Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 98 Part 3.djvu/751

 PUBLIC LAW 98-590—OCT. 30, 1984

98 STAT. 3123

REQUIREMENTS OF REFERENDUM

SEC. 12. For the purpose of ascertaining whether issuance of an 47 USC 46ii. order is approved or favored by producers and importers, the Secretary shall conduct a referendum among those producers and importers not exempt under section 7(e)(2) who, during a representative period determined by the Secretary, have been engaged in the production and importation of honey. No order issued pursuant to this Act shall be effective unless the Secretary determines that the issuance of such an order is approved or favored by not less than two-thirds of the producers and importers voting in such referendum or by a majority of the producers and importers voting in such referendum if such majority produced and imported not less than two-thirds of the honey produced and imported during the representative period. The ballots and other information or reports which Confidentiality. reveal, or tend to reveal, the vote of any producer or importer of honey shall be held strictly confidential and shall not be disclosed. SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION

SEC. 13. (a) Whenever the Secretary finds that any order issued under this Act, or any provisions thereof, obstructs or does not tend to effectuate the declared purpose of this Act, the Secretary shall terminate or suspend the operation of such order or such provisions thereof. (b) Five years from the date on which the Secretary issues an order authorizing the collection of assessments on honey under provisions of this Act, and every five years thereafter, the Secretary shall conduct a referendum to determine if honey producers and importers favor the continuation, termination, or suspension of the order. (c) The Secretary shall hold a referendum on the request of the Honey Board or when petitioned by 10 per centum or more of the honey producers and importers to determine if the honey producers and importers favor termination or suspension of the order. (d) The Secretary shall terminate or suspend such order at the end of the marketing year whenever the Secretary determines that such

7 USC 4612.

�