7 USC 7444 - Required terms in orders

U.S Code last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

§ 7444.

Required terms in orders

(a)

In general

(b)

Establishment and membership of National Canola and Rapeseed Board

(1)

In general

(2)

Service to entire industry

(3)

Board membership

The Board shall consist of 15 members, including—

(A)

11 members who are producers, including—

(i)

1 member from each of the 6 geographic regions comprised of States where canola or rapeseed is produced, as determined by the Secretary; and

(ii)

5 members from the geographic regions referred to in clause (i), allocated according to the production in each region; and

(B)

4 members who are industry members, including at least—

(i)

1 member who represents manufacturers of canola or rapeseed end products; and

(ii)

1 member who represents persons who commercially buy or sell canola or rapeseed.

(4)

Limitation on State residence

(5)

Modifying Board membership

In accordance with regulations approved by the Secretary, at least once each 3 years and not more than once each 2 years, the Board shall review the geographic distribution of canola and rapeseed production throughout the United States and, if warranted, recommend to the Secretary that the Secretary—

(A)

reapportion regions in order to reflect the geographic distribution of canola and rapeseed production; and

(B)

reapportion the seats on the Board to reflect the production in each region.

(6)

Certification of organizations

(A)

In general

(B)

Criteria

The Secretary shall certify any State organization that the Secretary determines has a history of stability and permanency and meets at least 1 of the following criteria:

(i)

Majority representation

The total paid membership of the organization—

(I)

is comprised of at least a majority of canola or rapeseed producers; or

(II)

represents at least a majority of the canola or rapeseed producers in the State.

(ii)

Substantial number of producers represented

(iii)

Purpose

(C)

Report

(7)

Terms of office

(A)

In general

(B)

Limitation on terms

(C)

Termination of terms

(8)

Compensation

(c)

Powers and duties of Board

The order shall define the powers and duties of the Board, which shall include the power and duty—

(1)

to administer the order in accordance with the terms and conditions of the order;

(2)

to issue regulations to effectuate the terms and conditions of the order;

(3)

to meet, organize, and select from among members of the Board a chairperson, other officers, and committees and subcommittees, as the Board determines appropriate;

(4)

to establish working committees of persons other than Board members;

(5)

to employ such persons, other than Board members, as the Board considers necessary, and to determine the compensation and define the duties of the persons;

(6)

to prepare and submit for the approval of the Secretary, when appropriate or necessary, a recommended rate of assessment under section 7445 of this title, and a fiscal period budget of the anticipated expenses in the administration of the order, including the probable costs of all programs and projects;

(7)

to develop programs and projects, subject to subsection (d);

(8)

to enter into contracts or agreements, subject to subsection (e), to develop and carry out programs or projects of research, promotion, industry information, and consumer information;

(9)

to carry out research, promotion, industry information, and consumer information projects, and to pay the costs of the projects with assessments collected under section 7445 of this title;

(10)

to keep minutes, books, and records that reflect the actions and transactions of the Board, and promptly report minutes of each Board meeting to the Secretary;

(11)

to appoint and convene, from time to time, working committees comprised of producers, industry members, and the public to assist in the development of research, promotion, industry information, and consumer information programs for canola, rapeseed, and canola and rapeseed products;

(12)

to invest, pending disbursement under a program or project, funds collected through assessments authorized under section 7445 of this title, or funds earned from investments, only in—

(A)

obligations of the United States or an agency of the United States;

(B)

general obligations of a State or a political subdivision of a State;

(C)

an interest-bearing account or certificate of deposit of a bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System; or

(D)

obligations fully guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States;

(13)

to receive, investigate, and report to the Secretary complaints of violations of the order;

(14)

to furnish the Secretary with such information as the Secretary may request;

(15)

to recommend to the Secretary amendments to the order;

(16)

to develop and recommend to the Secretary for approval such regulations as may be necessary for the development and execution of programs or projects, or as may otherwise be necessary, to carry out the order; and

(17)

to provide the Secretary with advance notice of meetings.

(d)

Programs and budgets

(1)

Submission to Secretary

(2)

Budgets

(3)

Incurring expenses

(4)

Paying expenses

(5)

Authority to borrow

(e)

Contracts and agreements

(1)

In general

(2)

Requirements

A contract or agreement under paragraph (1) shall provide that—

(A)

the contracting party shall develop and submit to the Board a program or project together with a budget that shall show the estimated costs to be incurred for the program or project;

(B)

the program or project shall become effective on the approval of the Secretary; and

(C)

the contracting party shall keep accurate records of all transactions, account for funds received and expended, make periodic reports to the Board of activities conducted, and make such other reports as the Board or the Secretary may require.

(3)

Producer organizations

(f)

Books and records of Board

(1)

In general

The order shall require the Board to—

(A)

maintain such books and records (which shall be available to the Secretary for inspection and audit) as the Secretary may prescribe;

(B)

prepare and submit to the Secretary, from time to time, such reports as the Secretary may prescribe; and

(C)

account for the receipt and disbursement of all funds entrusted to the Board.

(2)

Audits

(g)

Prohibition

(1)

In general

Subject to paragraph (2), the Board shall not engage in any action to, nor shall any funds received by the Board under this subchapter be used to—

(A)

influence legislation or governmental action;

(B)

engage in an action that would be a conflict of interest;

(C)

engage in advertising that is false or misleading; or

(D)

engage in promotion that would disparage other commodities.

(2)

Action permitted

Paragraph (1) does not preclude—

(A)

the development and recommendation of amendments to the order;

(B)

the communication to appropriate government officials of information relating to the conduct, implementation, or results of promotion, research, consumer information, or industry information activities under the order; or

(C)

any action designed to market canola or rapeseed products directly to a foreign government or political subdivision of a foreign government.

(h)

Books and records

(1)

In general

The order shall require that each producer, first purchaser, or industry member shall—

(A)

maintain and submit to the Board any reports considered necessary by the Secretary to ensure compliance with this subchapter; and

(B)

make available during normal business hours, for inspection by employees of the Board or Secretary, such books and records as are necessary to carry out this subchapter, including such records as are necessary to verify any required reports.

(2)

Confidentiality

(A)

In general

(B)

Disclosure

Information referred to in subparagraph (A) may be disclosed to the public if—

(i)

the Secretary considers the information relevant;

(ii)

the information is revealed in a suit or administrative hearing brought at the direction or on the request of the Secretary or to which the Secretary or any officer of the Department is a party; and

(iii)

the information relates to this subchapter.

(C)

Misconduct

(D)

General statements

Nothing in this paragraph prohibits—

(i)

the issuance of general statements based on the reports of a number of persons subject to an order or statistical data collected from the reports, if the statements do not identify the information furnished by any person; or

(ii)

the publication, by direction of the Secretary, of the name of a person violating the order, together with a statement of the particular provisions of the order violated by the person.

(3)

Availability of information for law enforcement

(4)

Penalty

(5)

Withholding of information

(i)

Use of assessments

(j)

Other terms and conditions

(Pub. L. 104–127, title V, § 535, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1051.)

cite as: 7 USC 7444