any or all markets in the current of interstate or foreign commerce or so as directly to burden, obstruct, or affect interstate or foreign commerce in such commodity or product thereof, under a uniform rule based upon the amounts which each such handler has available for current shipment, or upon the amounts shipped by each such handler in such prior period as the Secretary determines to be representative, or both, to the end that the total quantity of such commodity or product, or any grade, size, or quality thereof, to be marketed in or transported to any or all markets in the current of interstate or foreign commerce or so as directly to burden, obstruct, or affect interstate or foreign commerce in such commodity or product thereof, during any specified period or periods shall be equitably apportioned among all of the handlers thereof.
(D) Determining, or providing methods for determining, the existence and extent of the surplus of any such commodity or product, or of any grade, size, or quality thereof, and providing for the control and disposition of such surplus, and for equalizing the burden of such surplus elimination or control among the producers and handlers thereof.
(E) Establishing or providing for the establishment of reserve pools of any such commodity or product, or of any grade, size, or quality thereof, and providing for the equitable distribution of the net return derived from the sale thereof among the persons beneficially interested therein.
(F) Requiring or providing for the requirement of inspection of any such commodity or product produced during specified periods and marketed by handlers.
(G) In the case of hops and their products in addition to, or in lieu of, the foregoing terms and conditions, orders may contain one or more of the following:
(i) Limiting, or providing methods for the limitation of, the total quantity thereof, or of any grade, type, or variety thereof, produced during any specified period or periods, which all handlers may handle in the current of or so as directly to burden, obstruct, or affect interstate or foreign commerce in hops or any product thereof.
(ii) Apportioning, or providing methods for apportioning, the total quantity of hops of the production of the then current calendar year permitted to be handled equitably among all producers in the production area to which the order applies upon the basis of one or more or a combination of the following: The total quantity of hops available or estimated will become available for market by each producer from his production during such period; the normal production of the acreage of hops operated by each producer during such period upon the basis of the number of acres of hops in production, and the average yield of that acreage during such period as the Secretary determines to be representative, with adjustments determined by the Secretary to be proper for age of plantings or abnormal conditions affecting yield; such normal production or historical record of any acreage for which data as to yield of hops are not available or which had no yield during such period shall be determined by the Secretary on the basis of the yields of other acreage of hops of similar characteristics as to productivity, subject to adjustment as just provided for.
(iii) Allotting, or providing methods for allotting, the quantity of hops which any handler may handle so that the allotment fixed for that handler shall be limited to the quantity of hops apportioned under preceding section 5
5 So in original. Probably should be “clause”.
(ii) to each respective producer of hops; such allotment shall constitute an allotment fixed for that handler within the meaning of subsection (5) of section 608a of this title.
(H) providing 6
6 So in original. Probably should be capitalized.
a method for fixing the size, capacity, weight, dimensions, or pack of the container, or containers, which may be used in the packaging, transportation, sale, shipment, or handling of any fresh or dried fruits, vegetables, or tree nuts: Provided, however, That no action taken hereunder shall conflict with the Standard Containers Act of 1916 (15 U.S.C. 251–256) and the Standard Containers Act of 1928 (15 U.S.C. 257–257i); 7
7 So in original. Probably should be a period.
(I) establishing 6 or providing for the establishment of production research, marketing research and development projects designed to assist, improve, or promote the marketing, distribution, and consumption or efficient production of any such commodity or product, the expense of such projects to be paid from funds collected pursuant to the marketing order: Provided, That with respect to orders applicable to almonds, filberts (otherwise known as hazelnuts), California-grown peaches, cherries, papayas, carrots, citrus fruits, onions, Tokay grapes, pears, dates, plums, nectarines, celery, sweet corn, limes, olives, pecans, eggs, avocados, apples, raisins, walnuts, tomatoes, caneberries (including raspberries, blackberries, and loganberries), Florida grown 8
8 So in original. Probably should be “Florida-grown”.
strawberries, or cranberries, such proj­ects may provide for any form of marketing promotion including paid advertising and with respect to almonds, filberts (otherwise known as hazelnuts), raisins, walnuts, olives, Florida Indian River grapefruit, and cranberries may provide for crediting the pro rata expense assessment obligations of a handler with all or any portion of his direct expenditures for such marketing promotion including paid advertising as may be authorized by the order and when the handling of any commodity for canning or freezing is regulated, then any such projects may also deal with the commodity or its products in canned or frozen form: Provided further, That the inclusion in a Federal marketing order of provisions for research and marketing promotion, including paid advertising, shall not be deemed to preclude, preempt or supersede any such provisions in any State program covering the same commodity.
(J) In the case of pears for canning or freezing, any order for a production area encompassing territory within two or more States or portions thereof shall provide that the grade, size, quality, maturity, and inspection regulation under the order applicable to pears grown within any such State or portion thereof may be recommended to the Secretary by the agency established to administer the order only if a majority of the representatives from that State on such agency concur in the recommendation each year.
(7) Terms common to all ordersIn the case of the agricultural commodities and the products thereof specified in subsection (2) orders shall contain one or more of the following terms and conditions:
(A) Prohibiting unfair methods of competition and unfair trade practices in the handling thereof.
(B) Providing that (except for milk and cream to be sold for consumption in fluid form) such commodity or product thereof, or any grade, size, or quality thereof shall be sold by the handlers thereof only at prices filed by such handlers in the manner provided in such order.
(C) Providing for the selection by the Secretary of Agriculture, or a method for the selection, of an agency or agencies and defining their powers and duties, which shall include only the powers:
(i) To administer such order in accordance with its terms and provisions;
(ii) To make rules and regulations to effectuate the terms and provisions of such order;
(iii) To receive, investigate, and report to the Secretary of Agriculture complaints of violations of such order; and
(iv) To recommend to the Secretary of Agriculture amendments to such order.
No person acting as a member of an agency established pursuant to this paragraph shall be deemed to be acting in an official capacity, within the meaning of section 610(g) of this title, unless such person receives compensation for his personal services from funds of the United States. There shall be included in the membership of any agency selected to administer a marketing order applicable to grapefruit for canning or freezing one or more representatives of processors of the commodity specified in such order.
(D) Incidental to, and not inconsistent with, the terms and conditions specified in subsections (5), (6), and (7) and necessary to effectuate the other provisions of such order.
(8) Orders with marketing agreementExcept as provided in subsection (9) of this section, no order issued pursuant to this section shall become effective until the handlers (excluding cooperative associations of producers who are not engaged in processing, distributing, or shipping the commodity or product thereof covered by such order) of not less than 50 per centum of the volume of the commodity or product thereof covered by such order which is produced or marketed within the production or marketing area defined in such order have signed a marketing agreement, entered into pursuant to section 608b of this title, which regulates the handling of such commodity or product in the same manner as such order, except that as to citrus fruits produced in any area producing what is known as California citrus fruits no order issued pursuant to this subsection shall become effective until the handlers of not less than 80 per centum of the volume of such commodity or product thereof covered by such order have signed such a marketing agreement: Provided, That no order issued pursuant to this subsection shall be effective unless the Secretary of Agriculture determines that the issuance of such order is approved or favored:
(A) By at least two-thirds of the producers who (except that as to citrus fruits produced in any area producing what is known as California citrus fruits said order must be approved or favored by three-fourths of the producers), during a representative period determined by the Secretary, have been engaged, within the production area specified in such marketing agreement or order, in the production for market of the commodity specified therein, or who, during such representative period, have been engaged in the production of such commodity for sale in the marketing area specified in such marketing agreement, or order, or
(B) By producers who, during such representative period, have produced for market at least two-thirds of the volume of such commodity produced for market within the production area specified in such marketing agreement or order, or who, during such representative period, have produced at least two-thirds of the volume of such commodity sold within the marketing area specified in such marketing agreement or order.
(9) Orders with or without marketing agreementAny order issued pursuant to this section shall become effective in the event that, notwithstanding the refusal or failure of handlers (excluding cooperative associations of producers who are not engaged in processing, distributing, or shipping the commodity or product thereof covered by such order) of more than 50 per centum of the volume of the commodity or product thereof (except that as to citrus fruits produced in any area producing what is known as California citrus fruits said per centum shall be 80 per centum) covered by such order which is produced or marketed within the production or marketing area defined in such order to sign a marketing agreement relating to such commodity or product thereof, on which a hearing has been held, the Secretary of Agriculture determines:
(A) That the refusal or failure to sign a marketing agreement (upon which a hearing has been held) by the handlers (excluding cooperative associations of producers who are not engaged in processing, distributing, or shipping the commodity or product thereof covered by such order) of more than 50 per centum of the volume of the commodity or product thereof (except that as to citrus fruits produced in any area producing what is known as California citrus fruits said per centum shall be 80 per centum) specified therein which is produced or marketed within the production or marketing area specified therein tends to prevent the effectuation of the declared policy of this chapter with respect to such commodity or product, and
(B) That the issuance of such order is the only practical means of advancing the interests of the producers of such commodity pursuant to the declared policy, and is approved or favored:
(i) By at least two-thirds of the producers (except that as to citrus fruits produced in any area producing what is known as California citrus fruits said order must be approved or favored by three-fourths of the producers) who, during a representative period determined by the Secretary, have been engaged, within the production area specified in such marketing agreement or order, in the production for market of the commodity specified therein, or who, during such representative period, have been engaged in the production of such commodity for sale in the marketing area specified in such marketing agreement, or order, or
(ii) By producers who, during such representative period, have produced for market at least two-thirds of the volume of such commodity produced for market within the production area specified in such marketing agreement or order, or who, during such representative period, have produced at least two-thirds of the volume of such commodity sold within the marketing area specified in such marketing agreement or order.
(10) Manner of regulation and applicability
(11) Regional application
(A) No order shall be issued under this section which is applicable to all production areas or marketing areas, or both, of any commodity or product thereof unless the Secretary finds that the issuance of several orders applicable to the respective regional production areas or regional marketing areas, or both, as the case may be, of the commodity or product would not effectively carry out the declared policy of this chapter.
(B) Except in the case of milk and its products, orders issued under this section shall be limited in their application to the smallest regional production areas or regional marketing areas, or both, as the case may be, which the Secretary finds practicable, consistently with carrying out such declared policy.
(C) All orders issued under this section which are applicable to the same commodity or product thereof shall, so far as practicable, prescribe such different terms, applicable to different production areas and marketing areas, as the Secretary finds necessary to give due recognition to the differences in production and marketing of such commodity or product in such areas.
(D) In the case of milk and its products, no county or other political subdivision of the State of Nevada shall be within the marketing area definition of any order issued under this section.
(12) Cooperative association representation
(13) Retailer and producer exemption
(A) No order issued under subsection (9) of this section shall be applicable to any person who sells agricultural commodities or products thereof at retail in his capacity as such retailer, except to a retailer in his capacity as a retailer of milk and its products.
(B) No order issued under this chapter shall be applicable to any producer in his capacity as a producer.
(14) Violation of order
(A) Any handler subject to an order issued under this section, or any officer, director, agent, or employee of such handler, who violates any provision of such order shall, on conviction, be fined not less than $50 or more than $5,000 for each such violation, and each day during which such violation continues shall be deemed a separate violation. If the court finds that a petition pursuant to subsection (15) of this section was filed and prosecuted by the defendant in good faith and not for delay, no penalty shall be imposed under this subsection for such violations as occurred between the date upon which the defendant’s petition was filed with the Secretary, and the date upon which notice of the Secretary’s ruling thereon was given to the defendant in accordance with regulations prescribed pursuant to subsection (15).
(B) Any handler subject to an order issued under this section, or any officer, director, agent, or employee of such handler, who violates any provision of such order may be assessed a civil penalty by the Secretary not exceeding $1,000 for each such violation. Each day during which such violation continues shall be deemed a separate violation, except that if the Secretary finds that a petition pursuant to paragraph (15) was filed and prosecuted by the handler in good faith and not for delay, no civil penalty may be assessed under this paragraph for such violations as occurred between the date on which the handler’s petition was filed with the Secretary, and the date on which notice of the Secretary’s ruling thereon was given to the handler in accordance with regulations prescribed pursuant to paragraph (15). The Secretary may issue an order assessing a civil penalty under this paragraph only after notice and an opportunity for an agency hearing on the record. Such order shall be treated as a final order reviewable in the district courts of the United States in any district in which the handler subject to the order is an inhabitant, or has the handler’s principal place of business. The validity of such order may not be reviewed in an action to collect such civil penalty.
(15) Petition by handler and review
(A) Any handler subject to an order may file a written petition with the Secretary of Agriculture, stating that any such order or any provision of any such order or any obligation imposed in connection therewith is not in accordance with law and praying for a modification thereof or to be exempted therefrom. He shall thereupon be given an opportunity for a hearing upon such petition, in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of Agriculture, with the approval of the President. After such hearing, the Secretary shall make a ruling upon the prayer of such petition which shall be final, if in accordance with law.
(B) The District Courts of the United States in any district in which such handler is an inhabitant, or has his principal place of business, are hereby vested with jurisdiction in equity to review such ruling, provided a bill in equity for that purpose is filed within twenty days from the date of the entry of such ruling. Service of process in such proceedings may be had upon the Secretary by delivering to him a copy of the bill of complaint. If the court determines that such ruling is not in accordance with law, it shall remand such proceedings to the Secretary with directions either (1) to make such ruling as the court shall determine to be in accordance with law, or (2) to take such further proceedings as, in its opinion, the law requires. The pendency of proceedings instituted pursuant to this subsection (15) shall not impede, hinder, or delay the United States or the Secretary of Agriculture from obtaining relief pursuant to section 608a(6) of this title. Any proceedings brought pursuant to section 608a(6) of this title (except where brought by way of counterclaim in proceedings instituted pursuant to this subsection (15)) shall abate whenever a final decree has been rendered in proceedings between the same parties, and covering the same subject matter, instituted pursuant to this subsection (15).
(16) Termination of orders and marketing agreements
(A)
(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), the Secretary of Agriculture shall, whenever he finds that any order issued under this section, or any provision thereof, obstructs or does not tend to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter, terminate or suspend the operation of such order or such provision thereof.
(ii) The Secretary may not terminate any order issued under this section for a commodity for which there is no Federal program established to support the price of such commodity unless the Secretary gives notice of, and a statement of the reasons relied upon by the Secretary for, the proposed termination of such order to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives not later than 60 days before the date such order will be terminated.
(B) The Secretary shall terminate any marketing agreement entered into under section 608b of this title, or order issued under this section, at the end of the then current marketing period for such commodity, specified in such marketing agreement or order, whenever he finds that such termination is favored by a majority of the producers who, during a representative period determined by the Secretary, have been engaged in the production for market of the commodity specified in such marketing agreement or order, within the production area specified in such marketing agreement or order, or who, during such representative period, have been engaged in the production of such commodity for sale within the marketing area specified in such marketing agreement or order: Provided, That such majority have, during such representative period, produced for market more than 50 per centum of the volume of such commodity produced for market within the production area specified in such marketing agreement or order, or have, during such representative period, produced more than 50 per centum of the volume of such commodity sold in the marketing area specified in such marketing agreement or order, but such termination shall be effective only if announced on or before such date (prior to the end of the then current marketing period) as may be specified in such marketing agreement or order.
(C) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection with respect to the termination of an order issued under this section, the termination or suspension of any order or amendment thereto or provision thereof, shall not be considered an order within the meaning of this section.
(17) Provisions applicable to amendments
(A) Applicability to amendments
(B) Supplemental rules of practice
(i) In general
(ii) IssuesAt a minimum, the supplemental rules of practice shall establish—(I) proposal submission requirements;(II) pre-hearing information session specifications;(III) written testimony and data request requirements;(IV) public participation timeframes; and(V) electronic document submission standards.
(iii) Effective date
(C) Hearing timeframes
(i) In generalNot more than 30 days after the receipt of a proposal for an amendment hearing regarding a milk marketing order, the Secretary shall—(I) issue a notice providing an action plan and expected timeframes for completion of the hearing not more than 120 days after the date of the issuance of the notice;(II)(aa) issue a request for additional information to be used by the Secretary in making a determination regarding the proposal; and(bb) if the additional information is not provided to the Secretary within the timeframe requested by the Secretary, issue a denial of the request; or(III) issue a denial of the request.
(ii) Requirement
(iii) Recommended decisions
(iv) Final decisions
(D) Industry assessments
(E) Use of informal rulemaking
(F) Avoiding duplicationThe Secretary shall not be required to hold a hearing on any amendment proposed to be made to a milk marketing order in response to an application for a hearing on the proposed amendment if—
(i) the application requesting the hearing is received by the Secretary not later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary has announced the decision on a previously proposed amendment to that order; and
(ii) the 2 proposed amendments are essentially the same, as determined by the Secretary.
(G) Monthly feed and fuel costs for make allowancesAs part of any hearing to adjust make allowances under marketing orders commencing prior to September 30, 2012, the Secretary shall—
(i) determine the average monthly prices of feed and fuel incurred by dairy producers in the relevant marketing area;
(ii) consider the most recent monthly feed and fuel price data available; and
(iii) consider those prices in determining whether or not to adjust make allowances.
(18) Milk prices
(19) Producer referendum
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 8c, as added Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 5, 49 Stat. 753; amended June 25, 1936, ch. 804, 49 Stat. 1921; June 3, 1937, ch. 296, §§ 1, 2(d)–(f), 50 Stat. 246, 247; June 3, 1937, ch. 296, § 2(k), (l), as added Aug. 5, 1937, ch. 567, 50 Stat. 563; Apr. 13, 1938, ch. 143, §§ 1, 2, 52 Stat. 215; May 31, 1939, ch. 157, 53 Stat. 793; Feb. 10, 1942, ch. 52, §§ 2, 3, 56 Stat. 85; 1947 Reorg. Plan No. 1, § 102, eff. July 1, 1947, 12 F.R. 4534, 61 Stat. 951; Aug. 1, 1947, ch. 425, §§ 2, 4, 61 Stat. 707, 710; July 3, 1948, ch. 827, title III, § 302(b), (c), 62 Stat. 1258; June 29, 1949, ch. 273, 63 Stat. 282; Aug. 28, 1954, ch. 1041, title IV, § 401(b)–(d), 68 Stat. 906, 907; Pub. L. 87–128, title I, § 141(3), (4), Aug. 8, 1961, 75 Stat. 304, 305; Pub. L. 87–703, title IV, § 403, Sept. 27, 1962, 76 Stat. 632; Pub. L. 89–321, title I, §§ 101, 102, Nov. 3, 1965, 79 Stat. 1187; Pub. L. 89–330, § 1(b), Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1270; Pub. L. 91–196, § 1, Feb. 20, 1970, 84 Stat. 14; Pub. L. 91–292, § 1(2), June 25, 1970, 84 Stat. 333; Pub. L. 91–341, July 18, 1970, 84 Stat. 438; Pub. L. 91–363, July 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 687; Pub. L. 91–384, Aug. 18, 1970, 84 Stat. 827; Pub. L. 91–522, Nov. 25, 1970, 84 Stat. 1357; Pub. L. 91–524, title II, § 201(a), Nov. 30, 1970, 84 Stat. 1359; Pub. L. 91–670, title I, § 101, title II, § 201, Jan. 11, 1971, 84 Stat. 2040, 2041; Pub. L. 92–120, Aug. 13, 1971, 85 Stat. 340; Pub. L. 92–233, Feb. 15, 1972, 86 Stat. 39; Pub. L. 92–466, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 780; Pub. L. 91–524, title II, § 201(f), Nov. 30, 1970, as added Pub. L. 93–86, § 1(2)(B), Aug. 10, 1973, 87 Stat. 222; Pub. L. 93–230, Dec. 29, 1973, 87 Stat. 945; Pub. L. 95–279, title IV, § 401(a), May 15, 1978, 92 Stat. 242; Pub. L. 96–494, title I, § 101, Dec. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 2570; Pub. L. 97–98, title I, § 101(a), Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1218; Pub. L. 98–171, § 1, Nov. 29, 1983, 97 Stat. 1117; Pub. L. 98–180, title III, § 304, Nov. 29, 1983, 97 Stat. 1151; Pub. L. 99–198, title I, §§ 131(a), 133, title XVI, §§ 1661(a), 1662(a), Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1372, 1373, 1630, 1631; Pub. L. 100–203, title I, § 1501, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–27; Pub. L. 100–418, title IV, §§ 4601, 4602, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1407; Pub. L. 101–624, title I, §§ 112, 113, title XIII, § 1306, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3380, 3561; Pub. L. 102–237, title I, § 115(2), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1840; Pub. L. 102–553, § 2, Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4141; Pub. L. 106–78, title VII, §§ 757(a), 760, Oct. 22, 1999, 113 Stat. 1171, 1173; Pub. L. 107–76, title VII, § 765, Nov. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 743; Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10601(a), May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 511; Pub. L. 108–379, § 1, Oct. 30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2209; Pub. L. 109–215, § 2(a), (b), Apr. 11, 2006, 120 Stat. 328, 329; Pub. L. 110–234, title I, § 1504, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 993; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title I, § 1504, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1721; Pub. L. 115–334, title I, § 1403(a), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4518.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 608c

§ 608c–1. Repealed. June 29, 1945, ch. 196, 59 Stat. 263

CITE AS: 7 USC 608c-1

§ 608d. Books and records
(1) All parties to any marketing agreement, and all handlers subject to an order, shall severally, from time to time, upon the request of the Secretary, furnish him with such information as he finds to be necessary to enable him to ascertain and determine the extent to which such agreement or order has been carried out or has effectuated the declared policy of this chapter and with such information as he finds to be necessary to determine whether or not there has been any abuse of the privilege of exemptions from the antitrust laws. Such information shall be furnished in accordance with forms of reports to be prescribed by the Secretary. For the purpose of ascertaining the correctness of any report made to the Secretary pursuant to this subsection, or for the purpose of obtaining the information required in any such report, where it has been requested and has not been furnished, the Secretary is authorized to examine such books, papers, records, copies of income-tax reports, accounts, correspondence, contracts, documents, or memoranda, as he deems relevant and which are within the control (1) of any such party to such marketing agreement, or any such handler, from whom such report was requested or (2) of any person having, either directly or indirectly, actual or legal control of or over such party or such handler or (3) of any subsidiary of any such party, handler, or person.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 607 of this title, all information furnished to or acquired by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to this section, as well as information for marketing order programs that is categorized as trade secrets and commercial or financial information exempt under section 552(b)(4) of title 5 from disclosure under section 552 of such title, shall be kept confidential by all officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture and only such information so furnished or acquired as the Secretary deems relevant shall be disclosed by them, and then only in a suit or administrative hearing brought at the direction, or upon the request, of the Secretary of Agriculture, or to which he or any officer of the United States is a party, and involving the marketing agreement or order with reference to which the information so to be disclosed was furnished or acquired. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any such information relating to a marketing agreement or order applicable to milk may be released upon the authorization of any regulated milk handler to whom such information pertains. The Secretary shall notify the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives not later than 10 legislative days before the contemplated release under law, of the names and addresses of producers participating in such marketing agreements and orders, and shall include in such notice a statement of reasons relied upon by the Secretary in making the determination to release such names and addresses. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit (A) the issuance of general statements based upon the reports of a number of parties to a marketing agreement or of handlers subject to an order, which statements do not identify the information furnished by any person, or (B) the publication by direction of the Secretary, of the name of any person violating any marketing agreement or any order, together with a statement of the particular provisions of the marketing agreement or order violated by such person. Any such officer or employee violating the provisions of this section shall upon conviction be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 or to imprisonment for not more than one year, or to both, and shall be removed from office.
(3)Collection of cranberry inventory data.—
(A)In general.—If an order is in effect with respect to cranberries, the Secretary of Agriculture may require persons engaged in the handling or importation of cranberries or cranberry products (including producer-handlers, second handlers, processors, brokers, and importers) to provide such information as the Secretary considers necessary to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter, including information on acquisitions, inventories, and dispositions of cranberries and cranberry products.
(B)Delegation to committee.—The Secretary may delegate the authority to carry out subparagraph (A) to any committee that is responsible for administering an order covering cranberries.
(C)Confidentiality.—Paragraph (2) shall apply to information provided under this paragraph.
(D)Violations.—Any person who violates this paragraph shall be subject to the penalties provided under section 608c(14) of this title.
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 8d, as added Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 6, 49 Stat. 761; amended June 3, 1937, ch. 296, § 1, 50 Stat. 246; Pub. L. 99–198, title XVI, § 1663, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1631; Pub. L. 106–78, title VII, § 757(b), Oct. 22, 1999, 113 Stat. 1171.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 608d

§ 608e. Repealed. July 3, 1948, ch. 827, title III, § 302(d), 62 Stat. 1258

CITE AS: 7 USC 608e

§ 608e–1. Import prohibitions on specified foreign produce
(a) Import prohibitions on tomatoes, avocados, limes, etc.
(b) Extension of time for marketing order; factors; review
(1)
(A) to effectuate the purposes of this chapter; and
(B) to prevent the circumvention of the grade, size, quality, or maturity standards of a seasonal marketing order applicable to a commodity produced in the United States by imports of such commodity.
(2) In making the determination required by paragraph (1), the Secretary, through notice and comment procedures, shall consider—
(A) to what extent, during the previous year, imports of a commodity that did not meet the requirements of a marketing order applicable to such commodity were marketed in the United States during the period that such marketing order requirements were in effect for available domestic commodities (or would have been marketed during such time if not for any additional period established by the Secretary);
(B) if the importation into the United States of such commodity did, or was likely to, circumvent the grade, size, quality or maturity standards of a seasonal marketing order applicable to such commodity produced in the United States; and
(C) the availability and price of commodities of the variety covered by the marketing order during any additional period the marketing order requirements are to be in effect.
(3) An additional period established by the Secretary in accordance with this subsection shall be—
(A) announced not later than 30 days before the date such additional period is to be in effect; and
(B) reviewed by the Secretary on request, through notice and comment procedures, at least every 3 years in order to determine if the additional period is still needed to prevent circumvention of the seasonal marketing order by imported commodities.
(4) For the purposes of carrying out this subsection, the Secretary is authorized to make such reasonable inspections as may be necessary.
(c) Notification of United States Trade Representative of import restrictions; advisement of Secretary of AgriculturePrior to any import prohibition or regulation under this section being made effective with respect to any commodity—
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture shall notify the United States Trade Representative of such import prohibition or regulation; and
(2) the United States Trade Representative shall advise the Secretary of Agriculture, within 60 days of the notification under paragraph (1), to ensure that the application of the grade, size, quality, and maturity provisions of the relevant marketing order, or comparable restrictions, to imports is not inconsistent with United States international obligations under any trade agreement, including the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
(d) Proposed prohibition or regulation; authority of Secretary of Agriculture to proceed
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 8e, as added Aug. 28, 1954, ch. 1041, title IV, § 401(e), 68 Stat. 907; amended Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1172, § 3(a), 68 Stat. 1047; Pub. L. 87–128, title I, § 141(5), Aug. 8, 1961, 75 Stat. 305; Pub. L. 91–670, title IV, § 401, Jan. 11, 1971, 84 Stat. 2047; Pub. L. 95–113, title X, § 1006, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 951; Pub. L. 97–312, § 2, Oct. 14, 1982, 96 Stat. 1461; Pub. L. 100–418, title IV, § 4603, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1407; Pub. L. 101–624, title XIII, §§ 1307, 1308, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3561; Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10601(b), May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 511; Pub. L. 110–234, title X, § 10102, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1335; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title X, § 10102, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2097; Pub. L. 115–334, title XII, § 12503, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4987.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 608e-1

§ 608f. Repealed. Pub. L. 89–106, § 9, Aug. 4, 1965, 79 Stat. 432

CITE AS: 7 USC 608f

§ 609. Processing tax; methods of computation; rate; what constitutes processing; publicity as to tax to avoid profiteering
(a) To obtain revenue for extraordinary expenses incurred by reason of the national economic emergency, there shall be levied processing taxes as hereinafter provided. When the Secretary of Agriculture determines that any one or more payments authorized to be made under section 608 of this title are to be made with respect to any basic agricultural commodity, he shall proclaim such determination, and a processing tax shall be in effect with respect to such commodity from the beginning of the marketing year therefor next following the date of such proclamation; except that (1) in the case of sugar beets and sugarcane, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, on or before the thirtieth day after May 9, 1934, proclaim that rental or benefit payments with respect to said commodities are to be made, and the processing tax shall be in effect on and after the thirtieth day after May 9, 1934, and (2) in the case of rice, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, before April 1, 1935, proclaim that rental or benefit payments are to be made with respect thereto, and the processing tax shall be in effect on and after April 1, 1935. In the case of sugar beets and sugarcane, the calendar year shall be considered to be the marketing year and for the year 1934 the marketing year shall begin January 1, 1934. In the case of rice, the period from August 1 to July 31, both inclusive, shall be considered to be the marketing year. The processing tax shall be levied, assessed, and collected upon the first domestic processing of the commodity, whether of domestic production or imported, and shall be paid by the processor. The rate of tax shall conform to the requirements of subsection (b). Such rate shall be determined by the Secretary of Agriculture as of the date the tax first takes effect, and the rate so determined shall, at such intervals as the Secretary finds necessary to effectuate the declared policy, be adjusted by him to conform to such requirements. The processing tax shall terminate at the end of the marketing year current at the time the Secretary proclaims that all payments authorized under section 608 of this title which are in effect are to be discontinued with respect to such commodity. The marketing year for each commodity shall be ascertained and prescribed by regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture: Provided, That upon any article upon which a manufacturers’ sales tax is levied under the authority of the Revenue Act of 1932 and which manufacturers’ sales tax is computed on the basis of weight, such manufacturers’ sales tax shall be computed on the basis of the weight of said finished article less the weight of the processed cotton contained therein on which a processing tax has been paid.
(b)
(1) The processing tax shall be at such rate as equals the difference between the current average farm price for the commodity and the fair exchange value of the commodity, plus such percentage of such difference, not to exceed 20 per centum, as the Secretary of Agriculture may determine will result in the collection, in any marketing year with respect to which such rate of tax may be in effect pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, of an amount of tax equal to (A) the amount of credits or refunds which he estimates will be allowed or made during such period pursuant to section 615(c) of this title with respect to the commodity and (B) the amount of tax which he estimates would have been collected during such period upon all processings of such commodity, which are exempt from tax by reason of the fact that such processings are done by or for a State, or a political subdivision or an institution thereof, had such processings been subject to tax. If, prior to the time the tax takes effect, or at any time thereafter, the Secretary has reason to believe that the tax at such rate, or at the then existing rate, on the processing of the commodity generally or for any designated use or uses, or on the processing of the commodity in the production of any designated product or products thereof for any designated use or uses, will cause or is causing such reduction in the quantity of the commodity or products thereof domestically consumed as to result in the accumulation of surplus stocks of the commodity or products thereof or in the depression of the farm price of the commodity, then the Secretary shall cause an appropriate investigation to be made, and afford due notice and opportunity for hearing to interested parties. If thereupon the Secretary determines and proclaims that any such result will occur or is occurring, then the processing tax on the processing of the commodity generally or for any designated use or uses, or on the processing of the commodity in the production of any designated product or products thereof for any designated use or uses, shall be at such lower rate or rates as he determines and proclaims will prevent such accumulation of surplus stocks and depression of the farm price of the commodity, and the tax shall remain during its effective period at such lower rate until the Secretary, after due notice and opportunity for hearing to interested parties, determines and proclaims that an increase in the rate of such tax will not cause such accumulation of surplus stocks or depression of the farm price of the commodity. Thereafter the processing tax shall be at the highest rate which the Secretary determines will not cause such accumulation of surplus stocks or depression of the farm price of the commodity, but it shall not be higher than the rate provided in the first sentence of this paragraph.
(2) In the case of wheat, cotton, field corn, hogs, peanuts, paper, and jute, and (except as provided in paragraph (8) of this subsection) in the case of sugarcane and sugar beets, the tax on the first domestic processing of the commodity generally or for any particular use, or in the production of any designated product for any designated use, shall be levied, assessed, collected, and paid at the rate prescribed by the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture in effect on August 24, 1935, during the period from such date to December 31, 1937, both dates inclusive.
(3) For the period from April 1, 1935, to July 31, 1936, both inclusive, the processing tax with respect to rice shall be levied, assessed, collected, and paid at the rate of 1 cent per pound of rough rice.
(4) For the period from September 1, 1935, to December 31, 1937, both inclusive, the processing tax with respect to rye shall be levied, assessed, collected, and paid at the rate of 30 cents per bushel of fifty-six pounds. In the case of rye, the first marketing year shall be considered to be the period commencing September 1, 1935, and ending June 30, 1936. Subsequent marketing years shall commence on July 1 and end on June 30 of the succeeding year. The provisions of section 616 of this title shall not apply in the case of rye.
(5) If at any time prior to December 31, 1937, a tax with respect to barley becomes effective pursuant to proclamation as provided in subsection (a) of this section, such tax shall be levied, assessed, collected, and paid during the period from the date upon which such tax becomes effective to December 31, 1937, both inclusive, at the rate of 25 cents per bushel of forty-eight pounds. The provisions of section 616 of this title shall not apply in the case of barley.
(6)
(A) Any rate of tax which is prescribed in paragraphs (2) to (4), or (5) of this subsection or which is established pursuant to this paragraph on the processing of any commodity generally or for any designated use or uses, or on the processing of the commodity in the production of any designated product or products thereof for any designated use or uses, shall be decreased (including a decrease to zero) in accordance with the formulae, standards, and requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection, in order to prevent such reduction in the quantity of such commodity or the products thereof domestically consumed as will result in the accumulation of surplus stocks of such commodity or the products thereof or in the depression of the farm price of the commodity, and shall thereafter be increased in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection but subject to the provisions of subdivision (B) of this paragraph.
(B) If the average farm price of any commodity, the rate of tax on the processing of which is prescribed in paragraphs (2) to (4), or (5) of this subsection or is established pursuant to this paragraph, during any period of twelve successive months ending after July 1, 1935, consisting of the first ten months of any marketing year and the last two months of the preceding marketing year—
(i) is equal to, or exceeds by 10 per centum or less, the fair exchange value thereof 1
1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.
the rate of such tax shall (subject to the provisions of subdivision (A) of this paragraph) be adjusted, at the beginning of the next succeeding marketing year, to such rate as equals 20 per centum of the fair exchange value thereof.
(ii) exceeds by more than 10 per centum, but not more than 20 per centum, the fair exchange value thereof, the rate of such tax shall (subject to the provisions of subdivision (A) of this paragraph) be adjusted, at the beginning of the next succeeding marketing year, to such rate as equals 15 per centum of the fair exchange value thereof.
(iii) exceeds by more than 20 per centum the fair exchange value thereof, the rate of such tax shall (subject to the provisions of subdivision (A) of this paragraph) be adjusted, at the beginning of the next succeeding marketing year, to such rate as equals 10 per centum of the fair exchange value thereof.
(C) Any rate of tax which has been adjusted pursuant to this paragraph shall remain at such adjusted rate unless further adjusted or terminated pursuant to this paragraph, until December 31, 1937, or until July 31, 1936, in the case of rice.
(D) In accordance with the formulae, standards, and requirements prescribed in this chapter, any rate of tax prescribed in paragraphs (2) to (4) or (5) of this subsection or which is established pursuant to this paragraph shall be increased.
(E) Any tax, the rate of which is prescribed in paragraphs (2) to (4), or (5) of this subsection or which is established pursuant to this paragraph, shall terminate pursuant to proclamation as provided in subsection (a) or pursuant to section 613 of this title. Any such tax with respect to any basic commodity which terminates pursuant to proclamation as provided in subsection (a) shall again become effective at the rate prescribed in paragraphs (2) to (4), or (5) of this subsection, subject however to the provisions of subdivisions (A) and (B) of this paragraph, from the beginning of the marketing year for such commodity next following the date of a new proclamation by the Secretary as provided in subsection (a), if such marketing year begins prior to December 31, 1937, or prior to July 31, 1936, in the case of rice, and shall remain at such rate until altered or terminated pursuant to this section or terminated pursuant to section 613 of this title.
(F) After December 31, 1937 (in the case of the commodities specified in paragraphs (2), (4), and (5) of this subsection), and after July 31, 1936 (in the case of rice), rates of tax shall be determined by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with the formulae, standards, and requirements prescribed in this chapter but not in this paragraph, and shall, subject to such formulae, standards, and requirements, thereafter be effective.
(G) If the applicability to any person or circumstances of any tax, the rate of which is fixed in pursuance of this paragraph, is finally held invalid by reason of any provision of the Constitution, or is finally held invalid by reason of the Secretary of Agriculture’s exercise or failure to exercise any power conferred on him under this chapter, there shall be levied, assessed, collected, and paid (in lieu of all rates of tax fixed in pursuance of this paragraph with respect to all tax liabilities incurred under this chapter on or after the effective date of each of the rates of tax fixed in pursuance of this paragraph), rates of tax fixed under paragraphs (2) to (4), or (5) of this subsection, and such rates shall be in effect (unless the particular tax is terminated pursuant to proclamation, as provided in subsection (a) or pursuant to section 613 of this title) until altered by Act of Congress; except that, for any period prior to the effective date of such holding of invalidity, the amount of tax which represents the difference between the tax at the rate fixed in pursuance of this paragraph (6) and the tax at the rate fixed under paragraphs (2) to (4), and (5) shall not be levied, assessed, collected or paid.
(7) In the case of rice, the weight to which the rate of tax shall be applied shall be the weight of rough rice when delivered to a processor, except that, where the producer processes his own rice, the weight to which the rate of tax shall be applied shall be the weight of rough rice when delivered to the place of processing.
(8) In the case of sugar beets or sugarcane the rate of tax shall be applied to the direct-consumption sugar, resulting from the first domestic processing, translated into terms of pounds of raw value according to regulations to be issued by the Secretary of Agriculture, and in the event that the Secretary increases or decreases the rate of tax fixed by paragraph (2) of this subsection, pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (6) of this subsection, then the rate of tax to be so applied shall be the higher of the two following quotients: The difference between the current average farm price and the fair exchange value (A) of a ton of sugar beets and (B) of a ton of sugarcane, divided in the case of each commodity by the average extraction therefrom of sugar in terms of pounds of raw value (which average extraction shall be determined from available statistics of the Department of Agriculture); the rate of tax fixed by paragraph (2) of this subsection or adjusted pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (6) of this subsection shall in no event exceed the amount of the reduction by the President on a pound of sugar raw value of the rate of duty in effect on
(9) In computing the current average farm price in the case of wheat, premiums paid producers for protein span shall not be taken into account.
(c) For the purposes of this chapter, the fair exchange value of a commodity shall be the price therefor that will give the commodity the same purchasing power, with respect to articles farmers buy, as such commodity had during the base period specified in section 602 of this title; and, in the case of all commodities where the base period is the prewar period, August 1909 to July 1914, will also reflect interest payments per acre on farm indebtedness secured by real estate and tax payments per acre on farm real estate, as contrasted with such interest payments and tax payments during said base period; and the current average farm price and the fair exchange value shall be ascertained by the Secretary of Agriculture from available statistics of the Department of Agriculture. The rate of tax upon the processing of any commodity in effect on August 24, 1935, shall not be affected by the adoption of this amendment and shall not be required to be adjusted or altered, unless the Secretary of Agriculture finds that it is necessary to adjust or alter any such rate pursuant to subsection (a).
(d) As used in this chapter—
(1) In case of wheat, rye, barley and corn, the term “processing” means the milling or other processing (except cleaning and drying) of wheat, rye, barley or corn for market, including custom milling for toll as well as commercial milling, but shall not include the grinding or cracking thereof not in the form of flour for feed purposes only.
(2) In case of cotton, the term “processing” means the spinning, manufacturing, or other processing (except ginning) of cotton; and the term “cotton” shall not include cotton linters.
(3) In case of tobacco, the term “processing” means the manufacturing or other processing (except drying or converting into insecticides and fertilizers) of tobacco.
(4) Repealed. June 26, 1934, ch. 759, § 2(a), 48 Stat. 1242.
(5) Repealed. Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 14(b), 49 Stat. 767.
(6) In the case of sugar beets and sugarcane—
(A) The term “first domestic processing” means each domestic processing, including each processing of successive domestic processings, of sugar beets, sugarcane, or raw sugar, which directly results in direct-consumption sugar.
(B) The term “sugar” means sugar in any form whatsoever, derived from sugar beets or sugarcane, whether raw sugar or direct-consumption sugar, including also edible molasses, sirups, and any mixture containing sugar (except blackstrap molasses and beet molasses).
(C) The term “blackstrap molasses” means the commercially so-designated “byproduct” of the cane-sugar industry, not used for human consumption or for the extraction of sugar.
(D) The term “beet molasses” means the commercially so-designated “byproduct” of the beet-sugar industry, not used for human consumption or for the extraction of sugar.
(E) The term “raw sugar” means any sugar, as defined above, manufactured or marketed in, or brought into, the United States, in any form whatsoever, for the purpose of being, or which shall be, further refined (or improved in quality, or further prepared for distribution or use).
(F) The term “direct-consumption sugar” means any sugar, as defined above, manufactured or marketed in, or brought into, the United States in any form whatsoever, for any purpose other than to be further refined (or improved in quality, or further prepared for distribution or use).
(G) The term “raw value” means a standard unit of sugar testing ninety-six sugar degrees by the polariscope. All taxes shall be imposed and all quotas shall be established in terms of “raw value” and for purposes of quota and tax measurements all sugar shall be translated into terms of “raw value” according to regulations to be issued by the Secretary, except that in the case of direct-consumption sugar produced in continental United States from sugar beets the raw value of such sugar shall be one and seven one-hundredths times the weight thereof.
(7) In the case of rice—
(A) The term “rough rice” means rice in that condition which is usual and customary when delivered by the producer to a processor.
(B) The term “processing” means the cleaning, shelling, milling (including custom milling for toll as well as commercial milling), grinding, rolling, or other processing (except grinding or cracking by or for the producer thereof for feed for his own livestock, cleaning by or directly for a producer for seed purposes, and drying) of rough rice; and in the case of rough rice with respect to which a tax-payment warrant has been previously issued or applied for by application then pending, the term “processing” means any one of the above mentioned processings or any preparation or handling in connection with the sale or other disposition thereof.
(C) The term “cooperating producer” means any person (including any share-tenant or share-cropper) whom the Secretary of Agriculture finds to be willing to participate in the 1935 production-adjustment program for rice.
(D) The term “processor”, as used in subsection (b–1) of section 615 of this title, means any person (including a cooperative association of producers) engaged in the processing of rice on a commercial basis (including custom milling for toll as well as commercial milling).
(8) In the case of any other commodity, the term “processing” means any manufacturing or other processing involving a change in the form of the commodity or its preparation for distribution or use, as defined by regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture; and in prescribing such regulations the Secretary shall give due weight to the customs of the industry.
(e) When any processing tax, or increase or decrease therein, takes effect in respect of a commodity the Secretary of Agriculture, in order to prevent pyramiding of the processing tax and profiteering in the sale of the products derived from the commodity, shall make public such information as he deems necessary regarding (1) the relationship between the processing tax and the price paid to producers of the commodity, (2) the effect of the processing tax upon prices to consumers of products of the commodity, (3) the relationship, in previous periods, between prices paid to the producers of the commodity and prices to consumers of the products thereof, and (4) the situation in foreign countries relating to prices paid to producers of the commodity and prices to consumers of the products thereof.
(f) For the purposes of this chapter, processing shall be held to include manufacturing.
(g) Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to authorize any tax upon the processing of any commodity which processing results in the production of newsprint.
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 9, 48 Stat. 35; Apr. 7, 1934, ch. 103, § 3(a), 48 Stat. 528; May 9, 1934, ch. 263, §§ 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 48 Stat. 670, 671, 675, 676; June 26, 1934, ch. 759, § 2, 48 Stat. 1242; Mar. 18, 1935, ch. 32, §§ 1–6, 49 Stat. 45, 46; Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, §§ 11–15, 49 Stat. 762–767; Pub. L. 108–357, title VI, § 611(d), Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1522.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 609

§ 610. Administration
(a) Appointment of officers and employees; impounding appropriations
(b) State and local committees or associations of producers; handlers’ share of expenses of authority or agency
(1) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to establish, for the more effective administration of the functions vested in him by this chapter, State and local committees, or associations of producers, and to permit cooperative associations of producers, when in his judgment they are qualified to do so, to act as agents of their members and patrons in connection with the distribution of payments authorized to be made under section 608 of this title. The Secretary, in the administration of this chapter, shall accord such recognition and encouragement to producer-owned and producer-controlled cooperative associations as will be in harmony with the policy toward cooperative associations set forth in existing Acts of Congress, and as will tend to promote efficient methods of marketing and distribution.
(2)
(i) Each order relating to milk and its products issued by the Secretary under this chapter shall provide that each handler subject thereto shall pay to any authority or agency established under such order such handler’s pro rata share (as approved by the Secretary) of such expenses as the Secretary may find will necessarily be incurred by such authority or agency, during any period specified by him, for the maintenance and functioning of such authority or agency, other than expenses incurred in receiving, handling, holding, or disposing of any quantity of milk or products thereof received, handled, held, or disposed of by such authority or agency for the benefit or account of persons other than handlers subject to such order. The pro rata share of the expenses payable by a cooperative association of producers shall be computed on the basis of the quantity of milk or product thereof covered by such order which is distributed, processed, or shipped by such cooperative association of producers.
(ii) Each order relating to any other commodity or product issued by the Secretary under this chapter shall provide that each handler subject thereto shall pay to any authority or agency established under such order such handler’s pro rata share (as approved by the Secretary) of such expenses as the Secretary may find are reasonable and are likely to be incurred by such authority or agency, during any period specified by him, for such purposes as the Secretary may, pursuant to such order, determine to be appropriate, and for the maintenance and functioning of such authority or agency, other than expenses incurred in receiving, handling, holding, or disposing of any quantity of a commodity received, handled, held, or disposed of by such authority or agency for the benefit or account of persons other than handlers subject to such order. The pro rata share of the expenses payable by a cooperative association of producers shall be computed on the basis of the quantity of the agricultural commodity or product thereof covered by such order which is distributed, processed, or shipped by such cooperative association of producers. The payment of assessments for the maintenance and functioning of such authority or agency, as provided for herein, may be required under a marketing agreement or marketing order throughout the period the marketing agreement or order is in effect and irrespective of whether particular provisions thereof are suspended or become inoperative.
(iii) Any authority or agency established under an order may maintain in its own name, or in the name of its members, a suit against any handler subject to an order for the collection of such handler’s pro rata share of expenses. The several district courts of the United States are vested with jurisdiction to entertain such suits regardless of the amount in controversy.
(c) Regulations; penalty for violation
(d) Regulations of Secretary of the Treasury
(e) Review of official acts
(f) Geographical application
(g) Officers; dealing or speculating in agricultural products; penalties
(h) Adoption of Federal Trade Commission Act; hearings; report of violations to Attorney General
(i) Cooperation with State authorities; imparting information
(j) Definitions
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 10, 48 Stat. 37; June 16, 1933, ch. 98, title VIII, § 86, 48 Stat. 273; May 9, 1934, ch. 263, § 7, 48 Stat. 675; Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, §§ 16–18, 49 Stat. 767; Aug. 26, 1935, ch. 685, 49 Stat. 801; June 22, 1936, ch. 690, § 601(a), 49 Stat. 1739; June 3, 1937, ch. 296, §§ 1, 2(g)–(i), 50 Stat. 246, 248; Proc. No. 2695, eff. July 4, 1946, 11 F.R. 7817, 60 Stat. 1352; Aug. 1, 1947, ch. 425, § 3, 61 Stat. 709; Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782, title XI, § 1106(a), 63 Stat. 972.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 610

§ 611. “Basic agricultural commodity” defined; exclusion of commodities

As used in this chapter, the term “basic agricultural commodity” means wheat, rye, flax, barley, cotton, field corn, grain sorghums, hogs, cattle, rice, potatoes, tobacco, sugar beets and sugarcane, peanuts, and milk and its products, and any regional or market classification, type, or grade thereof; but the Secretary of Agriculture shall exclude from the operation of the provisions of this chapter, during any period, any such commodity or classification, type, or grade thereof if he finds, upon investigation at any time and after due notice and opportunity for hearing to interested parties, that the conditions of production, marketing, and consumption are such that during such period this chapter can not be effectively administered to the end of effectuating the declared policy with respect to such commodity or classification, type, or grade thereof. As used in this chapter, the term “potatoes” means all varieties of potatoes included in the species Solanum tuberosum.

(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 11, 48 Stat. 38; Apr. 7, 1934, ch. 103, §§ 1, 3(b), 4, 5, 48 Stat. 528; May 9, 1934, ch. 263, § 1, 48 Stat. 670; Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 61, 49 Stat. 782.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 611

§ 612. Appropriation; use of revenues; administrative expenses
(a) There is appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $100,000,000 to be available to the Secretary of Agriculture for administrative expenses under this chapter, and for payments authorized to be made under section 608 of this title. Such sum shall remain available until expended.

To enable the Secretary of Agriculture to finance under such terms and conditions as he may prescribe, surplus reductions with respect to the dairy- and beef-cattle industries, and to carry out any of the purposes described in subsections (a) and (b) of this section and to support and balance the markets for the dairy and beef cattle industries, there is authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $200,000,000: Provided, That not more than 60 per centum of such amount shall be used for either of such industries.

(b) In addition to the foregoing, for the purpose of effectuating the declared policy of this chapter, a sum equal to the proceeds derived from all taxes imposed under this chapter is appropriated to be available to the Secretary of Agriculture for (1) the acquisition of any agricultural commodity pledged as security for any loan made by any Federal agency, which loan was conditioned upon the borrower agreeing or having agreed to cooperate with a program of production adjustment or marketing adjustment adopted under the authority of this chapter, and (2) the following purposes under this chapter: Administrative expenses, payments authorized to be made under section 608 of this title, and refunds on taxes. The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Treasury shall jointly estimate from time to time the amounts, in addition to any money available under subsection (a), currently required for such purposes; and the Secretary of the Treasury shall, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, advance to the Secretary of Agriculture the amounts so estimated. The amount of any such advance shall be deducted from such tax proceeds as shall subsequently become available under this subsection.
(c) The administrative expenses provided for under this section shall include, among others, expenditures for personal services and rent in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, for law books and books of reference, for contract stenographic reporting services, and for printing and paper in addition to allotments under the existing law. The Secretary of Agriculture shall transfer to the Treasury Department, and is authorized to transfer to other agencies, out of funds available for administrative expenses under this chapter, such sums as are required to pay administrative expenses incurred and refunds made by such department or agencies in the administration of this chapter.
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 12, 48 Stat. 38; Apr. 7, 1934, ch. 103, § 2, 48 Stat. 528; Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, §§ 3, 19, 49 Stat. 753, 768; June 3, 1937, ch. 296, §§ 1, 2(j), 50 Stat. 246, 248.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 612

§§ 612a, 612b. Omitted

CITE AS: 7 USC 612a, 612b

§ 612c. Appropriation to encourage exportation and domestic consumption of agricultural products

There is appropriated for each fiscal year beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1936 an amount equal to 30 per centum of the gross receipts from duties collected under the customs laws during the period January 1 to December 31, both inclusive, preceding the beginning of each such fiscal year. Such sums shall be maintained in a separate fund and shall be used by the Secretary of Agriculture only to (1) encourage the exportation of agricultural commodities and products thereof by the payment of benefits in connection with the exportation thereof or of indemnities for losses incurred in connection with such exportation or by payments to producers in connection with the production of that part of any agricultural commodity required for domestic consumption; (2) encourage the domestic consumption of such commodities or products by diverting them, by the payment of benefits or indemnities or by other means, from the normal channels of trade and commerce or by increasing their utilization through benefits, indemnities, donations or by other means, among persons in low income groups as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture; and (3) reestablish farmers’ purchasing power by making payments in connection with the normal production of any agricultural commodity for domestic consumption. Determinations by the Secretary as to what constitutes diversion and what constitutes normal channels of trade and commerce and what constitutes normal production for domestic consumption shall be final. The sums appropriated under this section shall be expended for such one or more of the above-specified purposes, and at such times, in such manner, and in such amounts as the Secretary of Agriculture finds will effectuate substantial accomplishment of any one or more of the purposes of this section. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the amount that may be devoted, during any fiscal year after June 30, 1939, to any one agricultural commodity or the products thereof in such fiscal year, shall not exceed 25 per centum of the funds available under this section for such fiscal year. The sums appropriated under this section shall be devoted principally to perishable nonbasic agricultural commodities (other than those receiving price support under section 1446 of this title) and their products. The sums appropriated under this section shall, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, continue to remain available for the purposes of this section until expended; but any excess of the amount remaining unexpended at the end of any fiscal year over $500,000,000 shall, in the same manner as though it had been appropriated for the service of such fiscal year, be subject to the provisions of section 3690 1

1 See References in Text note below.
of the Revised Statutes, and section 5 1 of the Act entitled “An Act making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of the Government for the year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-five, and for other purposes”. A public or private nonprofit organization that receives agricultural commodities or the products thereof under clause (2) of the second sentence may transfer such commodities or products to another public or private nonprofit organization that agrees to use such commodities or products to provide, without cost or waste, nutrition assistance to individuals in low-income groups.

(Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 32, 49 Stat. 774; Feb. 29, 1936, ch. 104, § 2, 49 Stat. 1151; Feb. 16, 1938, ch. 30, title II, § 203, 52 Stat. 38; June 30, 1939, ch. 253, title I, 53 Stat. 975; July 3, 1948, ch. 827, title III, § 301, 62 Stat. 1257; Oct. 31, 1949, ch. 792, title IV, § 411, 63 Stat. 1057; Jan. 30, 1954, ch. 2, § 5(b), 68 Stat. 7; Pub. L. 99–198, title XV, § 1561, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1589; Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10602, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 511.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 612c

§ 612c–1. Authorization for appropriations to increase domestic consumption of surplus farm commodities

On and after December 30, 1963, such sums (not in excess of $25,000,000 in any one year) as may be approved by the Congress shall be available for the purpose of increasing domestic consumption of any farm commodity or farm commodities determined by the Secretary of Agriculture to be in surplus supply, such authorization not to restrict authority in existing law, of which amount $11,000,000 shall remain available until expended for construction and equipping of research facilities determined to be needed as a result of a special survey.

(Pub. L. 88–250, title I, § 101, Dec. 30, 1963, 77 Stat. 826.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 612c-1

§ 612c–2. Technical support to exporters and importers of United States agricultural products; scope of support provided by Department of Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture shall provide technical support to exporters and importers of United States agricultural products when so requested. Such support shall include, but not be limited to, a review of the feasibility of the export proposal, adequacy of sources of supply, compliance with trade regulations of the United States and the importing country and such other information or guidance as may be needed to expand and expedite United States agricultural exports by private trading interests.

(Pub. L. 91–524, title VIII, § 811, as added Pub. L. 93–86, § 1(27)(B), Aug. 10, 1973, 87 Stat. 238.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 612c-2

§ 612c–3. Repealed. Pub. L. 101–624, title XV, § 1578, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3702

CITE AS: 7 USC 612c-3

§ 612c–4. Purchase of specialty crops
(a) General purchase authority
(b) Purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution to schools and service institutions
(c) Definitions
(Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10603, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 511; Pub. L. 110–234, title IV, § 4404(c), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1138; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title IV, § 4404(c), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1899; Pub. L. 113–79, title IV, § 4201, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 821; Pub. L. 115–334, title IV, § 4202, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4655.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 612c-4

§ 612c–5. Section 612c funds for purchase of fruits, vegetables, and nuts to support domestic nutrition assistance programs
(a) Funding for additional purchases of fruits, vegetables, and nuts
In addition to the purchases of fruits, vegetables, and nuts required by section 612c–4 of this title, the Secretary of Agriculture shall purchase fruits, vegetables, and nuts for the purpose of providing nutritious foods for use in domestic nutrition assistance programs, using, of the funds made available under section 612c of this title, the following amounts:
(1) $190,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(2) $193,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
(3) $199,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
(4) $203,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
(5) $206,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 and each fiscal year thereafter.
(b) Form of purchases
(Pub. L. 110–234, title IV, § 4404, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1137; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title IV, § 4404, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1899.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 612c-5

§ 612c–6. Domestic food assistance programs
(a) Definition of section 32
(b) Transfer to Food and Nutrition Service
(1) In general
(2) Maximum amount
The maximum amount calculated under this paragraph for a fiscal year is the sum of—
(A)
(i) in the case of fiscal year 2009, $1,173,000,000;
(ii) in the case of fiscal year 2010, $1,199,000,000;
(iii) in the case of fiscal year 2011, $1,215,000,000;
(iv) in the case of fiscal year 2012, $1,231,000,000;
(v) in the case of fiscal year 2013, $1,248,000,000;
(vi) in the case of fiscal year 2014, $1,266,000,000;
(vii) in the case of fiscal year 2015, $1,284,000,000;
(viii) in the case of fiscal year 2016, $1,303,000,000;
(ix) in the case of fiscal year 2017, $1,322,000,000; and
(x) for fiscal year 2018 and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount made available for the preceding fiscal year, as adjusted to reflect changes for the 12-month period ending on the preceding November 30 in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor; and
(B) any transfers for the fiscal year from section 32 to the Department of Commerce under the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a et seq.).
(c) Fresh fruit and vegetable program
(d) Whole grain products
(e) Maintenance of funding
The funding provided under subsections (c) and (d) shall supplement (and not supplant) other Federal funding (including section 32 funding) for programs carried out under—
(1) the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), except for section 19 of that Act [42 U.S.C. 1769a];
(2) the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501 et seq.); and
(3) section 2036 2
2 See References in Text note below.
of this title.
(Pub. L. 110–234, title XIV, § 14222, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1483; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title XIV, § 14222, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2245; Pub. L. 112–55, div. A, title IV, Nov. 18, 2011, 125 Stat. 574.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 612c-6

§ 613. Termination date; investigations and reports

This chapter shall cease to be in effect whenever the President finds and proclaims that the national economic emergency in relation to agriculture has been ended; and pending such time the President shall by proclamation terminate with respect to any basic agricultural commodity such provisions of this chapter as he finds are not requisite to carrying out the declared policy with respect to such commodity. In the case of sugar beets and sugarcane, the taxes provided by this chapter shall cease to be in effect, and the powers vested in the President or in the Secretary of Agriculture shall terminate on December 31, 1937 unless this chapter ceases to be in effect at an earlier date, as hereinabove provided. The Secretary of Agriculture shall make such investigations and reports thereon to the President as may be necessary to aid him in executing this section.

(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 13, 48 Stat. 39; May 9, 1934, ch. 263, § 15, 48 Stat. 677; Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 20(a), 49 Stat. 768.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 613

§ 613a. Repealed. Sept. 1, 1937, ch. 898, title V, § 510, 50 Stat. 916

CITE AS: 7 USC 613a

§ 614. Separability

If any provision of this chapter is declared unconstitutional, or the applicability thereof to any person, circumstance, or commodity is held invalid the validity of the remainder of this chapter and the applicability thereof to other persons, circumstances, or commodities shall not be affected thereby.

(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 14, 48 Stat. 39; June 3, 1937, ch. 296, § 1, 50 Stat. 246.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 614

§ 615. Refunds of tax; exemptions from tax; compensating tax; compensating tax on foreign goods; covering into Treasury
(a) If at any time the Secretary of Agriculture finds, upon investigation and after due notice and opportunity for hearing to interested parties, that any class of products of any commodity is of such low value, considering the quantity of the commodity used for their manufacture, that the imposition of the processing tax would prevent in whole or in large part the use of the commodity in the manufacture of such products and thereby substantially reduce consumption and increase the surplus of the commodity, then the Secretary of Agriculture shall so certify to the Secretary of the Treasury, specifying whether such results will in his judgment most effectively be prevented by a suspension of the imposition of the processing tax or a refund of the tax paid, with respect to such amount of the commodity or any product thereof as is used in the manufacture of such products, and thereafter, as shall be specified in such certification, (1) the imposition of the processing tax shall be suspended with respect to such amount of the commodity as is used in the manufacture of such products, and thereafter, as shall be specified in such certification, (2) the imposition of the processing tax shall be suspended with respect to such amount of the commodity as is used in the manufacture of such products until such time as the Secretary of Agriculture, after further investigation and due notice and opportunity for hearing to interested parties, revokes his certification to the Secretary of the Treasury, or (3) the Secretary of the Treasury shall refund (in accordance with the provisions of, to such persons and in such manner as shall be specified in, such certification) the amount of any tax paid (prior to the date of any revocation by the Secretary of Agriculture of his certification to the Secretary of the Treasury, upon further investigation and after due notice and opportunity for hearing to interested parties) under this chapter with respect to such amount of the commodity or any product thereof as is used after the date of such certification in the manufacture of such products, or shall credit against any tax due and payable under this chapter the amount of tax which would be refundable. During the period in which any certificate under this section is effective, the provisions of subsection (e) of this section shall be suspended with respect to all imported articles of the kind described in such certificate; and notwithstanding the provisions of section 623 of this title, any compensating taxes, which have heretofore, during the period in which any certificate under this section has been effective, become due and payable upon imported articles of the kind described in such certificate, shall be refunded by the Secretary of the Treasury if the same have been paid, or, if the same have not been paid the amount thereof shall be abated. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 623 of this title, the Secretary of the Treasury shall refund or credit any processing tax paid on or before June 12, 1934, with respect to such amount of cotton as was used in the manufacture of large cotton bags (as defined in the Certificate of the Secretary of Agriculture, dated June 12, 1934) between June 13, and July 7, 1934, both inclusive.
(b) No tax shall be required to be paid on the processing of any commodity by or for the producer thereof for consumption by his own family, employees, or household; and the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized, by regulations, to exempt from the payment of the processing tax the processing of commodities by or for the producer thereof for sale by him where, in the judgment of the Secretary, the imposition of a processing tax with respect thereto is unnecessary to effectuate the declared policy.
(b–1) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized and directed to issue tax-payment warrants, with respect to rough rice produced in 1933 and 1934 (provided the processing of such rice is not exempt from the tax, and provided no tax payment warrant has been previously issued with respect thereto or previously applied for by application then pending, sufficient to cover the tax with respect to the processing thereof at the rate in effect at the time of such issuance, to any processor with respect to any such rice which he had in his possession on March 31, 1935, and to, or at the direction of any other person with respect to any such rice which, on or after April 1, 1935, he delivers for processing or sells to a processor: Provided, That in case any such processor or other person is the producer of such rice (or has received such rice by gift, bequest, or descent from the producer thereof) that such processor or other person is, if eligible, a cooperating producer: And provided further, That in case such processor or other person is not the producer thereof (nor a person who has received such rice by gift, bequest, or descent from the producer thereof), (a) that, if the title to such rice was transferred from the producer thereof, whether by operation of law or otherwise, prior to April 1, 1935, such producer received the price prescribed in any marketing agreement, license, regulation, or administrative ruling, pursuant to this chapter, applicable to the sale of such rice by the producer, and (b) that, if the title to such rice was transferred from the producer thereof, whether by operation of law or otherwise, on or after April 1, 1935, such producer received at least the full market price therefor plus an amount equal to 99 per centum of the face value of tax-payment warrants sufficient to cover the tax on the processing of such rice at rate in effect at the time title was so transferred, and was, if eligible, a cooperating producer.
(b–2) The warrants authorized and directed to be issued by subsection (b–1) of this section—
(1) shall be issued by the Secretary of Agriculture or his duly authorized agent in such manner, at such time or times, at such place or places, in such form, and subject to such terms and conditions with reference to the transfer thereof or the voiding of warrants fraudulently obtained and/or erroneously issued, as the Secretary of Agriculture may prescribe, and the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to discontinue the further issuance of tax-payment warrants at any time or times and in any region or regions when he shall determine that the rice in any such region or regions can no longer be identified adequately as rice grown in 1933 or 1934; and
(2) shall be accepted by the Collector of Internal Revenue and the Secretary of the Treasury at the face value thereof in payment of any processing tax on rice.
(b–3)
(1) Any person who deals or traffics in, or purchases any such tax-payment warrant or the right of any person thereto at less than 99 per centum of its face value shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year or both.
(2) Any person who, with intent to defraud, secures or attempts to secure, or aids or assists in or procures, counsels, or advises, the securing or attempting to secure any tax-payment warrant with respect to rice as to which any tax-payment warrant has been theretofore issued shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
(3) Any person who with intent to defraud forges, makes, alters, or counterfeits any tax-payment warrant or any stamp, tag, or other means of identification provided for by this chapter or any regulation issued pursuant thereto, or makes any false entry upon such warrant or any false statement in any application for the issuance of such warrant, or who uses, sells, lends, or has in his possession any such altered, forged, or counterfeited warrant or stamp, tag, or other means of identification, or who makes, uses, sells, or has in his possession any material in imitation of the material used in the manufacture of such warrants or stamps, tags, or other means of identification, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding $5,000 or by imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both.
(4) All producers, warehousemen, processors, and common carriers, having information with respect to rice produced in the years 1933 or 1934, may be required to furnish to the Secretary of Agriculture such information as he shall, by order, prescribe as necessary to safeguard the issuance, transfer, and/or use of tax-payment warrants.
(5) The Secretary of Agriculture may make regulations protecting the interests of producers (including share-tenants and share-croppers) and others, in the issuance, holding, use, and/or transfer of such tax-payment warrants.
(c) Any person, including any State or Federal organization or institution, delivering any product to any organization for charitable distribution or use, including any State or Federal welfare organization, for its own use, whether the product is delivered as merchandise, or as a container for merchandise, or otherwise, shall, if such product or the commodity from which processed is under this chapter subject to tax, be entitled to a refund of the amount of any tax due and paid under this chapter with respect to such product so delivered, or to a credit against any tax due and payable under this chapter of the amount of tax which would be refundable under this section with respect to such product so delivered: Provided, however, That no tax shall be refunded or credited under this section, unless the person claiming the refund or credit establishes, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury (1) that he has not included the tax in the price of the product so delivered or collected the amount of the tax from the said organization, or (2) that he has repaid, or has agreed in writing to repay, the amount of the tax to the said organization. The word “State” as used in this section shall include a State and any political subdivision thereof.
(d) The Secretary of Agriculture shall ascertain from time to time whether the payment of the processing tax upon any basic agricultural commodity is causing or will cause to the processors or producers thereof disadvantages in competition from competing commodities by reason of excessive shifts in consumption between such commodities or products thereof. If the Secretary of Agriculture finds, after investigation and due notice and opportunity for hearing to interested parties, that such disadvantages in competition exist, or will exist, he shall proclaim such finding. The Secretary shall specify in this proclamation the competing commodity and the compensating rate of tax on the processing thereof necessary to prevent such disadvantages in competition. Thereafter there shall be levied, assessed, and collected upon the first domestic processing of such competing commodity a tax, to be paid by the processor, at the rate specified, until such rate is altered pursuant to a further finding under this section, or the tax or rate thereof on the basic agricultural commodity is altered or terminated. In no case shall the tax imposed upon such competing commodity exceed that imposed per equivalent unit, as determined by the Secretary, upon the basic agricultural commodity.
(e) During any period for which a processing tax is in effect with respect to any commodity there shall be levied, assessed, collected, and paid upon any article processed or manufactured wholly or partly from such commodity and imported into the United States or any possession thereof to which this chapter applies, from any foreign country or from any possession of the United States to which this chapter does not apply, whether imported as merchandise, or as a container of merchandise, or otherwise, a compensating tax equal to the amount of the processing tax in effect with respect to domestic processing of such commodity into such an article at the time of importation: Provided, (1) That in the event any of the provisions of this chapter have been or are hereafter made applicable to any possession of the United States in the case of any particular commodity or commodities, but not generally, this chapter, for the purposes of this subsection, shall be deemed applicable to such possession with respect to such commodity or commodities but shall not be deemed applicable to such possession with respect to other commodities; and (2) That all taxes collected under this subsection upon articles coming from the possessions of the United States to which this chapter does not apply shall not be covered into the general fund of the Treasury of the United States but shall be held as a separate fund and paid into the Treasury of the said possessions, respectively, to be used and expended by the governments thereof for the benefit of agriculture. Such tax shall be paid prior to the release of the article from customs custody or control.
(f) The President, in his discretion, is authorized by proclamation to decree that all or part of the taxes collected from the processing of sugar beets or sugarcane in Puerto Rico, the Territory of Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Canal Zone, and/or the island of Guam (if the provisions of this chapter are made applicable thereto), and/or upon the processing in continental United States of sugar produced in, or coming from, said areas, shall not be covered into the general fund of the Treasury of the United States but shall be held as a separate fund, in the name of the respective area to which related, to be used and expended for the benefit of agriculture and/or paid as rental or benefit payments in connection with the reduction in the acreage, or reduction in the production for market, or both, of sugar beets and/or sugarcane, and/or used and expended for expansion of markets and for removal of surplus agricultural products in such areas, respectively, as the Secretary of Agriculture, with the approval of the President, shall direct.
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 15, 48 Stat. 39; May 9, 1934, ch. 263, §§ 8, 11, 48 Stat. 675, 676; June 16, 1934, ch. 551, 48 Stat. 973; June 26, 1934, ch. 759, § 1, 48 Stat. 1241; Mar. 18, 1935, ch. 32, §§ 8, 9, 49 Stat. 47, 48; Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, §§ 21–24, 49 Stat. 768; June 22, 1936, ch. 690, § 601(a), 49 Stat. 1739; Proc. No. 2695, eff. July 4, 1946, 11 F.R. 7871, 60 Stat. 1352.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 615

§ 616. Stock on hand when tax takes effect or terminates
(a) Upon the sale or other disposition of any article processed wholly or in chief value from any commodity with respect to which a processing tax is to be levied, that on the date the tax first takes effect or wholly terminates with respect to the commodity, is held for sale or other disposition (including articles in transit) by any person, there shall be made a tax adjustment as follows:
(1) Whenever the processing tax first takes effect, there shall be levied, assessed, and collected a tax to be paid by such person equivalent to the amount of the processing tax which would be payable with respect to the commodity from which processed if the processing had occurred on such date. Such tax upon articles imported prior to, but in customs custody or control on, the effective date, shall be paid prior to release therefrom. In the case of sugar, the tax on floor stocks, except the retail stocks of persons engaged in retail trade, shall be paid for the month in which the stocks are sold, or used in the manufacture of other articles, under rules and regulations prescribed by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury.
(2) Whenever the processing tax is wholly terminated, (A) there shall be refunded or credited in the case of a person holding such stocks with respect to which a tax under this chapter has been paid, or (B) there shall be credited or abated in the case of a person holding such stocks with respect to which a tax under this chapter is payable, where such person is the processor liable for the payment of such tax, or (C) there shall be refunded or credited (but not before the tax has been paid) in the case of a person holding such stocks with respect to which a tax under this chapter is payable, where such person is not the processor liable for the payment of such tax, a sum in an amount equivalent to the processing tax which would have been payable with respect to the commodity from which processed if the processing had occurred on such date: Provided, That in the case of any commodity with respect to which there was any increase, effective prior to June 1, 1934, in the rate of the processing tax, no such refund, credit, or abatement, shall be in an amount which exceeds the equivalent of the initial rate of the processing tax in effect with respect to such commodity.
(b) The tax imposed by subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to the retail stocks of persons engaged in retail trade, held at the date the processing tax first takes effect; but such retail stocks shall not be deemed to include stocks held in a warehouse on such date, or such portion of other stocks held on such date as are not sold or otherwise disposed of within thirty days thereafter. Except as to flour and prepared flour, and cereal preparations made chiefly from wheat, as classified in Wheat Regulations, Series 1, Supplement 1, and as to any article processed wholly or in chief value from cotton, the tax refund, credit, or abatement provided in subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to the retail stocks of persons engaged in retail trade, nor to any article (except sugar) processed wholly or in chief value from sugar beets, sugarcane, or any product thereof, nor to any article (except flour, prepared flour and cereal preparations made chiefly from wheat, as classified in Wheat Regulations, Series 1, Supplement 1) processed wholly or in chief value from wheat, held on the date the processing tax is wholly terminated.
(c)
(1) Any sugar, imported prior to the effective date of a processing tax on sugar beets and sugarcane, with respect to which it is established (under regulations prescribed by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury) that there was paid at the time of importation a duty at the rate in effect on January 1, 1934, and (2) any sugar held on April 25, 1934, by, or to be delivered under a bona fide contract of sale entered into prior to April 25, 1934, to, any manufacturer or converter, for use in the production of any article (except sugar) and not for ultimate consumption as sugar, and (3) any article (except sugar) processed wholly or in chief value from sugar beets, sugarcane, or any product thereof, shall be exempt from taxation under subsection (a) of this section, but sugar held in customs custody or control on April 25, 1934, shall not be exempt from taxation under subsection (a) of this section, unless the rate of duty paid upon the withdrawal thereof was the rate of duty in effect on January 1, 1934.
(d) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to purchase, out of such proceeds of taxes as are available therefor, during the period this chapter is in effect with respect to sugar beets and sugarcane, not in excess of three hundred thousand tons of sugar raw value from the surplus stocks of direct-consumption sugar produced in the United States beet-sugar area, at a price not in excess of the market price for direct consumption sugar on the date of purchase, and to dispose of such sugar by sale or otherwise, including distribution to any organization for the relief of the unemployed, under such conditions and at such times as will tend to effectuate the declared policy of section 608a of this title. The sugar so purchased shall not be included in the quota for the United States beet-sugar area. All proceeds received by the Secretary of Agriculture, in the exercise of the powers granted, are appropriated to be available to the Secretary of Agriculture for the purposes described in subsections (a) and (b) of section 612 of this title.
(e) Upon the sale or other disposition of any article processed wholly or in chief value from any commodity with respect to which the existing rate of the processing tax is to be increased, or decreased, that on the date such increase, or decrease, first takes effect with respect to the commodity, is held for sale or other disposition (including articles in transit) by any person, and upon the production of any article from a commodity in process on the date on which the rate of the processing tax is to be increased or decreased, there shall be made a tax adjustment as follows:
(1) Whenever, on or after June 1, 1934, the rate of the processing tax on the processing of the commodity generally or for any designated use or uses, or as to any designated product or products thereof for any designated use or uses, or as to any class of products, is decreased, there shall be credited or refunded to such person an amount equivalent to the difference between the rate of the processing tax payable or paid at the time immediately preceding the decrease in rate and the rate of the processing tax which would have been payable with respect to the commodity from which processed, if the processing had occurred on such date: Provided, however, That no such credit or refund shall be made in the case of hogs unless the rate of the processing tax immediately preceding said decrease is equal to, or less than, the rate of the processing tax in effect on the date on which any floor stocks tax was paid prior to the adoption of this subsection. In the case of wheat the provisions of this paragraph and of paragraph (2) of this subsection shall apply to flour, prepared flour and cereal preparations made chiefly from wheat, as classified in Wheat Regulations, Series 1, Supplement 1 only; in the case of sugarcane and sugar beets the provisions of this paragraph and of paragraph (2) of this subsection shall apply to sugar only.
(2) Whenever the rate of the processing tax on the processing of the commodity generally, or for any designated use or uses, or as to any designated product or products thereof for any designated use or uses, or as to any class of products, is increased, there shall be levied, assessed and collected a tax to be paid by such person equivalent to the difference between the rate of the processing tax payable or paid at the time immediately preceding the increase in rate and the rate of the processing tax which would be payable with respect to the commodity from which processed, if the processing had occurred on such date.
(3) Whenever the processing tax is suspended or is to be refunded pursuant to a certification of the Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary of the Treasury, under section 615(a) of this title, the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall become applicable.
(4) Whenever the Secretary of Agriculture revokes any certification to the Secretary of the Treasury under section 615(a) of this title, the provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection shall become applicable.
(5) The provisions of this subsection shall be effective on and after June 1, 1934.
(f) The provisions of this section shall not be applicable with respect to rice.
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 16, 48 Stat. 40; May 9, 1934, ch. 263, §§ 10, 17, 48 Stat. 676, 678; June 26, 1934, ch. 759, § 1, 48 Stat. 1241; Mar. 18, 1935, ch. 32, § 10, 49 Stat. 48; Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, §§ 20(b), 25–27, 49 Stat. 768, 769; June 4, 1936, ch. 501, 49 Stat. 1464; June 22, 1936, ch. 690, § 601(a), (c), (g), 49 Stat. 1739, 1740.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 616

§ 617. Refund on goods exported; bond to suspend tax on commodity intended for export
(a) Upon the exportation to any foreign country (and/or to the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Canal Zone, and the island of Guam) of any product processed wholly or partly from a commodity with respect to which product or commodity a tax has been paid or is payable under this chapter, the tax due and payable or due and paid shall be credited or refunded. Under regulations prescribed by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, the credit or refund shall be allowed to the consignor named in the bill of lading under which the product is exported or to the shipper or to the person liable for the tax provided the consignor waives any claim thereto in favor of such shipper or person liable for the tax. In the case of rice, a tax due under this chapter which has been paid by a tax-payment warrant shall be deemed for the purposes of this subsection to have been paid; and with respect to any refund authorized under this section, the amount scheduled by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue for refunding shall be paid, any provision of law notwithstanding. In the case of sugar beets and sugarcane, this subsection shall be applicable to exports of products thereof to the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Canal Zone, and/or the island of Guam only if this chapter with respect to sugar beets and sugarcane is not made applicable thereto. The term “product” includes any product exported as merchandise, or as a container for merchandise, or otherwise.
(b) Upon the giving of bond satisfactory to the Secretary of the Treasury for the faithful observance of the provisions of this chapter requiring the payment of taxes, any person shall be entitled, without payment of the tax, to process for such exportation any commodity with respect to which a tax is imposed by this chapter, or to hold for such exportation any article processed wholly or partly therefrom.
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 17, 48 Stat. 40; May 9, 1934, ch. 263, §§ 12, 13, 48 Stat. 676; Mar. 18, 1935, ch. 32, § 11, 49 Stat. 48; Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 28, 49 Stat. 770; June 22, 1936, ch. 690, § 601(a), 49 Stat. 1739; Proc. No. 2695, eff. July 4, 1946, 11 F.R. 7871, 60 Stat. 1352.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 617

§ 618. Existing contracts; imposition of tax on vendee; collection
(a) If (1) any processor, jobber, or wholesaler has, prior to the date a tax with respect to any commodity is first imposed under this chapter, made a bona fide contract of sale for delivery on or after such date, of any article processed wholly or in chief value from such commodity, and if (2) such contract does not permit the addition to the amount to be paid thereunder of the whole of such tax, then (unless the contract prohibits such addition) the vendee shall pay so much of the tax as is not permitted to be added to the contract price.
(b) Taxes payable by the vendee shall be paid to the vendor at the time the sale is consummated and shall be collected and paid to the United States by the vendor in the same manner as other taxes under this chapter. In case of failure or refusal by the vendee to pay such taxes to the vendor, the vendor shall report the facts to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue who shall cause collections of such taxes to be made from the vendee.
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 18, 48 Stat. 41.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 618

§ 619. Collection of tax; provisions of internal revenue laws applicable; returns
(a) The taxes provided in this chapter shall be collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury. Such taxes shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States.
(b) All provisions of law, including penalties, applicable with respect to the taxes imposed by section 600 of the Revenue Act of 1926, and the provisions of section 626 of the Revenue Act of 1932, shall, insofar as applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, be applicable in respect of taxes imposed by this chapter: Provided, That the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to permit postponement, for a period not exceeding one hundred and eighty days, of the payment of not exceeding three-fourths of the amount of the taxes covered by any return under this chapter, but postponement of all taxes covered by returns under this chapter for a period not exceeding one hundred and eighty days may be permitted in cases in which the Secretary of the Treasury authorizes such taxes to be paid each month on the amount of the commodity marketed during the next preceding month.
(c) Repealed. June 30, 1947, ch. 166, title II, § 206(d), 61 Stat. 208.
(d) Under regulations made by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, any person required pursuant to the provisions of this chapter to file a return may be required to file such return and pay the tax shown to be due thereon to the collector of internal revenue for the district in which the processing was done or the liability was incurred. Whenever the Commissioner of Internal Revenue deems it necessary, he may require any person or class of persons handling or dealing in any commodity or product thereof, with respect to which a tax is imposed under the provisions of this chapter, to make a return, render under oath such statements, or to keep such records, as the Commissioner deems sufficient to show whether or not such person, or any other person, is liable for the tax.
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 19, 48 Stat. 41; June 26, 1934, ch. 759, § 3, 48 Stat. 1242; Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 29, 49 Stat. 770; June 30, 1947, ch. 166, title II, § 206(d), 61 Stat. 208.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 619

§ 619a. Cotton tax, time for payment

The processing tax authorized by section 609 of this title, when levied upon cotton, shall be payable ninety days after the filing of the processor’s report: Provided, That, under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, the time for payment of such tax upon cotton may be extended, but in no case to exceed six months from the date of the filing of the report.

(May 17, 1935, ch. 131, title I, § 2, 49 Stat. 281.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 619a

§ 620. Falsely ascribing deductions or charges to taxes; penalty
(a) Whoever in connection with the purchase of, or offer to purchase, any commodity, subject to any tax under this chapter, or which is to be subjected to any tax under this chapter, makes any statement, written or oral, (1) intended or calculated to lead any person to believe that any amount deducted from the market price or the agreed price of the commodity consists of a tax imposed under this chapter, or (2) ascribing a particular part of the deduction from the market price or the agreed price of the commodity, to a tax imposed under this chapter, knowing that such statement is false or that the tax is not so great as the amount deducted from the market price or the agreed price of the commodity, ascribed to such tax, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not exceeding six months, or both.
(b) Whoever in connection with the processing of any commodity subject to any tax under this chapter, whether commercially, for toll, upon an exchange, or otherwise, makes any statement, written or oral, (1) intended or calculated to lead any person to believe that any part of the charge for said processing, whether commercially, for toll, upon an exchange, or otherwise, consists of a tax imposed under this chapter, or (2) ascribing a particular part of the charge for processing, whether commercially, for toll, upon an exchange, or otherwise, to a tax imposed under this chapter, knowing that such statement is false, or that the tax is not so great as the amount charged for said processing ascribed to such tax, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not exceeding six months, or both.
(c) Whoever in connection with any settlement, under a contract to buy any commodity, and/or to sell such commodity, or any product or byproduct thereof, subject to any tax under this chapter, makes any statement, written or oral, (1) intended or calculated to lead any person to believe that any amount deducted from the gross sales price, in arriving at the basis of settlement under the contract, consists of a tax under this chapter, or (2) ascribing a particular amount deducted from the gross sales price, in arriving at the basis of settlement under the contract, to a tax imposed under this chapter, knowing that such statement is false, or that the tax is not so great as the amount so deducted and/or ascribed to such tax, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not exceeding six months, or both.
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 20, as added May 9, 1934, ch. 263, § 16, 48 Stat. 677.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 620

§ 621. Machinery belting processed from cotton; exemption from tax

The provisions of section 616 of this title, shall not apply to articles of machinery belting processed wholly or in chief value from cotton, if such processing was completed prior to January 1, 1930.

(June 26, 1934, ch. 753, § 1, 48 Stat. 1223.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 621

§ 622. Omitted

CITE AS: 7 USC 622

§ 623. Actions relating to tax; legalization of prior taxes
(a) Action to restrain collection of tax or obtain declaratory judgment forbidden
(b) Taxes imposed prior to August 24, 1935, legalized and ratified
(c) Rental and benefit payments, agreements, and programs made prior to August 24, 1935, legalized and ratified
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 21, as added Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 30, 49 Stat. 770; amended June 22, 1936, ch. 690, §§ 601(c), 901, 49 Stat. 1740, 1747; Pub. L. 95–598, title III, § 304, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2673.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 623

§ 624. Limitation on imports; authority of President
(a) Whenever the Secretary of Agriculture has reason to believe that any article or articles are being or are practically certain to be imported into the United States under such conditions and in such quantities as to render or tend to render ineffective, or materially interfere with, any program or operation undertaken under this chapter or the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, as amended [16 U.S.C. 590a et seq.], or section 612c of this title, or any loan, purchase, or other program or operation undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, or any agency operating under its direction, with respect to any agricultural commodity or product thereof, or to reduce substantially the amount of any product processed in the United States from any agricultural commodity or product thereof with respect to which any such program or operation is being undertaken, he shall so advise the President, and, if the President agrees that there is reason for such belief, the President shall cause an immediate investigation to be made by the United States International Trade Commission, which shall give precedence to investigations under this section to determine such facts. Such investigation shall be made after due notice and opportunity for hearing to interested parties, and shall be conducted subject to such regulations as the President shall specify.
(b) If, on the basis of such investigation and report to him of findings and recommendations made in connection therewith, the President finds the existence of such facts, he shall by proclamation impose such fees not in excess of 50 per centum ad valorem or such quantitative limitations on any article or articles which may be entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption as he finds and declares shown by such investigation to be necessary in order that the entry of such article or articles will not render or tend to render ineffective, or materially interfere with, any program or operation referred to in subsection (a) of this section, or reduce substantially the amount of any product processed in the United States from any such agricultural commodity or product thereof with respect to which any such program or operation is being undertaken: Provided, That no proclamation under this section shall impose any limitation on the total quantity of any article or articles which may be entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption which reduces such permissible total quantity to proportionately less than 50 per centum of the total quantity of such article or articles which was entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption during a representative period as determined by the President: And provided further, That in designating any article or articles, the President may describe them by physical qualities, value, use, or upon such other bases as he shall determine.

In any case where the Secretary of Agriculture determines and reports to the President with regard to any article or articles that a condition exists requiring emergency treatment, the President may take immediate action under this section without awaiting the recommendations of the International Trade Commission, such action to continue in effect pending the report and recommendations of the International Trade Commission and action thereon by the President.

(c) The fees and limitations imposed by the President by proclamation under this section and any revocation, suspension, or modification thereof, shall become effective on such date as shall be therein specified, and such fees shall be treated for administrative purposes and for the purposes of section 612c of this title, as duties imposed by the Tariff Act of 1930 [19 U.S.C. 1202 et seq.], but such fees shall not be considered as duties for the purpose of granting any preferential concession under any international obligation of the United States.
(d) After investigation, report, finding, and declaration in the manner provided in the case of a proclamation issued pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, any proclamation or provision of such proclamation may be suspended or terminated by the President whenever he finds and proclaims that the circumstances requiring the proclamation or provision thereof no longer exist or may be modified by the President whenever he finds and proclaims that changed circumstances require such modification to carry out the purposes of this section.
(e) Any decision of the President as to facts under this section shall be final.
(f) No quantitative limitation or fee shall be imposed under this section with respect to any article that is the product of a WTO member (as defined in section 3501(10) of title 19).
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 22, as added Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 31, 49 Stat. 773; amended Feb. 29, 1936, ch. 104, § 5, 49 Stat. 1152; June 3, 1937, ch. 296, § 1, 50 Stat. 246; Jan. 25, 1940, ch. 13, 54 Stat. 17; July 3, 1948, ch. 827, title I, § 3, 62 Stat. 1248; June 28, 1950, ch. 381, § 3, 64 Stat. 261; June 16, 1951, ch. 141, § 8(b), 65 Stat. 75; Aug. 7, 1953, ch. 348, title I, § 104, 67 Stat. 472; Pub. L. 93–618, title I, § 171(b), Jan. 3, 1975, 88 Stat. 2009; Pub. L. 100–449, title III, § 301(c), Sept. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 1868; Pub. L. 103–465, title IV, § 401(a)(1), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4957.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 624

§ 625. Repealed. Pub. L. 108–357, title VI, § 611(s), Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1523

CITE AS: 7 USC 625

§ 626. Import inventory
(a) Compilation and report on imports
(b) Compilation and report on consumption
(c) Issuing of data
(Pub. L. 100–418, title IV, § 4502, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1403.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 626

§ 627. Dairy forward pricing pilot program
(a) Pilot program required
(b) Minimum milk price requirements
Payments made by milk handlers to milk producers and cooperatives, and prices received by milk producers and cooperatives, under the forward contracts shall be deemed to satisfy—
(1) all regulated minimum milk price requirements of paragraphs (B) and (F) of subsection (5) of section 608c of this title; and
(2) the requirement of paragraph (C) of such subsection regarding total payments by each handler.
(c) Milk covered by pilot program
(1) Covered milk
The pilot program shall apply only with respect to the marketing of federally regulated milk that—
(A) is not classified as Class I milk or otherwise intended for fluid use; and
(B) is in the current of interstate or foreign commerce or directly burdens, obstructs, or affects interstate or foreign commerce in federally regulated milk.
(2) Relation to Class I milk
(d) Duration
(e) Study and report on effect of pilot program
(1) Study
(2) Report
(May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title I, § 23, as added Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(8) [§ 3], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–519.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 627