§ 278.3 Participation of wholesale food concerns.

(a) Accepting coupons. An authorized wholesale food concern may accept endorsed coupons from one or more specified authorized retail food stores, from one or more specified authorized nonprofit cooperative food-purchasing ventures, from one or more specified authorized group living arrangements, from one or more specified authorized drug addict or alcoholic treatment programs, from one or more specified authorized shelters for battered women and children, or, from one or more specified public or private nonprofit homeless meal providers if the coupons are accompanied by a properly filled-out and signed redemption certificate, and are not marked “paid,” “canceled,” or “specimen.” A wholesaler authorized to accept coupons from an authorized drug addict or alcoholic treatment program, or from an authorized group living arrangement, or from an authorized shelter for battered women and children, or from one or more public or private nonprofit homeless meal providers may accept coupons from that treatment program, or group living arrangement, or shelter for battered women and children, or from one or more public or private nonprofit homeless meal providers, only in exchange for food. (b) Accepting legally obtained coupons. No authorized wholesale food concern may accept coupons if the wholesaler knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the coupons were not legally obtained for eligible food. (c) Redeeming coupons. An authorized wholesale food concern may redeem coupons, properly accepted from retailers, through the banking system, upon presentation of the coupons with: (1) The authorized retail food store's properly filled-out and signed redemption certificate for the coupons; and (2) The authorized wholesale food concern's properly filled-out and signed redemption certificate. (d) Handling retailer redemption certificates. No authorized wholesale food concern may alter, prepare, or complete an authorized retail food store's redemption certificate.