,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #eefc  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,janu>y #i1 #bjbj,ms4 
,titus introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0   
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,agriculture  
,a ,,bill  ,to prohibit c]ta9 practices 
relat+ to c]ta9 commodity promotion     
programs1 to require great] transp>5cy  
by ^? programs1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4  
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,opportunities = ,fairness 9 ,f>m+ ,act 
( #bjbj4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds t-- 
7#a7 ! g5]ic programs to promote &      
provide rese>* & in=mation = an         
agricultural commodity 7commonly kn[n z 
*eck(f programs7 are int5d$ to increase 
dem& = all ( t agricultural commodity & 
b5efit all assess$ produc]s ( t         
agricultural commodity2  7#b7 al?\gh !  
laws e/abli%+ *eck(f programs broadly   
prohibit ! use ( funds 9 any mann] = !  
purpose ( influ5c+ legislation or       
gov]nm5t action1 *eck(f programs h      
repeat$ly be5 %[n to use funds to       
influ5ce policy directly or by p>tn]+ ) 

organizations t lobby2  7#c7 ! unlawful 
use ( *eck(f programs funds b5efits "s  
agricultural produc]s :ile h>m+ _m o!rs2
  7#d7 to m effectively prev5t ,bo>ds f 
us+ funds = unlawful purposes1 /rict    
sep>ation ( engagem5t betwe5 ! ,bo>ds & 
policy entities is necess>y2  7#e7      
conflicts ( int]e/ 9 ! *eck(f programs  
all[ special int]e/s to use *eck(f      
program funds = ! b5efit ( "s assess$   
agricultural produc]s at ! exp5se ( _m  
o!rs2  7#f7 prohibit+ conflicts ( int]e/
 9 *eck(f programs is necess>y to ensure
 ! prop] & lawful op]ation ( ! *eck(f   
programs2  7#g7 *eck(f programs are     
design$ to promote agricultural         
commodities1 n to damage o!r types (    
agricultural commodities ?r\gh          
anticompetitive conduct or o!rwise2     
7#h7 prohibit+ anticompetitive & simil> 
conduct is necess>y to ensure prop] &   
lawful op]ation ( *eck(f programs2  7#i7
 lack ( transp>5cy 9 *eck(f programs    
enables abuses to occur & conceals      
abuses f be+ discov]$2 &  7#aj7 requir+ 

transp>5cy 9 ! exp5diture ( *eck(f      
program funds is necess>y to prev5t &   
uncov] abuses 9 *eck(f programs4  #c4   
,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,bo>d ,!  
t]m ,bo>d means a bo>d1 committee1 or   
simil> entity e/abli%$ to c>ry out a    
*eck(f program or an ord] issu$ by !    
,secret>y "u a *eck(f program4  7#b7    
,*eck(f program ,! t]m *eck(f program   
means a program to promote & provide    
rese>* & in=mation = a p>ticul>         
agricultural commodity )\t ref]5ce to   
specific produc]s or br&s1 includ+ a    
program c>ri$ out "u any ( ! foll[+3    
7,a7 ,! ,cotton ,rese>* & ,promotion    
,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #baja et seq474  7,b7
 ,! ,potato ,rese>* & ,promotion ,act   
7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bfaa et seq474  7,c7 ,!  
,egg ,rese>* & ,consum] ,in=mation ,act 
7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bgja et seq474  7,d7 ,!  
,beef ,rese>* & ,in=mation ,act 7#g     
,u4,s4,c4 #bija et seq474  7,e7 ,! ,:eat
 & ,:eat ,foods ,rese>* & ,nutrition    
,education ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #cdja et  
seq474  7,f7 ,! ,floral ,rese>* &       

,consum] ,in=mation ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#dcja et seq474  7,g7 ,subtitle ,b ( !  
,dairy ,production ,/abilization ,act ( 
#aihc 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #deja et seq474     
7,h7 ,! ,honey ,rese>*1 ,promotion1 &   
,consum] ,in=mation ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#dfja et seq474  7,i7 ,! ,pork          
,promotion1 ,rese>*1 & ,consum]         
,in=mation ,act ( #aihe 7#g ,u4,s4,c4   
#dhja et seq474  7,j7 ,! ,wat]melon     
,rese>* & ,promotion ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 
#dija et seq474  7,k7 ,! ,pecan         
,promotion & ,rese>* ,act ( #aiij 7#g   
,u4,s4,c4 #fjja et seq474  7,l7 ,!      
,mu%room ,promotion1 ,rese>*1 & ,consum]
 ,in=mation ,act ( #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#faja et seq474  7,m7 ,! ,lime ,rese>*1 
,promotion1 & ,consum] ,in=mation ,act (
 #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #fbja et seq474    
7,n7 ,! ,soybean ,promotion1 ,rese>*1 & 
,consum] ,in=mation ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#fcja et seq474  7,o7 ,! ,fluid ,milk   
,promotion ,act ( #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4   
#fdja et seq474  7,p7 ,! ,fre% ,cut     
,fl[]s & ,fre% ,cut ,gre5s ,promotion & 

,in=mation ,act ( #aiic 7#g ,u4,s4,c4   
#fhja et seq474  7,q7 ,! ,%eep          
,promotion1 ,rese>*1 & ,in=mation ,act (
 #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gaja et seq474    
7,r7 ,section #eja ( ! ,f$]al           
,agriculture ,improvem5t & ,re=m ,act ( 
#aiif 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gdja et seq474     
7,s7 ,! ,commodity ,promotion1 ,rese>*1 
& ,in=mation ,act ( #aiif 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 
#gdaa et seq474  7,t7 ,! ,canola &      
,rapese$ ,rese>*1 ,promotion1 & ,consum]
 ,in=mation ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gdda et 
seq474  7,u7 ,! ,national ,kiwifruit    
,rese>*1 ,promotion1 & ,consum]         
,in=mation ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gdfa et  
seq474  7,v7 ,! ,popcorn ,promotion1    
,rese>*1 & ,consum] ,in=mation ,act 7#g 
,u4,s4,c4 #gdha et seq474  7,w7 ,! ,hass
 ,avocado ,promotion1 ,rese>*1 &        
,in=mation ,act ( #bjjj 7#g ,u4,s4,c4   
#ghja et seq474  7#c7 ,conflict ( int]e/
 ,! t]m conflict ( int]e/ means a direct
 or indirect f9ancial int]e/ 9 a p]son  
or entity t p]=ms a s]vice =1 or ent]s  
into a contract or agreem5t )1 a ,bo>d =

 any?+ ( economic value4  7#d7 ,secret>y
 ,! t]m ,secret>y means ! ,secret>y (   
,agriculture4  #d4 ,requirem5ts ( *eck(f
 programs  7a7 ,prohibitions  7#a7 ,9   
g5]al ,except z provid$ 9 p>agraph 7#d71
 a ,bo>d %all n ent] into any contract  
or agreem5t to c>ry out *eck(f program  
activities ) a p>ty t engages 9         
activities = ! purpose ( influ5c+ any   
gov]nm5t policy or action t relates to  
agriculture4  7#b7 ,conflict ( int]e/ ,a
 ,bo>d %all n engage 91 & %all prohibit 
! employees & ag5ts ( ! ,bo>d1 act+ 9 _!
 (ficial capacity1 f engag+ 91 any act t
 may involve a conflict ( int]e/4  7#c7 
,o!r prohibitions ,a ,bo>d %all n engage
 91 & %all prohibit ! employees & ag5ts 
( ! ,bo>d1 act+ 9 _! (ficial capacity1 f
 engag+ 9--  7,a7 any anticompetitive   
activity2  7,b7 any unfair or deceptive 
act or practice2 or  7,c7 any act t may 
be disp>ag+ to1 or 9 any way negatively 
portray1 ano!r agricultural commodity or
 product4  7#d7 ,exception = c]ta9      
contracts ) insitutions ( high]         

education ,p>agraph 7#a7 %all n apply to
 a contract or agreem5t ent]$ into      
betwe5 a ,bo>d & an in/itution ( high]  
education = ! purpose ( rese>*4  7b7    
,au?ority ,to ent] into contracts       
,not)/&+ any o!r provision ( law1 on    
approval ( ! ,secret>y1 a ,bo>d may ent]
 directly into contracts & agreem5ts to 
c>ry out g5]ic promotion1 rese>*1 or o!r
 activities au?oriz$ by law4  7c7       
,production ( records  7#a7 ,9 g5]al    
,ea* contract or agreem5t ( a *eck(f    
program %all provide t ! entity t ent]s 
into ! contract or agreem5t %all produce
 to ! ,bo>d accurate records t acc\nt = 
all funds receiv$ "u ! contract or      
agreem5t1 includ+ any goods or s]vices  
provid$ or co/s incurr$ 9 connection ) !
 contract or agreem5t4  7#b7 ,ma9t5ance 
( records ,a ,bo>d %all ma9ta9 any      
records receiv$ "u p>agraph 7#a74  7d7  
,publication ( budgets & disbursem5ts   
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,bo>d %all publi% &    
make available = public inspection all  
budgets & disbursem5ts ( funds entru/$  

to ! ,bo>d t are approv$ by ! ,secret>y1
 imm$iately on approval by ! ,secret>y4 
7#b7 ,requir$ disclosures ,9 c>ry+ out  
p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,bo>d %all disclose--  
7,a7 ! am\nt ( ! disbursem5t2  7,b7 !   
purpose ( ! disbursem5t1 includ+ !      
activities to be fund$ by ! disbursem5t2
  7,c7 ! id5tity ( ! recipi5t ( !       
disbursem5t2 &  7,d7 ! id5tity ( any o!r
 p>ties t may receive ! disburs$ funds1 
includ+ any contracts or subcontractors 
( ! recipi5t ( ! disbursem5t4  7e7      
,audits  7#a7 ,p]iodic audits by        
,inspector ,g5]al ( ,,usda  7,a7 ,9     
g5]al ,n lat] ?an #b ye>s aft] ! date ( 
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 & n less frequ5tly 
?an e #e ye>s !reaft]1 ! ,inspector     
,g5]al ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture %all
 conduct an audit to det]m9e !          
compliance ( ea* *eck(f program ) ?is   
section dur+ ! p]iod ( "t cov]$ by !    
audit4  7,b7 ,review ( records ,an audit
 conduct$ "u subp>agraph 7,a7 %all      
include a review ( any records produc$  
to ! ,bo>d "u subsection 7c77#a74  7,c7 

,submission ( reports ,on completion (  
ea* audit "u subp>agraph 7,a71 !        
,inspector ,g5]al ( ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,agriculture %all--  7i7 prep>e a report
 describ+ ! audit2 &  7ii7 submit !     
report describ$ 9 clause 7i7 to--  7,i7 
! appropriate committees ( ,congress1   
includ+ ! ,subcommittee on ,antitru/1   
,competition ,policy & ,consum] ,rights 
( ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y ( !       
,s5ate2 &  7,,ii7 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al (
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#b7 ,audit by       
,comptroll] ,g5]al  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,n    
e>li] ?an #c ye>s1 & n lat] ?an #e ye>s1
 aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !   
,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates    
%all--  7i7 conduct an audit to assess--
 7,i7 ! /atus ( actions tak5 = ea*      
*eck(f program to ensure compliance )   
?is section2 &  7,,ii7 ! ext5t to :i*   
actions describ$ 9 subclause 7,i7 h     
improv$ ! integrity ( a *eck(f program2 
&  7ii7 prep>e a report describ+ ! audit
 conduct$ "u clause 7i71 includ+ any    
recomm5dations =--  7,i7 /r5g!n+ !      

effect ( actions describ$ 9 clause      
7i77,i72 &  7,,ii7 improv+ ,f$]al       
legislation relat+ to *eck(f programs4  
7,b7 ,consid]ation ( ,inspector ,g5]al  
reports ,! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$
 ,/ates %all consid] reports describ$ 9 
p>agraph 7#a77;,c7 9 prep>+ any         
recomm5dations 9 ! report "u subp>agraph
 7,a77ii74  #e4 ,sev]ability ,if any    
provision ( ?is ,act or ! application ( 
su* provision to any p]son or           
circum/ance is held to be               
uncon/itutional1 ! rema9d] ( ?is ,act1 &
 ! application ( ! provision to any o!r 
p]son or circum/ance1 %all n be affect$4