§ 2617 — Required Terms And Conditions Of Plans

Any plan issued pursuant to this chapter shall contain the following terms and conditions: (a) Providing for the establishment by the Secretary of a National Potato Promotion Board (hereinafter referred to as “the board”) and for defining its powers and duties, which shall include powers— (1) to administer such plan in accordance with its terms and conditions; (2) to make rules and regulations to effectuate the terms and conditions of such plan; (3) to receive, investigate, and report to the Secretary complaints of violations of such plan; and (4) to recommend to the Secretary amendments to such plan. (b) Providing that the board shall be composed of representatives of producers and the public appointed by the Secretary from nominations submitted in accordance with this subsection. If importers are subject to a plan, the board shall also include up to 5 representatives of importers, appointed by the Secretary from nominations submitted by importers in such manner as may be prescribed by the Secretary. Representatives of producers shall be nominated by producers in such manner as may be prescribed by the Secretary. Public representatives shall be nominated by the board in such manner as may be prescribed by the Secretary. If producers or importers fail to select nominees for appointment to the board, or the board fails to nominate public representatives, the Secretary may appoint persons on the basis of representation as provided for in such plan. The requirement for inclusion of public representatives on the board shall not be subject to producer approval, or to importer approval when importers are subject to a plan, in a referendum. (c) Providing that board members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in performing their duties as members of the board. (d) Providing that the board shall prepare and submit to the Secretary for his approval a budget, on a fiscal period basis, of its anticipated expenses and disbursements in the administration of the plan, including probable costs of research, development, advertising, and promotion. (e) Providing that the board shall recommend to the Secretary and the Secretary shall fix the assessment rate at not more than 2 cents per one hundred pounds of potatoes handled; except that if approved by producers, and importers when importers are subject to a plan, pursuant to section 2623 of this title, the rate of assessment shall not exceed one-half of 1 per centum of the immediate past ten-calendar-year United States average price received for potatoes by growers as reported by the Department of Agriculture. (f) Providing that— (1) funds collected by the board shall be used for research, development, advertising, or promotion of potatoes and potato products and such other expenses for the administration, maintenance, and functioning of the board, as may be authorized by the Secretary, including any referendum and administrative costs incurred by the Department of Agriculture under this chapter: Provided, That the provision for payment to the Department of Agriculture for any referendum and administrative costs so incurred shall not be subject to producer approval, or importer approval when importers are subject to a plan, in a referendum; (2) no advertising or sales promotion program shall make any reference to private brand names or use false or unwarranted claims in behalf of potatoes or their products or false or unwarranted statements with respect to the attributes or use of any competing products; and (3) no funds collected by the board shall in any manner be used for the purpose of influencing governmental policy or action, except as provided by subsection (a)(4) of this section. (g) Providing that the board shall, subject to the provisions of subsections (e) and (f) of this section, develop and submit to the Secretary for his approval any research, development, advertising or promotion programs or projects, and that any such program or project must be approved by the Secretary before becoming effective. (h) Providing the board with authority to enter into contracts or agreements, with the approval of the Secretary, for the development and carrying out of research, development, advertising or promotion programs or projects, and the payment of the cost thereof with funds collected pursuant to this chapter. (i) Providing that the board shall maintain books and records and prepare and submit to the Secretary such reports from time to time as may be prescribed for appropriate accounting with respect to the receipt and disbursement of funds entrusted to it and cause a complete audit report to be submitted to the Secretary at the end of each fiscal period.