Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 90 Part 1.djvu/584

 90 STAT. 534

Contracts or agreements.

Reimbursement.

PUBLIC LAW 94-294—MAY 28, 1976 Secretary as he may prescribe, and for appropriate accounting by the Beef Board with respect to the receipt and disbursement of all funds entrusted to it. (g) Providing that the Beef Board, with the approval of the Secretary, may enter into contracts or agreements for development and carrying out the activities authorized under the order pursuant to section 7(a) and (b) and for the payment of the cost thereof with funds collected pursuant to the order. Any such contract or agreement shall provide that such contractors shall develop and submit to the Beef Board a plan or project together with a budget or budgets which shall show estimated costs to be incurred for such plan or project, and that any such plan or project shall become effective upon the approval of the Secretary, and further, shall provide that the contracting parties shall keep accurate records of all of their activities and make periodic reports to the Beef Board of activities carried out and an accounting for funds received and expended, and such other reports as the Secretary may require. (h) Providing that no funds collected by the Beef Board under the order 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. (i) Providing the Beef Board members, and alternates therefore, shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable expenses incurred in performing their duties as members of the Beef Board. REQUIREMENT OF REFERENDUM AND CATTLE PRODUCER APPROVAL

7 USC 2908.

Notice.

"Expenses incurred for the conduct of the referendum."

SEC. 9. The Secretary shall conduct a referendum as soon as practicable among producers who at any time, during a consecutive twelvemonth representative period preceding the date of the referendum, as determined by the Secretary, have been engaged in the production of cattle for the purpose of ascertaining whether the issuance of an order is approved or favored by such producers. The Secretary shall establish a procedure whereby all known cattle producers are notified of the referendum and the time and place of balloting and qualified producers may register with the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service in person or by mail to vote in such a referendum during a period ending not less than ten days prior to the date of the referendum. No order issued pursuant to this Act shall be effective unless the Secretary determines (1) that votes were cast by at least 50 per centum of the registered producers, and (2) that the issuance of such order is approved or favored by not less than two-thirds of the producers voting in such referendum. The Secretary shall be reimbursed from assessments collected by the Beef Board for any expenses incurred for the conduct of the referendum. Eligible voter lists and ballots cast in the referendum shall be retained by the Secretary for a period of not less than twelve months after they are cast for audit and recount in the event the results of the referendum are challenged and either the Secretary or the Courts determine a recount and retabulation of results is appropriate. Prior to the holding of the referendum, sureties shall have posted a bond or other security, acceptable to the Secretary, in an amount which the Secretary shall determine to be sufficient to pay any expenses incurred for the conduct of the referendum. For the purpose of this section, the term "expenses incurred for the conduct of the referendum" shall include all costs incurred by the Government in connection therewith, except for salaries of Government employees.

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