Beef Research and Information Act
PL 94-294 (H.R.7656), enacted 05/28/1976

PUBLIC LAW 94-294—MAY 28, 1976 
90 STAT. 529 
Public Law 94-294 
94th Congress 
^&. 
An Act 
To enable cattle producers to establish, finance, and carry out a coordinated 
program of research, producer and consumer information, and promotion to 
improve, maintain, and develop markets for cattle, beef, and beef products. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That this Act shall 
be known as the "Beef Research and Information Act". 
LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY 
SEC. 2. Beef constitutes one of the basic, natural foods in the diet. 
It is produced by many individual cattle producers throughout the 
United States. Cattle, l)eef, and beef products move in interstate and 
foreign commerce and those which do not move in such channels of 
commerce directly burden or affect interstate commerce of cattle, beef, 
and beef products. The maintenance and expansion of existing mar-
kets and the dev-elopment of new or improved markets and uses are 
vital to the welfare of cattle producers and those concerned with mar-
keting, using, and processing beef as well as the general economy of 
the Nation. The production and marketing of cattle, beef, and beef 
products by numerous individual persons in the cattle and beef indus-
try have prevented the development and carrying out of adequate and 
coordinated programs of research, information, and promotion nec-
essary for the maintenance of markets and the development of new 
products of, and markets for cattle, beef, or beef products. Without 
an effective and coordinated method for assuring cooperative and col-
lective action in providing for and financing such programs, individ-
ual cattle producers are unable to provide, obtain, or carry out the 
research, consumer and producer information, and promotion neces-
sary to maintain and improve markets for cattle, beef, and beef 
products. 
It has long been recognized that it is in the public interest to provide 
an adequate, steady supply of high quality beef and beef products 
readily available to the consumers of the Nation. Maintenance of 
markets and the development of new markets, both domestic and 
foreign, are essential to the cattle industry if the consumers of beef 
and beef products are to be assured of an adequate, steady supply of 
such products at reasonable prices. 
It is therefore declared to be the policy of the Congress and the 
purpose of this Act that it is essential and in the public interest, 
through the exercise of the powers provided herein, to authorize and 
enable the establishment of an orderly procedure for the development 
and the financing through an adequate assessment of an effective and 
continuous coordinated program of research, consumer information, 
producer information, and promotion designed to strengthen the cattle 
and beef industry's position in the marketplace, and maintain and 
expand domestic and foreign markets and uses for United States beef. 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to mean, or provide for, control 
of production or otherwise limit the right of individual cattle pro-
ducers to produce cattle or beef. 
May 28, 1976 
[H.R. 7656] 
Beef Research 
and Information 
Act. 
7 u s e 2901 note. 
7 u s e 2901. 
90 STAT. 530 
PUBLIC LAW 94-294—MAY 28, 1976 
DEFINITIONS 
. . . 
7 use 2902. 
SEC. 3. As used in this Act— 
(a) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture or 
any other officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture to 
whom there has heretofore been delegated, or to whom there may here-
after be delegated, the authority to act in his stead. 
(b) The term "person" means any individual, group of individuals, 
partnership, corporation, association, cooperative, or any other entity. 
(c) The term "cattle" means live domesticated bovine quadrupeds. 
(d) The term "beef" means the flesh of cattle. 
(e) The term "beef products" means products produced in whole 
or in part from cattle, exclusive of milk and products made therefrom. 
?• 
(f) The term "producer" means any person who owns or acquires 
ownership of cattle: Provided^ That a person shall not be considered 
to be a producer if his only share in the proceeds of a sale of cattle 
or beef is a sales commission, handling fee, or other service fee. 
(g) The term "producer-buyer" means a producer who buys cattle. 
(h) The term "producer-seller" means a producer who sells cattle. 
(i) The term "United States" means the fifty States of the United 
States of America and the District of Columbia. 
(j) The term "promotion" means any action to advance the image 
or desirability of beef and beef products. 
(k) The term "research" means any type of research to advance the 
desirability, marketability, production, or quality of cattle, beef, and 
beef products. 
(1) The term "consumer information" means facts, data, and other 
information that will assist consumers and other persons in making 
evaluations and decisions regarding the purchasing, preparation, and 
utilization of beef and beef products. 
(m) The term "producer information" means facts, data, and other 
information that will assist producers in making decisions that lead 
to increased efficiency, lower cost of production, a stable supply of 
cattle, and the development of new markets. 
(n) The term "marketing" means the sale or other disposition of 
cattle, beef, or beef products, in any channel of commerce. 
(o) The term "commerce" means interstate, foreign, or intrastate 
commerce. 
(p) The term "transaction" means the transfer of ownership of 
cattle or beef through a sale, trade, or other means of exchange. 
(q) The term "slaughterer" means any person, specified in the order 
or the rules and regulations issued thereunder, who slaughters cattle, 
including cattle of his own production. 
BEEF RESEARCH AND PROMOTION ORDER 
7 use 2903. 
SEC. 4. To effectuate the declared policy of this Act, the Secretary 
shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, issue and from time to time 
amend an order applicable to producers and slaughterers. Such an 
order shall be applicable to all areas in the United States. 
NOTICE AND HEARING 
7 use 2904. 
SEC. 5. Whenever the Secretary has reason to believe that the 
issuance of an order will tend to effectuate the declared policy of this 
Act, he shall give due notice and opportunity for hearing upon a pro-
posed order. Such hearing may be requested and proposal for an order 
submitted by an organization certified pursuant to section 15 of this 
PUBLIC LAW 94-294—MAY 28, 1976 
90 STAT. 531 
Act, or by any interested person affected by the provisions of this Act, 
including the Secretary. 
FINDING AND ISSUANCE OF AN ORDER 
SEC. 6. After notice and opportunity for hearing as provided in 
section 5, the Secretary shall issue an order if he finds, and sets forth 
in such order, upon the evidence introduced at such hearing, that the 
issuance of such order and all the terms and conditions thereof will 
tend to effectuate the declared policy of this Act. 
Notice and 
hearing. 
7 use 2905. 
PERMISSIVE TERMS IN ORDER 
SEC. 7. Any order issued pursuant to this Act shall contain one or 7 USC 2906 
more of the following terms and conditions, and except as provided 
in section 8, no others: 
(a) Providing for the establishment, issuance, effectuation, and 
administration of appropriate plans or projects for advertising, pro-
motion, producer information, and consumer information with respect 
to the use of cattle, beef, or beef products and for the disbursement of 
necessary funds for such purposes: Provided^ however, That any such 
plan or project shall be directed toward increasing the general demand 
for cattle, beef, or beef products. No reference to a private brand or 
trade name shall be made if the Secretary determines that such refer-
ence will result in undue discrimination against the cattle, beef, or 
beef products of other persons. No such advertising, consumer educa-
tion, or sales promotion programs shall make use of false or mislead-
ing claims in behalf of cattle, beef, or beef products, or false or 
misleading statements with respect to quality, value, or use of any 
competing product. 
(b) Providing for, establishing, and carrying on research, market 
development projects, and studies with respect to sale, distribution, 
marketing, utilization, or production of cattle, beef, or beef products, 
and the creation of new products thereof, to the end that the produc-
tion, marketing, and utilization of cattle, beef, or beef products may 
be encouraged, expanded, improved, or made more acceptable, and 
the data collected by such activities may be disseminated, and provid-
ing for the disbursement of necessary funds for such purposes. 
(c) Providing that slaughterers shall maintain and make available 
for the inspection such books and records as may be required by any 
order or regulations issued pursuant to this Act and for the filing of 
reports by such persons at the time, in the manner, and having con-
tent prescribed by the order or regulations to the end that information 
and data shall be made available to the Beef Board and to the Secre-
tary which is appropriate or necessary to the effectuation, administra-
tion, or enforcement of the Act, or of any order or regulation issued 
pursuant to this Act: Provided, however. That all information so 
obtained shall be kept confidential by all officers and employees of the 
Department of Agriculture and of the Beef Board, and by all officers 
and employees of contracting agencies having access to such informa-
tion, and only such information so furnished or acquired as the Secre-
tary deems relevant shall be disclosed by them, and then only in a suit 
or administrative hearing brought at the direction, or upon the request, 
of the Secretary, or to which he or any officer of the United States is a 
party, and involving the order with reference to which the information 
so to be disclosed was furnished or acquired. Nothing in this section 
shall be deemed to prohibit (1) the issuance of general statements 
based upon the reports of the number of persons subject to an order or 
Slaughterers, 
record 
maintenance. 
Confidential 
information. 
90 STAT. 532 
PUBLIC LAW 94-294—MAY 28, 1976 
Penalty. 
statistical data collected therefrom, which statements do not identify 
the information furnished by any person, (2) the publication of gen-
eral statements relating to refunds made by the Beef Board during 
any specific period, which statements do not identify any person to 
whom refunds are made, or (3) the publication by direction of the Sec-
retary of the name of any person violating any order, together with a 
statement of the particular provisions of the order violated by such 
person. Any such officer or employee violating the provision of the sub-
section shall, upon conviction, be subjected to a fine of not more than 
$1,000 or to imprisonment for not more than one year, or to both, and 
if an officer or employee of the Beef Board or the Department of Agri-
culture, he shall be removed from office. 
(d) Teims and conditions incidental to and not inconsistent with 
the terms and conditions specified in this Act and necessary to effectu-
ate the other provisions of such order. 
7 use 2907. 
Beef Board. 
Establishment. 
Term. 
REQUIRED TERMS IN ORDER 
SEC. 8. Any order issued pursuant to this Act shall contain the 
following terms and conditions; 
(a) Providing for the establishment and appointment, by the Sec-
retary, of a Beef Board which shall consist of not more than sixty-
eight members, and alternates therefor, and defining its powers and 
duties which shall include only the powers (1) to administer such 
order in accordance with its terms and provisions, (2) to make rules 
and regulations to effectuate the terms and provisions of such order, 
(3) to receive, investigate, and report to the Secretary complaints of 
violations of such order, (4) to recommend to the Secretary amend-
ments to such order. The term of an appointment to the Beef Board 
shall be for three yeai"S with no member serving more than six consecu-
tive years, except that initial appointment shall be proportionately 
for one, two, and three years: Provided^ That the Beef Board shall 
appoint from its members an executive committee, consisting of not 
less than seven nor more than eleven members who are broadly repre-
sentative of the industry, with authority to employ a staff and conduct 
routine business within the policies determined by the Beef Board. 
(b) Providing that the Beef Board, and alternates therefor, shall be 
composed of cattle producers appointed by the Secretary from nomi-
nations submitted by eligible producer organizations, associations, 
general farm organizations, or cooperatives, within the geographic 
area, and certified pursuant to section 15, or, if the Secretary deter-
mines that substantial number of producers are not members of or 
their interests are not represented by any such eligible organizations, 
associations, or cooperatives, from nominations made by such pro-
ducers in the manner authorized by the Secretary so that the 
representation of producers on the Board shall reflect, to the 
extent practicable, the proportion of cattle produced in each geo-
graphic area of the United States as defined by the Secretary: Pro-
vided^ That the Beef Board shall from time to time, with the approval 
of the Secretary, redesignate representation on the Beef Board so as 
to reflect the proportion of cattle in each geographic area: Provided^ 
however^ That each such designated geographic area shall be entitled 
to at least one representative on the Beef Board. 
(c) Providing that the Beef Board shall, subject to the provisions 
of subsection (g) of this section, develop and submit to the Secretary 
for his approval any advertising, sales promotion, consumer informa-
tion, producer information, research, and development plans or proj-
PUBLIC LAW 94-294—MAY 28, 1976 
90 STAT. 533 
ects, and that any such plan or project must be approved by the 
Secretary before becoming effective. 
(d) Providing that the Beef Board shall, subject to the provisions 
of subsection (g) of this section, submit to the Secretary for his 
approval budgets on a fiscal period basis of its anticipated expenses and 
disbursements in the administration of the order, including probable 
costs of advertising, promotion, producer information, consumer 
information, research, and development projects. The Beef Board 
shall also submit copies of such budgets to the House Committee on 
Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. 
(e) Providing, that— 
(1) In each transaction where a producer sells or otherwise 
transfers ownership of cattle to any other producer, each such 
producer-seller shall pay to the producer-buyer and each pro-
ducer-buyer shall collect from the producer-seller an assessment 
based on the value of the cattle involved in the transaction. Each 
producer who sells to a slaughterer or otherwise arranges for the 
slaughter of his cattle shall pay to the slaughterer and the 
slaughterer shall collect from such producer an assessment based 
on the value of the cattle involved. The slaughterer shall remit 
assessment (s) collected to the Beef Board in the manner pre-
scribed by the order or the regulations issued thereunder, includ-
ing any assessment(s) due at time of slaughter on cattle of his 
own production. In the event no sales transaction occurs at the 
point of slaughter, a fair value shall be attributed to the cattle 
at the time of slaughter for the purposes of determining the 
assessment: Provided^ That the Beef Board may exempt from 
or vary the assessment on transactions of breeding animals or 
classes of breeding animals until time of slaughter: Provided 
further^ That cattle slaughtered for his own home consumption 
by a producer who has been the sole owner of such cattle shall 
not be subject to assessments provided in this Act: Provided fur-
ther^ That the Beef Board may collect directly from any pro-
ducer any assessments that he collected under the provisions of 
this Act, which are not passed along in the usual manner due to 
the loss in value of the cattle. 
(2) The rate of assessment shall be as prescribed by the order 
except the aggregate rate shall not exceed one-half of 1 percent 
and shall provide for such expenses and expenditures, including 
provision for a reasonable reserve, and any referendum and 
administrative costs incurred by the Secretary under this Act, 
as the Secretary finds are reasonable and likely to be incurred 
by the Beef Board under the order during any period specified 
by him. 
(3) To facilitate the collection of assessments, the Beef Board 
may specify different procedures for slaughterers, or classes of 
slaughterers, to recognize differences in marketing practices or 
procedures utilized in the industry. 
(4) The Secretary may maintain a suit against any person 
subject to the order for the collection of such assessment and the 
several district courts of the United States are hereby vested with 
jurisdiction to entertain such suits regardless of the amount in 
controversy. 
(f) Providing that the Beef Board shall maintain such books and 
records and prepare and submit such reports from time to time to the 
Budgets, 
submittal to 
Secretary and 
congressional 
committees. 
Record 
maintenance; 
reports to 
Secretary. 
90 STAT. 534 
PUBLIC LAW 94-294—MAY 28, 1976 
Contracts or 
agreements. 
Reimbursement. 
Secretary as he may prescribe, and for appropriate accounting by the 
Beef Board with respect to the receipt and disbursement of all funds 
entrusted to it. 
(g) Providing that the Beef Board, with the approval of the Secre-
tary, may enter into contracts or agreements for development and 
carrying out the activities authorized under the order pursuant to 
section 7 (a) and (b) and for the payment of the cost thereof with 
funds collected pursuant to the order. Any such contract or agreement 
shall provide that such contractors shall develop and submit to the 
Beef Board a plan or project together with a budget or budgets which 
shall show estimated costs to be incurred for such plan or project, and 
that any such plan or project shall become effective upon the approval 
of the Secretary, and further, shall provide that the contracting par-
ties shall keep accurate records of all of their activities and make 
periodic reports to the Beef Board of activities carried out and an 
accounting for funds received and expended, and such other reports 
as the Secretary may require. 
(h) Providing that no funds collected by the Beef Board under the 
order shall in any manner be used for the purpose of influencing gov-
ernmental policy or action, except as provided by subsection (a) (4) 
of this section. 
(i) Providing the Beef Board members, and alternates therefore, 
shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their 
reasonable expenses incurred in performing their duties as members 
of the Beef Board. 
7 use 2908. 
Notice. 
"Expenses 
incurred for the 
conduct of the 
referendum." 
REQUIREMENT OF REFERENDUM AND CATTLE PRODUCER APPROVAL 
SEC. 9. The Secretary shall conduct a referendum as soon as prac-
ticable among producers who at any time, during a consecutive twelve-
month representative period preceding the date of the referendum, as 
determined by the Secretary, have been engaged in the production of 
cattle for the purpose of ascertaining whether the issuance of an order 
is approved or favored by such producers. The Secretary shall estab-
lish a procedure whereby all known cattle producers are notified of the 
referendum and the time and place of balloting and qualified producers 
may register with the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation 
Service in person or by mail to vote in such a referendum during a 
period ending not less than ten days prior to the date of the referen-
dum. No order issued pursuant to this Act shall be effective unless the 
Secretary determines (1) that votes w^ere cast by at least 50 per centum 
of the registered producers, and (2) that the issuance of such order is 
approved or favored by not less than two-thirds of the producers vot-
ing in such referendum. The Secretary shall be reimbursed from assess-
ments collected by the Beef Board for any expenses incurred for the 
conduct of the referendum. Eligible voter lists and ballots cast in the 
referendum shall be retained by the Secretary for a period of not less 
than twelve months after they are cast for audit and recount in the 
event the results of the referendum are challenged and either the Sec-
retary or the Courts determine a recount and retabulation of results is 
appropriate. Prior to the holding of the referendum, sureties shall 
have posted a bond or other security, acceptable to the Secretary, in 
an amount which the Secretary shall determine to be sufficient to pay 
any expenses incurred for the conduct of the referendum. For the pur-
pose of this section, the term "expenses incurred for the conduct of the 
referendum" shall include all costs incurred by the Government in 
connection therewith, except for salaries of Government employees. 
PUBLIC LAW 94-294^MAY 28, 1976 
90 STAT. 535 
SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION OF ORDERS 
SEC. 10. (a) The Secretary shall, whenever he finds that any order 7 USC 2909. 
issued under this Act, or any provision(s) thereof, obstructs or does 
not tend to effectuate the declared policy of this Act, terminate or 
suspend the operation of such order or such provision (s) thereof. 
(b) The Secretary may conduct a referendum at any time, and shall Referendum, 
hold a referendum on request of 10 per centum or more of the number 
of producers voting in the referendum approving the order, to deter-
mine whether such producers favor the termination or suspension of 
the order, and he shall suspend or terminate such order six months 
after he determines that suspension or termination of the order is 
approved or favored by a majority of the producers voting in such 
referendum who, during a representative period determined by the 
Secretary, have been engaged in the production of cattle, and who 
produced more than 50 per centum of the volume of cattle produced 
by the producers voting in the referendum. 
(c) The termination or suspension of any order, or any provision 
thereof, shall not be considered an order within the meaning of this 
Act. 
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AMENDMENTS 
SEC. 11. The provisions of this Act applicable to orders shall be 7 USC 2910. 
applicable to amendments to orders. 
PRODUCER REFUND 
SEC. 12. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, any 7 USC 2911. 
producer against whose cattle any assessment is made and collected 
from him under authority of this Act and who is not in favor of sup-
porting the programs as provided for herein shall have the right to 
demand and receive from the Beef Board a refund of such assessment: 
Provided^ That such demand shall be made in accordance with regu-
lations on a form and within a time period prescribed by the Board 
and approved by the Secretary but in no event more than sixty days 
^^ -
after the end of the month in which the sale or slaughter of said 
cattle occurred and upon submission of proof satisfactory to the 
Board that the producer paid the assessment for which refund is 
sought, and any such refund shall be made within sixty days after 
demand is received therefor: Provided^ however^ That no producer 
shall claim or receive a refund of any portion of an assessment which 
he collected from other producers. 
PETITION AND REVIEW 
SEC. 13. (a) Any person subject to any order may file a written 7 USC 2912. 
petition with the Secretary, stating that any such order or any provi-
sion of such order or any obligation imposed in connection therewith 
is not in accordance with law and praying for a modification thereof 
or to be exempted therefrom. He shall thereupon be given an oppor- Hearing, 
tunity for a hearing upon such petition, in accordance with regula-
tions made by the Secretary. After such hearing, the Secretary shall 
make a ruling upon the prayer of such petition which shall be final, if 
in accordance with law. 
(d) The district courts of the United States in any district in which 
such person is an inhabitant, or has his principal place of business, 
are hereby vested with jurisdiction to review such ruling, provided a 
complaint for that purpose is filed within twenty days from the date 
90 STAT. 536 
PUBLIC LAW 94-294^MAY 28, 1976 
Mm% 
of the entry of such ruling. Service of process in such proceedings 
may be had upon the Secretary by delivering to him a copy of the 
complaint. If the court determmes that such ruling is not in accord-
ance with law, it shall remand such proceedings to the Secretary with 
directions either (1) to make such ruling as the court shall determine 
to be in accordance with the law, or (2) to take such further proceed-
ings as, in its opinion, the law requires. The pendency of proceedings 
instituted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall not impede, 
hinder, or delay the United States or the Secretary from obtaming 
relief pursuant to section 14(a) of this Act. 
7 use 2913. 
Penalty. 
, 1 i.V 
7 use 2914. 
Report, submittal 
to Secretary. 
/ 
ENFORCEMENT 
SEC. 14. (a) The several district courts of the United States are 
vested with jurisdiction specifically to enforce, and to prevent and 
restrain any person from violating any order or regulation made or 
issued pursuant to this Act. Any civil action authorized to be brought 
under this Act shall be referred to the Attorney General for appro-
priate action: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be construed 
as requiring the Secretary to refer to the Attorney General minor 
violations of this Act whenever he believes that the administration and 
enforcement of the program would be adequately served by suitable 
written notice or warning to any person committing such violation. 
(b) Any person who willfully violates any provision of any order 
issued by the Secretary under this Act, or who willfully fails or refuses 
to collect or remit any assessment duly required of him thereunder, 
shall be liable to a penalty of not more than $1,000 for each such vio-
lation which shall accrue to the United States and may be recovered 
in a civil suit brought by the United States: Provided, That subsec-
tions (a) and (b) of this section shall be in addition to, and not exclu-
sive of, the remedies provided now or hereafter existing at law or in 
^uity. 
CERTIFICATION or ORGANIZATIONS 
SEC. 15. The eligibility of any organization to represent producers 
of any designated geographic area of the United States to request the 
issuance of an order under section 5, and to participate in the making 
of nominations under section 8(b) shall be certified by the Secretary. 
Certification shall be based, in addition to other available information, 
upon a factual report submitted by the organization which shall con-
tain information deemed relevant and specified by the Secretary for 
the making of such determination, including, but not limited to, the 
following: 
(a) geographic territory covered by the organization's active 
membership, 
(b) nature and size of the organization's active membership, 
proportion of total of such active membership accounted for by 
producers of cattle, and the volume of cattle produced by the 
organization's active membership in each such State, 
(c) the extent to which the cattle producer membership of such 
organization is represented in setting the organization's policies, 
(d) evidence of stability and permanency of the organization, 
(e) sources from which the organization's operating funds are 
derived, 
(f) functions of the organization, and 
(g) the organization's ability and willingness to further the 
aims and objectives of this Act: 
PUBLIC LAW 94-294—MAY 28, 1976 
90 STAT. 537 
Provided^ however^ That the primary consideration in determining the 
eligibility of an organization shall be whether its producer member-
ship consists of a substantial number of producers who produce a sub-
stantial volume of cattle subject to the provisions of this Act. The 
Secretary shall certify any organization which he finds to be eligible 
under this section and his determination as to eligibility shall be finaL 
Where more than one organization is certified in any geographic area, 
such organizations may caucus to determine the area's nominations 
under section 8(b). 
STATE BEEF BOARDS 
SEC. 16. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to preempt or inter- 7 USC 2915. 
fere with the workings of any beef board, beef council, or other beef 
promotion entity organized and operating within and by authority 
of any of the several States. 
REGULATIONS 
SEC. 17. The Secretary is authorized to issue regulations with the 7 USC 2916. 
force and effect of law as may be necessary to carry out the provisions 
of this Act and the powers vested in him by this Act. 
INVESTIGATIONS : POWER TO SUBPENA AND TAKE OATHS AND 
AFFIRMATIONS: AID OF COURTS 
SEC. 18. The Secretary may make such investigation as he deems ^ USC 2917. 
necessary for the effective carrying out of his responsibilities under 
this Act or to determine whether a producer or slaughterer of cattle 
or any other person has engaged or is about to engage in any acts or 
practice which constitute or will constitute a violation of any provi-
sions of this Act, or of any order, or rule or regulation issued under 
this Act. For the purpose of such investigation, the Secretary is 
empowered to administer oaths and affirmations, subpena witnesses, 
compel their attendance, take evidence, and require the production 
of any books, papers, and documents which are relevant to the inquiry. 
Such attendance of witnesses and the production of any such records 
may be required from any place in the United States. In case of con-
tumacy by, or refusal to obey a subpena to, any person, including a 
producer, the Secretary may invoke the aid of any court of the United 
States within the jurisdiction of which such investigation or proceed-
ing is carried on, or where such person resides or carries on business, 
in requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the pro-
duction of books, papers, and documents; and such court may issue 
an order requiring such person to appear before the Secretary, there 
to produce records, if so ordered, or to give testimony touching the 
matter under investigation. Any failure to obey such order of the Penalty, 
court may be punished by such court as a contempt thereof. All process 
in any such case may be served in the judicial district whereof such 
person is an inhabitant or wherever he may be found. 
SEPARABILITY 
SEC. 19. If any provision of this Act or the application thereof to 7 USC 2901 note, 
any person or circumstances is held invalid, the validity of the 
remainder of the Act and of the application of such provision to other 
persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby. 
90 STAT. 538 
- 
PUBLIC LAW 94-294—MAY 28, 1976 
AUTHORIZATION 
7 use 2918. 
SEC. 20. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any 
money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated such funds as are 
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. The funds so appro-
priated shall not be available for payment of the expenses or expendi-
tures of the Beef Board in administering any provisions of any order 
issued pursuant to the terms of this Act. 
EFFECTIVE DATE 
7 use 2901 note. 
SEC. 21. This Act shall take effect upon enactment. 
Approved May 28, 1976. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 94-452 (Comm. on Agriculture) and Nos. 94-708 and 94-1044 
(Comm. of Conference). 
SENATE REPORT No. 94-463 (Comm. on Agriculture and Forestry). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 121 (1975): Oct. 2, considered and passed House. 
Dec. 1, 2, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Vol. 122 (1976): May 3, House agreed to conference report. 
May 12, Senate agreed to conference report.