Title 7 — AgricultureRelease 119-73

§473c–1 Offenses in relation to sampling of cotton for classification

Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 19— - COTTON STATISTICS AND ESTIMATES › § 473c–1

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

It is illegal to cheat or interfere with the official taking and testing of cotton samples. You must not on purpose take or ID samples wrong, accept money to ignore duties, force or block a sampler, change a sample (for example by trimming or removing trash) to hide the bale’s true quality, cause a fake certificate by deceptive baling or handling, or send more than one sample from the same bale except one extra for review. It is also illegal to run a mechanical sampler so it does not take a fair sample or to break any sampling rules made by the Secretary of Agriculture under section 473c.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §473c–1

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

It shall be unlawful—

(a)for any person sampling cotton for classification under this chapter knowingly to sample cotton improperly, or to identify cotton samples improperly, or to accept money or other consideration, directly or indirectly, for any neglect or improper performance of duty as a sampler;

(b)for any person to influence improperly or to attempt to influence improperly or to forcibly assault, resist, impede, or interfere with any sampler in the taking of samples for classification under this chapter;

(c)for any person knowingly to alter or cause to be altered a sample taken for classification under this chapter by any means such as trimming, peeling, or dressing the sample, or by removing any leaf, trash, dust, or other material from the sample for the purpose of misrepresenting the actual quality of the bale from which the sample was taken;

(d)for any person knowingly to cause, or attempt to cause, the issuance of a false or misleading certificate or memorandum of classification under this chapter by deceptive baling, handling, or sampling of cotton, or by any other means, or by submitting samples of such cotton for classification knowing that the cotton has been so baled, handled, or sampled;

(e)for any person knowingly to submit more than one sample from the same bale of cotton for classification under this chapter, except a second sample submitted for review classification;

(f)for any person knowingly to operate or adjust a mechanical cotton sampler in such a manner that a representative sample is not drawn from each bale; and

(g)for any person knowingly to violate any regulation of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to the sampling of cotton made pursuant to section 473c of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 473c–1

Title 7 — Agriculture

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73