An Act to amend of the Federal Seed Act.
PL 84-662 (S.1688), enacted 07/09/1956

508 
PUBLIC LAW 662-JULY 9, 1956 
[70 STAT. 
62 Stat. 806. 
2314 of title 18, United States Code, be, and it is hereby, amended 
by inserting therein immediately after the first paragraph there-
of, a new paragraph to read as follows: 
"Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or 
artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of 
false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, trans-
ports or causes to be transported, or induces any person to travel 
in, or to be transported in interstate commerce in the execution or 
concealment of a scheme or artifice to defraud that person of money or 
property having a value of $5,000 or more; or". 
Approved July 9, 1956. 
Public Law 662 
CHAPTER 520 
July 9, 1956 
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To amend the Federal Seed Act. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That section 406 
53 Stat. 1286. 
of the Federal Seed Act (7 U. S. C. 1596) is amended to read as 
follows: 
Penalties. 
'"''{^) Ally person who knowingly, or as a result either of gross 
negligence or of a failure to make a reasonable effort to inform him-
self of the pertinent facts, violates any provision of this Act or the 
rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder shall be 
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall 
pay a fine of not more than $1,000, for the first offense, and upon 
conviction for each subsequent offense not more than $2,000." 
"(b) Any person who violates any provision of this Act or the 
rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder shall forfeit 
to the United States a sum, not less than $25 or more than $500, for 
each such violation, which forfeiture shall be recoverable in a civil 
suit brought in the name of the United States." 
53 Stat. 1282. 
§^0. 2. Sectiou 204 of the Federal Seed Act (7 U. S. C. 1574) is 
amended to read as f 
ollow^s: 
noSw^amiM.*"** 
"SEC. 204. The use of a disclaimer or nonwarranty clause in any 
invoice, advertising, labeling, or written, printed, or graphic matter, 
pertaining to any seed shall not constitute a defense, or be used as a 
defense in any way, in any prosecution or other proceeding brought 
under the provisions of this Act, or the rules and regulations made 
and promulgated thereunder." 
53 Stat. 1288. 
§^0. 3. Sectiou 412 of the Federal Seed Act (7 U. S. C. 1602) is 
amended to read as follows: 
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"SEC. 412. The institution of any one of the proceedings provided 
for in sections 405, 406, 409, 410, and 411 shall not bar institution of 
any of the others, except that action shall not be instituted under both 
subsections 406 (a) and (b) for the same cause of action. 
Nothing 
in this Act shall be construed as requiring the Secretary of Agriculture 
to recommend prosecution, or institution of civil penalty proceedings, 
libel proceedings, cease-and-desist proceedings, or proceedings for uie 
enforcement of a cease-and-desist order, for minor violations of this 
Act or the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder 
whenever he believes that the public interest will be adequately served 
by suitable written notice or warning." 
SEC. 4. The amendments made by this Act shall be applicable only 
with respect to violations occurring after the enactment of this Act. 
Approved July 9, 1956.