Title 7

SECTION 1435.318

1435.318 Penalties and assessments.

§ 1435.318 Penalties and assessments.

(a) Any sugar beet or sugarcane processor who knowingly markets sugar or sugar products in excess of the processor's allocation will be liable to CCC for a civil penalty in an amount equal to 3 times the U.S. market value, at the time the violation was committed, of that quantity of sugar involved in the violation.

(b) CCC may assess liquidated damages, as specified in a surplus allocation survey and agreement, with respect to a surplus allocation still existing after the end of a crop year if the processor had a surplus allocation because the processor provided incomplete or erroneous information to CCC.

(c) Under § 359f(c)(5) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended, any producer of sugarcane whose farm has a proportionate share, and who knowingly harvests or allows to be harvested an acreage of sugarcane for sugar or seed in excess of the farm's proportionate share shall pay to CCC a civil penalty in an amount equal to 1.5 times the U.S. market value of the quantity of sugar that is marketed by the processor of such sugarcane in excess of the allocation of such processor, for the year in which the violation was committed. However, civil penalties will not be assessed when the producer harvests acreage for sugar or seed in excess of the farm's proportionate share, if the excess sugarcane harvested is:

(1) Processed by a sugarcane processor that does not exceed its marketing allocation; or

(2) Diverted to a use other than sugar or seed if:

(i) The sugarcane producer requests and pays for a CCC field inspection, and

(ii) CCC verifies the disposition of the excess harvest is not for sugar or seed.

(d) Any penalty assessed under paragraph (b) of this section shall be prorated among the producers of all sugarcane acquired by the processor from excess acres.

(e) Any person filing a false acreage report that exceeds tolerance will be subject to an assessment not to exceed the amount specified at § 3.91(b)(10)(iii) of this title. Whenever the failure of a producer to comply fully with the terms and conditions applicable to proportionate shares would result in an assessment, the Deputy Administrator may authorize the waiver or reduction of the assessment in such amounts as determined to be equitable about the seriousness of the failure, the producer's good-faith effort to comply fully with such terms and conditions, and the producer's substantial performance.

(f) Any person who knowingly violates any provision of this subpart other than paragraph (d) of this section is subject to the assessment of a civil penalty by CCC of not more than the amount specified at § 3.91(b)(10)(iv) of this title for each violation.

[67 FR 54928, Aug. 26, 2002, as amended at 74 FR 15367, Apr. 6, 2009; 75 FR 17561, Apr. 7, 2010]

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