Any duties devolving upon the Secretary of Agriculture by virtue of the provisions of this chapter may with like force and effect be executed by such officer or officers, agent or agents, of the Department of Agriculture as the Secretary may designate for the purpose.

No person shall detach, alter, deface, or destroy any label provided for in this chapter or the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder by the Secretary of Agriculture, or alter or substitute seed in a manner that may defeat the purpose of this chapter.

When construing and enforcing the provisions of this chapter, the act, omission, or failure of any officer, agent, or other person acting for or employed by any person, partnership, corporation, company, society, or association, shall in every case be also deemed to be the act, omission, or failure of such person, partnership, corporation, company, society, or association, as well as that of the person employed.

Before any violation of this chapter is reported by the Secretary of Agriculture to any United States attorney for institution of a criminal proceeding, the person against whom such proceeding is contemplated shall be given appropriate notice and an opportunity to prevent 1

An order made under section 1599 of this title shall be final and conclusive unless within thirty days after the service the person appeals to the court of appeals for the circuit in which such person resides or has his principal place of business by filing with the clerk of such court a written petition praying that the Secretary’s order be set aside or modified in the manner stated in the petition, together with a bond in such sum as the court may determine, conditioned that such person will pay the costs of the proceedings if the court so directs.

The clerk of the court shall immediately cause a copy of the petition to be delivered to the Secretary, and the Secretary shall thereupon file in the court the record in such proceedings, as provided in section 2112 of title 28. If before such record is filed, the Secretary amends or sets aside his report or order, in whole or in part, the petitioner may amend the petition within such time as the court may determine, on notice to the Secretary.

At any time after such petition is filed the court, on application of the Secretary, may issue a temporary injunction restraining, to the extent it deems proper, the person and his officers, directors, agents, and employees from violating any of the provisions of the order pending the final determination of the appeal.

The evidence so taken or admitted and filed as aforesaid as a part of the record, shall be considered by the court as the evidence in the case.

The court may affirm, modify, or set aside the order of the Secretary.

If the court determines that the just and proper disposition of the case requires the taking of additional evidence, the court shall order the hearing to be reopened for the taking of such evidence, in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as the court may deem proper. The Secretary may modify his findings as to the facts, or make new findings, by reason of the additional evidence so taken, and he shall file such modified or new findings and his recommendations, if any, for the modification or setting aside of his order, with the return of such additional evidence.

If the court of appeals affirms or modifies the order of the Secretary, its decree shall operate as an injunction to restrain the person and his officers, directors, agents, and employees from violating the provisions of such order or such order as modified.

If any person against whom an order is issued under section 1599 of this title fails to obey the order, the Secretary of Agriculture, or the United States, by its Attorney General, may apply to the court of appeals of the United States, within the circuit where the person against whom the order was issued resides or has his principal place of business, for the enforcement of the order, and shall file the record in such proceedings, as provided in section 2112 of title 28. Upon such filing of the application the court shall cause notice thereof to be served upon the person against whom the order was issued. The evidence to be considered, the procedure to be followed, and the jurisdiction of the court shall be the same as provided in section 1600 of this title for applications to set aside or modify orders.

The institution of any one of the proceedings provided for in sections 1595, 1596, 1599 to 1601 of this title shall not bar institution of any of the others, except that action shall not be instituted under both subsections 1596(a) and (b) of this title for the same cause of action. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to recommend prosecution, or institution of civil penalty proceedings, libel proceedings, cease-and-desist proceedings, or proceedings for the enforcement of a cease-and-desist order, for minor violations of this chapter or the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder whenever he believes that the public interest will be adequately served by suitable written notice or warning.

After judgment by the court, or the issuance of a cease and desist order, in any case arising under this chapter, notice thereof shall be given by publication in such manner as may be prescribed in the rules and regulations made and promulgated under this chapter.

The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to make such expenditures for rent, outside of the District of Columbia, printing, binding, telegrams, telephones, books of reference, publications, furniture, stationery, office and laboratory equipment, travel, and other supplies, including reporting services, such research necessary to develop methods of processing, bulking, blending, sampling, testing, and merchandising seeds necessary to the administration of this chapter and other necessary expenses in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, and as may be appropriated for by the Congress.

The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to cooperate with any other department or agency of the Federal Government; or with any State, Territory, District, or possession, or department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; or with any producing, trading, or consuming organization, whether operating in one or more jurisdictions, in carrying out the provisions of this chapter.

If any provision of this chapter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the chapter, and the application of such provisions to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.

Sections 111 to 116 of this title are repealed on the one hundred and eightieth day after August 9, 1939: Provided, however, That the notices with respect to imported alfalfa and red clover seed promulgated by the Secretary of Agriculture under the authority of sections 111 to 116 of this title, and in effect on August 9, 1939, shall remain with the same full force and effect as if promulgated under this chapter.

This chapter shall take effect as follows: As to agricultural seeds, and the importation of vegetable seeds, on the one hundred and eightieth day after August 9, 1939; as to vegetable seeds in interstate commerce, one year after August 9, 1939; and as to sections 1591 to 1593 of this title, on August 9, 1939.