§501 Collection and publication; facts required; deteriorated tobacco

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture must collect and publish how much leaf tobacco in all forms is held in the United States and Puerto Rico by dealers, manufacturers, cooperatives, warehousemen, brokers, holders, or owners — but not by the original growers. The reports must break the tobacco down by type, groups of grades, and other useful categories like color or quality. Summaries are made as of January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 each year, and an annual report is issued. The Secretary does not have to collect data from any manufacturer who, in the first three quarters of the previous year, made less than 35,000 pounds of tobacco, or any cigar maker who made less than 185,000 cigars, or any cigarette maker who made less than 750,000 cigarettes. The Secretary may also skip anyone who has less than 50,000 pounds of leaf tobacco in stock on the report date. Tobacco that has deteriorated so it cannot be sold or used in making products must be grouped with other nondescript tobacco and reported in the "N" group for its type.