§2619. Assessments

(a) Collection and payment; recordkeeping; limitation

(1) Each handler designated by the board, pursuant to regulations issued under the plan, to make payment of assessments shall be responsible for payment to the board, as it may direct, of any assessment levied on potatoes; and such handler may collect from any producer or deduct from the proceeds paid to any producer, on whose potatoes such assessment is made, any such assessment required to be paid by such handler. Such handler shall maintain a separate record with respect to each producer for whom potatoes were handled, and such records shall indicate the total quantity of potatoes handled by him including those handled for producers and for himself, shall indicate the total quantity of potatoes handled by him which are included under the terms of a plan as well as those which are exempt under such plan, and shall indicate such other information as may be prescribed by the board. To facilitate the collection and payment of such assessments, the board may designate different handlers or classes of handlers to recognize differences in marketing practices or procedures utilized in any State or area. No more than one such assessment shall be made on any potatoes.

(2) When importers are subject to a plan, each importer designated by the board, pursuant to regulations issued under the plan, to make payment of assessments shall be responsible for payment to the board, as it may direct, of any assessment levied on potatoes. The assessment on imported tablestock, frozen, or processed potatoes for ultimate consumption by humans, and seed potatoes shall be established by the board so that the effective assessment shall equal that on domestic production and shall be paid by the importer to the board at the time of entry into the United States. Each such importer shall maintain a separate record including the total quantity of tablestock, frozen, processed potatoes for ultimate consumption by humans, and seed potatoes imported into the United States that are included under the terms of the plan as well as those that are exempt under such plan, and shall indicate such other information as may be prescribed by the board. No more than one assessment shall be made on any imported potatoes.

(b) Records and reports; availability

Handlers and importers responsible for payment of assessments under subsection (a) of this section shall maintain and make available for inspection by the Secretary such books and records as required by the plan and file reports at the times, in the manner, and having the content prescribed by the plan, to the end that information and data shall be made available to the board and to the Secretary which is appropriate or necessary to the effectuation, administration, or enforcement of this chapter or of any plan or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter.

(c) Confidential information; disclosure during proceedings; prohibition inapplicable to general statements and publication of violations; penalties; removal from office

All information obtained pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be kept confidential by all officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture and of the board, and only such information so furnished or acquired as the Secretary deems relevant shall be disclosed by them, and then only in a suit or administrative hearing brought at the direction, or upon the request, of the Secretary, or to which he or any officer of the United States is a party, and involving the plan with reference to which the information to be disclosed was furnished or acquired. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit-

(1) the issuance of general statements based upon the reports of a number of handlers or importers subject to a plan if such statements do not identify the information furnished by any person, or

(2) the publication by direction of the Secretary of the name of any person violating any plan together with a statement of the particular provisions of the plan violated by such person.

Any such officer or employee violating the provisions of this subsection shall upon conviction be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, and shall be removed from office.

( Pub. L. 91–670, title III, §310, Jan. 11, 1971, 84 Stat. 2044 ; Pub. L. 101–624, title XIX, §1942, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3867 ; Pub. L. 102–237, title VIII, §804, Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1882 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1991-Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 102–237 substituted "(2) When" for "(2) when".

1990-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–624, §1942(1), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–624, §1942(2), inserted "and importers" after "Handlers".

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 101–624, §1942(3), inserted "or importers" after "handlers".