Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 98 Part 3.djvu/747

 PUBLIC LAW 98-590—OCT. 30, 1984

98 STAT. 3119

order, including probable costs of research, promotion, and consumer information. (e)(1) The Honey Board shall administer collection of the assessment provided for in this paragraph to finance the expenses described in subsections (d) and (f). For the first year in which the plan is in effect, the assessment rate shall be $0.01 per pound, with payment to be made in the manner described in section 9. After the first year, the Honey Board may submit to the Secretary a request for an increase in the assessment rate not to exceed 0.5 cent per year, but at no time may the total assessment rate exceed $0.04 per pound. (2) A producer or producer-packer who produces, or handles, or produces and handles less than six thousand pounds of honey per year or an importer who imports less than six thousand pounds of honey per year shall be exempt from the assessment. In order to claim such an exemption, a person shall submit an application to the Honey Board stating that their production, handling, or importation of honey shall not exceed six thousand pounds for the year for which the exemption is claimed. (f) Funds collected by the Honey Board from the assessments shall be used by the Honey Board for financing research, promotion, and consumer information, other expenses as described in subsection (d), such other expenses for the administration, maintenance, and functioning of the Honey Board as may be authorized by the Secretary, any reserve established under section 8(5), and those administrative costs incurred by the Department of Agriculture pursuant to this Act after an order has been promulgated under this Act. The Secretary shall be reimbursed from assessments collected by the Honey Board for any expenses incurred for the conduct of referenda. (g) No promotion funded with assessments collected under this Act may make any false or unwarranted claims on behalf of honey or its products or false or unwarranted statements with respect to the attributes or use of any competing product. (h) No funds collected through assessments authorized by this Act may, in any manner, be used for the purpose of influencing governmental policy or action, except for making recommendations to the Secretary as provided for in this Act. (i) The Honey Board shall develop and submit to the Secretary, for approval, plans for research, promotion, and consumer information. Any such plans or projects must be approved by the Secretary before becoming effective. The Honey Board may enter into contracts or agreements with the approval of the Secretary for the development and carrying out of research, promotion, and consumer information, and for the payment of the cost thereof with funds collected pursuant to this Act. (j) The Honey Board shall maintain books and records and prepare and submit to the Secretary such reports from time to time as may be required 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 year.

Exemptions.

Claims.

Lobbying.

Research and development. Marketing.

Records. Reports.

PERMISSIVE TERMS AND PROVISIONS

SEC. 8. On the recommendation of the Honey Board, and with the approval of the Secretary, an order issued pursuant to this Act may contain one or more of the following provisions:

7 USC 4607.

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