§13508 Limited Authority Over Cooperative Associations

Summary

Requires farm cooperatives and their federations to keep records about the transportation they provide, in the form the Secretary or the Board requires. The Secretary, the Board, or an employee they pick can demand access to inspect land, buildings, equipment, and can look at and copy records after showing credentials. The Secretary or the Board can also make the cooperative file reports that answer questions about transportation, and can go to court to enforce these rules. Penalties: A person who must report, answer, or keep records but fails, gives untrue or incomplete answers, or keeps records in the wrong form can be fined up to $500 for each violation and up to $250 for each extra day it continues. Anyone who knowingly and willfully tries to evade these duties faces a $200–$500 fine for a first offense and $250–$2,000 for later ones. Willful failures, falsifying, destroying, or filing false records can bring a fine up to $5,000. Failing to answer a required question within 30 days is covered. Court cases may be held where the cooperative’s main office is, where the violation happened, or where the offender is found. Defined term: cooperative association — a farm cooperative under the Agricultural Marketing Act.