§ 610 — Administration

(a) The Secretary of Agriculture may appoint such officers and employees, subject to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, and such experts, as are necessary to execute the functions vested in him by this chapter: Provided, That the Secretary shall establish the Agricultural Adjustment Administration in the Department of Agriculture for the administration of the functions vested in him by this chapter: And provided further, That the State Administrator appointed to administer this chapter in each State shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Section 8 of Title II of the Act entitled “An Act to maintain the credit of the United States Government,” approved March 20, 1933, to the extent that it provides for the impoundment of appropriations on account of reductions in compensation, shall not operate to require such impoundment under appropriations contained in this chapter. (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. (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) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized, with the approval of the President, to make such regulations with the force and effect of law as may be necessary to carry out the powers vested in him by this chapter. Any violation of any regulation shall be subject to such penalty, not in excess of $100, as may be provided therein. (d) The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to make such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the powers vested in him by this chapter. (e) The action of any officer, employee, or agent in determining the amount of and in making any payment authorized to be made under section 608 of this title shall not be subject to review by any officer of the Government other than the Secretary of Agriculture or Secretary of the Treasury. (f) The provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to the United States and its possessions, except the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Canal Zone, and the island of Guam; except that, in the case of sugar beets and sugarcane, the President, if he finds it necessary in order to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter, is authorized by proclamation to make the provisions of this chapter applicable to the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Canal Zone, and/or the island of Guam. (g) No person shall, while acting in any official capacity in the administration of this chapter, speculate, directly or indirectly, in any agricultural commodity or product thereof to which this chapter applies, or in contracts relating thereto, or in the stock or membership interest of any association or corporation engaged in handling, processing, or disposing of any such commodity or product. Any person violating this subsection shall upon conviction thereof be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. (h) For the efficient administration of the provisions of this chapter, the provisions, including penalties, of sections 48, 49, and 50 of title 15, are made applicable to the jurisdiction, powers, and duties of the Secretary in administering the provisions of this chapter, and to any person subject to the provisions of this chapter, whether or not a corporation. Hearings authorized or required under this chapter shall be conducted by the Secretary of Agriculture or such officer or employee of the Department as he may designate for the purpose. The Secretary may report any violation of any agreement entered into under this chapter, to the Attorney General of the United States, who shall cause appropriate proceedings to enforce such agreement to be commenced and prosecuted in the proper courts of the United States without delay. (i) The Secretary of Agriculture upon the request of the duly constituted authorities of any State is directed, in order to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter and in order to obtain uniformity in the formulation, administration, and enforcement of Federal and State programs relating to the regulation of the handling of agricultural commodities or products thereof, to confer with and hold joint hearings with the duly constituted authorities of any State, and is authorized to cooperate with such authorities; to accept and utilize, with the consent of the State, such State and local officers and employees as may be necessary; to avail himself of the records and facilities of such authorities; to issue orders (subject to the provisions of section 608c of this title) complementary to orders or other regulations issued by such authorities; and to make available to such State authorities the records and facilities of the Department of Agriculture: Provided, That information furnished to the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to section 608d(1) of this title shall be made available only to the extent that such information is relevant to transactions within the regulatory jurisdiction of such authorities, and then only upon a written agreement by such authorities that the information so furnished shall be kept confidential by them in a manner similar to that required of Federal officers and employees under the provisions of section 608d(2) of this title. (j) The term “interstate or foreign commerce” means commerce between any State, Territory, or possession, or the District of Columbia, and any place outside thereof; or between points within the same State, Territory, or possession, or the District of Columbia, but through any place outside thereof; or within any Territory or possession, or the District of Columbia. For the purpose of this chapter (but in nowise limiting the foregoing definition) a marketing transaction in respect to an agricultural commodity or the product thereof shall be considered in interstate or foreign commerce if such commodity or product is part of that current of interstate or foreign commerce usual in the handling of the commodity or product whereby they, or either of them, are sent from one State to end their transit, after purchase, in another, including all cases where purchase or sale is either for shipment to another State or for the processing within the State and the shipment outside the State of the products so processed. Agricultural commodities or products thereof normally in such current of interstate or foreign commerce shall not be considered out of such current through resort being had to any means or device intended to remove transactions in respect thereto from the provisions of said sections. As used herein, the word “State” includes Territory, the District of Columbia, possession of the United States, and foreign nations.