The Board shall, among other things, have the following duties:

(a) To meet, organize, and select from among its members a president and such other officers as may be necessary; to select committees and subcommittees of board members; to adopt such rules for the conduct of its business as it may deem advisable; and it may establish working committees of persons other than Board members.

(b) To employ such persons as it may deem necessary and to determine the compensation and define the duties of each; and to protect the handling of Board funds through fidelity bonds;

(c) To prepare and submit for the Secretary's approval, prior to the beginning of each fiscal period, a recommended rate of assessment and a fiscal period budget of the anticipated expenses in the administration of this Plan, including the probable costs of all programs and projects;

(d) To develop programs and projects, which must be approved by the Secretary before becoming effective, and enter into contracts or agreements, with the approval of the Secretary, for the development and carrying out of programs or projects of research, development, advertising or promotion, and the payment of the costs thereof with funds received pursuant to this Plan;

(e) To keep minutes, books, and records which clearly reflect all of the acts and transactions of the Board. Minutes of each Board meeting shall be promptly reported to the Secretary;

(f) To prepare and submit to the Secretary such reports from time to time as may be prescribed for appropriate accounting with respect to the receipt and disbursement of funds entrusted to the Board;

(g) To cause the books of the Board to be audited by a certified public accountant at least once each fiscal period, and at such other time as the Board may deem necessary. The report of such audit shall show the receipt and expenditure of funds received pursuant to this part. Two copies of each such report shall be furnished to the Secretary and a copy of each such report shall be made available at the principal office of the Board for inspection by producers, handlers, and importers;

(h) To investigate violations of the Plan and report the results of such investigations to the Secretary for appropriate action to enforce the provisions of the Plan;

(i) To periodically prepare, make public, and make available to producers, handlers, and importers reports of its activities carried out.

(j) To give the Secretary the same notice of meetings of the Board and its subcommittees as is given to its members;

(k) To act as intermediary between the Secretary and any producer, handler, or importer;

(l) To furnish the Secretary such information as the Secretary may request;

(m) To notify watermelon producers, handlers, and importers of all Board meetings through press releases or other means;

(n) To appoint and convene, from time to time, working committees drawn from producers, handlers, importers, and the public to assist in the development of research and promotion programs for watermelons; and

(o) To develop and recommend such rules and regulations to the Secretary for approval as may be necessary for the development and execution of programs or projects to effectuate the declared purpose of the Act.

[54 FR 24545, June 8, 1989, as amended at 60 FR 10798, Feb. 28, 1995]