(a) An assessment of four and a half cents per hundredweight shall be levied on all watermelons produced for ultimate consumption as human food, and an assessment of four and a half cents per hundredweight shall be levied on all watermelons first handled for ultimate consumption as human food. An assessment of nine cents per hundredweight shall be levied on all watermelons imported into the United States for ultimate consumption as human food at the time of entry in the United States.

(b) The import assessment shall be uniformly applied to imported watermelons that are identified by the numbers 0807.11.30 and 0807.11.40 in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States or any other number used to identify fresh watermelons for consumption as human food. The U.S. Customs Service and Border Protection (Customs) will collect assessments on such watermelons at the time of entry and will forward such assessment as per the agreement between Customs and USDA. Any importer or agent who is exempt from payment of assessments may submit to the Board adequate proof of the volume handled by such importer for the exemption to be granted.

(c) Watermelons used for non-human food purposes are exempt from assessment requirements but are subject to the safeguard provisions of § 1210.521.