(a) The funds to cover the Board's expenses shall be acquired by the levying of assessments upon handlers and importers as designated in regulations recommended by the Board and issued by the Secretary. Such assessments shall be levied at a rate fixed by the Secretary which shall not exceed one-half of one per centum of the immediate past ten calendar years United States average price received for potatoes by growers as reported by the Department of Agriculture and not more than one such assessment may be collected on any potatoes.

(b) Each designated handler, as specified in regulations, shall pay assessments to the Board on all potatoes handled by him, including potatoes he produced. Assessments shall be paid to the Board at such time and in such manner as the Board shall direct pursuant to regulations issued hereunder. The designated handler may collect the assessments from the producer, or deduct such assessments from the proceeds paid to the producer on whose potatoes the assessments are made, provided he furnishes the producer with evidence of such payment.

(c) The importer of imported potatoes, potato products, or seed potatoes shall pay the assessment to the Board at the time of entry, or withdrawal, for consumption of such potatoes and potato products into the United States.

(d) The assessment on imported tablestock potatoes and frozen or processed potato products for ultimate consumption by humans and on seed potatoes shall be established by the Board so that the effective assessment shall be equal to that on domestic production.

(e) The Board may authorize other organizations to collect assessments in its behalf.

(f) The Board may exempt potatoes used for nonfood purposes, other than seed, from the provisions of this plan and shall establish adequate safeguards against improper use of such exemptions.

[37 FR 5008, Mar. 9, 1972, as amended at 49 FR 20806, May 17, 1984; 56 FR 40230, Aug. 14, 1991]