Handlers and importers responsible for payment of assessments under subsection (a) 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 that is appropriate or necessary to the effectuation, administration, or enforcement of this chapter or of any plan or regulation issued under this chapter.
All information obtained under subsections (a) and (b) 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 on the request, of the Secretary, or to which the Secretary 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 subsection shall be deemed to prohibit-
Any such officer or employee violating the provisions of this subsection shall 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.
7 U.S.C. § 4908
EDITORIAL NOTES
AMENDMENTS1993-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103-189, §8(g)(1), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103-189, §8(g)(2), inserted "and importers" after "Handlers". Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 103-189, §8(g)(3), inserted "or importers" after "handlers".
- Board
- The term "Board" means the National Watermelon Promotion Board provided for in section 4906 of this title.
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture.
- United States
- The term "United States" means each of the several States and the District of Columbia.
- importer
- The term "importer" means any person who imports watermelons into the United States.
- person
- The term "person" means any individual, group of individuals, partnership, corporation, association, cooperative, or other entity.
- plan
- The term "plan" means an order issued by the Secretary under this chapter.
- producer
- The term "producer" means any person engaged in the growing of 10 or more acres of watermelons.
- watermelon
- The term "watermelon" means all varieties of watermelon grown by producers in the United States or imported into the United States.