Collection of assessments; refunds

Except as otherwise provided in this section, a first handler of honey shall be responsible, at the time of first purchase— The first handler shall maintain a separate record on each producer’s honey so handled, including honey owned by the handler. Except as otherwise provided in this section, at the time of entry of honey and honey products into the United States, an importer shall remit to the Honey Board through the United States Customs Service— In any case in which a loan, or a loan deficiency payment is made with respect to honey under the honey price support loan program established under the Agricultural Act of 1949 [7 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.], or successor statute, the Secretary shall provide for the assessment to be deducted from the disbursement of any loan funds or from the loan deficiency payment made to the producer and for the amount of such assessment to be forwarded to the Honey Board. The Secretary shall provide for the producer to receive a statement of the amount of the assessment deducted from the loan funds or loan deficiency payment promptly after each occasion when an assessment is deducted from any such loan funds or payment under this subsection. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a producer-packer shall be responsible for the collection, and payment to the Honey Board, of— To make available to the Secretary and the Honey Board such information and data as are necessary to carry out this chapter (including an order or regulation issued under this chapter), a handler, importer, producer, or producer-packer responsible for payment of an assessment under this chapter, and a person receiving an exemption from an assessment under section 4606(e)(4) of this title, shall— To conduct an inspection or review a report of a handler, importer, producer, or producer-packer under paragraph (1), an individual shall be an employee or agent of the Department or the Honey Board, and shall not be a member or alternate member of the Honey Board. An employee or agent described in paragraph (2) shall be subject to the confidentiality requirements of subsection (g). All information obtained under subsection (f) shall be kept confidential by all officers, employees, and agents of the Department or of the Honey Board. Information subject to paragraph (1) may be disclosed— Nothing in this subsection prohibits— Any person that knowingly violates this subsection, on conviction— Administration and remittance of the assessments under this chapter shall be conducted— If a first handler or the Secretary fails to collect an assessment from a producer under this section, the producer shall be responsible for the payment of the assessment to the Honey Board. If the United States Customs Service fails to collect an assessment from an importer or an importer fails to pay an assessment at the time of entry of honey and honey products into the United States under this section, the importer shall be responsible for the remission of the assessment to the Honey Board.