2012 US Code
Title 7 - Agriculture
Chapter 94 - ORGANIC CERTIFICATION (§§ 6501 - 6523)
Section 6519 - Violations of chapter

Any person who knowingly sells or labels a product as organic, except in accordance with this chapter, shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $10,000.

Any person who makes a false statement under this chapter to the Secretary, a governing State official, or a certifying agent shall be subject to the provisions of section 1001 of title 18.

Except as provided in paragraph (2), any person who—

(A) makes a false statement;

(B) attempts to have a label indicating that an agricultural product is organically produced affixed to such product that such person knows, or should have reason to know, to have been produced or handled in a manner that is not in accordance with this chapter; or

(C) otherwise violates the purposes of the applicable organic certification program as determined by the Secretary;

after notice and an opportunity to be heard, shall not be eligible, for a period of 5 years from the date of such occurrence, to receive certification under this chapter with respect to any farm or handling operation in which such person has an interest.

Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Secretary may reduce or eliminate the period of ineligibility referred to in such paragraph if the Secretary determines that such modification or waiver is in the best interests of the applicable organic certification program established under this chapter.

A certifying agent shall immediately report any violations of this chapter to the Secretary or the governing State official (if applicable).

A certifying agent that is a private person that violates the provisions of this chapter or that falsely or negligently certifies any farming or handling operation that does not meet the terms and conditions of the applicable organic certification program as an organic operation, as determined by the Secretary or the governing State official (if applicable) shall, after notice and an opportunity to be heard—

(1) lose its accreditation as a certifying agent under this chapter; and

(2) be ineligible to be accredited as a certifying agent under this chapter for a period of not less than 3 years subsequent to the date of such determination.

Nothing in this chapter shall alter the authority of the Secretary under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.), and the Egg Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 1031 et seq.) concerning meat, poultry and egg products, nor any of the authorities of the Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Federal Food, Drug ¹ and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), nor the authority of the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide ¹ and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.).

(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXI, §2120, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3949; Pub. L. 102–237, title X, §1001(8), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1893.)

The Federal Meat Inspection Act, referred to in subsec. (f), is titles I to IV of act Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2907, as added Dec. 15, 1967, Pub. L. 90–201, 81 Stat. 584, and amended, which are classified generally to subchapters I to IV (§601 et seq.) of chapter 12 of Title 21, Food and Drugs. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 601 of Title 21 and Tables.

The Poultry Products Inspection Act, referred to in subsec. (f), is Pub. L. 85–172, Aug. 28, 1957, 71 Stat. 441, which is classified generally to chapter 10 (§451 et seq.) of Title 21, Food and Drugs. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 451 of Title 21 and Tables.

The Egg Products Inspection Act, referred to in subsec. (f), is Pub. L. 91–597, Dec. 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 1620, which is classified principally to chapter 15 (§1031 et seq.) of Title 21, Food and Drugs. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1031 of Title 21 and Tables.

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, referred to in subsec. (f), is act June 25, 1938, ch. 675, 52 Stat. 1040, which is classified generally to chapter 9 (§301 et seq.) of Title 21, Food and Drugs. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 301 of Title 21 and Tables.

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, referred to in subsec. (f), is act June 25, 1947, ch. 125, as amended generally by Pub. L. 92–516, Oct. 21, 1972, 86 Stat. 973, which is classified generally to subchapter II (§136 et seq.) of chapter 6 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 136 of this title and Tables.

1991—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 102–237 inserted comma after “601 et seq.)”.

¹ So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.