Title 7

SECTION 1032.73

1032.73 Payments to producers and to cooperative associations.

§ 1032.73 Payments to producers and to cooperative associations.

(a) Each handler shall pay each producer for producer milk for which payment is not made to a cooperative association pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, as follows:

(1) Partial payment. For each producer who has not discontinued shipments as of the date of this partial payment, payment shall be made so that it is received by each producer on or before the 26th day of the month (except as provided in § 1000.90) for milk received during the first 15 days of the month from the producer at not less than the lowest announced class price for the preceding month, less proper deductions authorized in writing by the producer.

(2) Final payment. For milk received during the month, payment shall be made so that it is received by each producer no later than the 17th day after the end of the month (except as provided in § 1000.90) in an amount equal to not less than the sum of:

(i) The hundredweight of producer milk received times the producer price differential for the month as adjusted pursuant to § 1032.75;

(ii) The pounds of butterfat received times the butterfat price for the month;

(iii) The pounds of protein received times the protein price for the month;

(iv) The pounds of other solids received times the other solids price for the month;

(v) The hundredweight of milk received times the somatic cell adjustment for the month;

(vi) Less any payment made pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of this section;

(vii) Less proper deductions authorized in writing by such producer and plus or minus adjustments for errors in previous payments to such producer; and

(viii) Less deductions for marketing services pursuant to § 1000.86.

(b) Payments for milk received from cooperative association members. On or before the day prior to the dates specified in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section (except as provided in § 1000.90), each handler shall pay to a cooperative association for milk from producers who market their milk through the cooperative association and who have authorized the cooperative to collect such payments on their behalf an amount equal to the sum of the individual payments otherwise payable for such producer milk pursuant to paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section.

(c) Payment for milk received from cooperative association pool plants or from cooperatives as handlers pursuant to § 1000.9(c). On or before the day prior to the dates specified in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section (except as provided in § 1000.90), each handler who receives fluid milk products at its plant from a cooperative association in its capacity as the operator of a pool plant or who receives milk from a cooperative association in its capacity as a handler pursuant to § 1000.9(c), including the milk of producers who are not members of such association and who the market administrator determines have authorized the cooperative association to collect payment for their milk, shall pay the cooperative for such milk as follows:

(1) For bulk fluid milk products and bulk fluid cream products received from a cooperative association in its capacity as the operator of a pool plant and for milk received from a cooperative association in its capacity as a handler pursuant to § 1000.9(c) during the first 15 days of the month, at not less than the lowest announced class prices per hundredweight for the preceding month;

(2) For the total quantity of bulk fluid milk products and bulk fluid cream products received from a cooperative association in its capacity as the operator of a pool plant, at not less than the total value of such products received from the association's pool plants, as determined by multiplying the respective quantities assigned to each class under § 1000.44 as follows:

(i) The hundredweight of Class I skim milk times the Class I skim milk price for the month plus the pounds of Class I butterfat times the Class I butterfat price for the month. The Class I prices to be used shall be the prices effective at the location of the receiving plant;

(ii) The pounds of nonfat solids in Class II skim milk by the Class II nonfat solids price;

(iii) The pounds of butterfat in Class II times the Class II butterfat price;

(iv) The pounds of nonfat solids in Class IV times the nonfat solids price;

(v) The pounds of butterfat in Class III and Class IV milk times the butterfat price;

(vi) The pounds of protein in Class III milk times the protein price;

(vii) The pounds of other solids in Class III milk times the other solids price;

(viii) The hundredweight of Class II, Class III, and Class IV milk times the somatic cell adjustment; and

(ix) Add together the amounts computed in paragraphs (c)(2)(i) through (viii) of this section and from that sum deduct any payment made pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section; and

(3) For the total quantity of milk received during the month from a cooperative association in its capacity as a handler under § 1000.9(c) as follows:

(i) The hundredweight of producer milk received times the producer price differential as adjusted pursuant to § 1032.75;

(ii) The pounds of butterfat received times the butterfat price for the month;

(iii) The pounds of protein received times the protein price for the month;

(iv) The pounds of other solids received times the other solids price for the month;

(v) The hundredweight of milk received times the somatic cell adjustment for the month; and

(vi) Add together the amounts computed in paragraphs (c)(3)(i) through (v) of this section and from that sum deduct any payment made pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(d) If a handler has not received full payment from the market administrator pursuant to § 1032.72 by the payment date specified in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this section, the handler may reduce pro rata its payments to producers or to the cooperative association (with respect to receipts described in paragraph (b) of this section, prorating the underpayment to the volume of milk received from the cooperative association in proportion to the total milk received from producers by the handler), but not by more than the amount of the underpayment. The payments shall be completed on the next scheduled payment date after receipt of the balance due from the market administrator.

(e) If a handler claims that a required payment to a producer cannot be made because the producer is deceased or cannot be located, or because the cooperative association or its lawful successor or assignee is no longer in existence, the payment shall be made to the producer-settlement fund, and in the event that the handler subsequently locates and pays the producer or a lawful claimant, or in the event that the handler no longer exists and a lawful claim is later established, the market administrator shall make the required payment from the producer-settlement fund to the handler or to the lawful claimant, as the case may be.

(f) In making payments to producers pursuant to this section, each handler shall furnish each producer, except a producer whose milk was received from a cooperative association handler described in § 1000.9(a) or (c), a supporting statement in a form that may be retained by the recipient which shall show:

(1) The name, address, Grade A identifier assigned by a duly constituted regulatory agency, and payroll number of the producer;

(2) The daily and total pounds, and the month and dates such milk was received from that producer;

(3) The total pounds of butterfat, protein, and other solids contained in the producer's milk;

(4) The somatic cell count of the producer's milk;

(5) The minimum rate or rates at which payment to the producer is required pursuant to the order in this part;

(6) The rate used in making payment if the rate is other than the applicable minimum rate;

(7) The amount, or rate per hundredweight, or rate per pound of component, and the nature of each deduction claimed by the handler; and

(8) The net amount of payment to the producer or cooperative association.

[64 FR 47985, Sept. 1, 1999, as amended at 65 FR 82838, Dec. 28, 2000; 68 FR 7067, Feb. 12, 2003]