Title 7, AgricultureRelease 119-110

§7488 Investigations and Power to Subpoena

Title 7 › CHAPTER 101 — AGRICULTURAL PROMOTION › SUBCHAPTER V — POPCORN › § 7488

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary may investigate to run the program properly and to find or stop people who break its rules. For those investigations, the Secretary can make people swear to tell the truth, call and force witnesses to attend, gather evidence, and demand relevant records from anywhere in the United States. If someone refuses a subpoena, the Secretary can ask a federal court where the person lives, works, or where the investigation is happening to force them to appear or hand over records. The court can order compliance, and failing to follow that order can be punished as contempt.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §7488

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Investigations

The Secretary may make such investigations as the Secretary considers necessary—

(1)for the effective administration of this subchapter; and

(2)to determine whether any person subject to this subchapter has engaged, or is about to engage, in an act that constitutes or will constitute a violation of this subchapter or of an order or regulation issued under this subchapter.

(b)Oaths, affirmations, and subpoenas

For the purpose of an investigation under subsection (a), the Secretary may administer oaths and affirmations, subpoena witnesses, compel the attendance of witnesses, take evidence, and require the production of any records that are relevant to the inquiry. The attendance of witnesses and the production of records may be required from any place in the United States.

(c)Aid of courts

(1)Request

In the case of contumacy by, or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to, any person, the Secretary may request the aid of any court of the United States within the jurisdiction of which the investigation or proceeding is carried on, or where the person resides or carries on business, in requiring the attendance and testimony of the person and the production of records.

(2)Enforcement order of the court

The court may issue an enforcement order requiring the person to appear before the Secretary to produce records or to give testimony concerning the matter under investigation.

(3)Contempt

A failure to obey an enforcement order of the court under paragraph (2) may be punished by the court as a contempt of the court.

(4)Process

Process in a case under this subsection may be served in the judicial district in which the person resides or carries on business or wherever the person may be found.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 7488

Title 7, Agriculture

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110