(a) There is hereby established a National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board of 20 members, 15 of whom shall represent geographic regions and five of whom shall be at-large members of the Board. To the extent practicable, members representing geographic regions shall represent fluid milk processing operations of differing sizes. No fluid milk processor shall be represented on the Board by more than three members. The at-large members shall include at least three fluid milk processors and at least one member from the general public. Except for the non-processor member or members from the general public, nominees appointed to the Board must be active owners or employees of a fluid milk processor. The failure of such a member to own or work for such fluid milk processor shall disqualify that member for membership on the Board except that such member shall continue to serve on the Board for a period not to exceed 6 months following the disqualification or until appointment of a successor Board member to such position, whichever is sooner, provided that such person continues to meet the criteria for serving on the Board as a processor representative. Should a member representing the general public cease to be employed by the entity employing that member when appointed, gain employment with a new employer, or cease to own or operate the business which that member owned or operated at the date of appointment, such member shall be disqualified for membership on the Board, except that such member shall continue to serve on the Board for a period not to exceed 6 months, or until appointment of a successor Board member, whichever is sooner.

(b) In selecting the 15 Board members who represent geographic regions, one member shall be selected from each of the following regions:

(a) The members of the Board shall serve for terms of three years, except that the members appointed to the initial Board shall serve proportionately, for terms of one year, two years, and three years, as determined by the Secretary. The terms of all Board members shall expire upon the suspension or termination of the order except as provided in § 1160.502.

(b) No member shall serve more than two consecutive terms, except that any member who is appointed to serve for an initial term of one or two years shall be eligible to be reappointed for two three-year terms. Appointment to another position on the Board is considered a consecutive term. Should a non-board member be appointed to fill a vacancy on the Board with a term of 18 months or less remaining, the appointee shall be entitled to serve two consecutive 3-year terms following the term of the vacant position to which the person was appointed.

(a) The Secretary shall solicit nominations for the initial Board from individual fluid milk processors and other interested parties, including eligible organizations. Fluid milk processors and other interested parties may submit nominations for positions on the Board for regions in which they are located or market fluid milk, and for at-large members. Eligible organizations may submit a slate of nominees for seats in all regions and for at-large members.

(b) After the appointment of the initial Board, the Secretary shall announce at least 180 days in advance of the expiration of members' terms that such terms are expiring, and shall solicit nominations for such positions in the manner described in paragraph (a) of this section. Nominations for such positions should be submitted to the Secretary not less than 120 days prior to the expiration of members' terms.

(a) A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum at a properly convened meeting of the Board. Any action of the Board shall require the concurring votes of at least a majority of those present and voting. The Board shall establish rules concerning timely notice of meetings.

(b) The Board may take action upon the concurring votes of a majority of members by mail, telephone, telegraph, or other means of electronic communication when, in the opinion of the chairperson of the Board, such action must be taken before a meeting can be called. Action taken by this emergency procedure is valid only if all members are notified and provided the opportunity to vote and any telephone vote is confirmed promptly in writing. Any action so taken shall have the same force and effect as though such action had been taken at a properly convened meeting of the Board.

(a) To receive and evaluate, or on its own initiative develop, and budget for plans or projects to educate consumers and promote the use of fluid milk products and to make recommendations to the Secretary regarding such proposals;

(b) To administer the provisions of this subpart in accordance with its terms and provisions;

(c) To make rules and regulations to effectuate the terms and provisions of this subpart;

(d) To receive, investigate, and report to the Secretary complaints of violations of the provisions of this subpart;

(e) To employ such persons as the Board deems necessary and determine the duties and compensation of such persons;

(f) To contract with eligible organizations or other persons to conduct activities authorized pursuant to this subpart;

(g) To select committees and subcommittees, to adopt bylaws, and to adopt such rules for the conduct of its business as it may deem advisable; the Board may establish working committees of persons other than Board members;

(h) To recommend to the Secretary amendments to this subpart; and

(i) With the approval of the Secretary, to invest, pending disbursement pursuant to a plan or project, funds collected through assessments authorized under § 1160.211 in, and only in, obligations of the United States or any agency thereof, in general obligations of any State or any political subdivision thereof, in any interest-bearing account or certificate of deposit of a bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System, or in obligations fully guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States.

(a) To meet not less than annually, and to organize and select from among its members a chairperson, who may serve for a term of a fiscal period pursuant to § 1160.113, and not more than two consecutive terms, and to select such other officers as may be necessary;

(b) To prepare and submit to the Secretary for approval a budget for each fiscal period of the anticipated expenses and disbursements in the administration of this subpart, including a description of and the probable costs of consumer education, promotion and research projects;

(c) To develop and submit to the Secretary for approval promotion and consumer education, and research plans or projects;

(d) To the extent practicable, carry out consumer education and promotion programs under § 1160.301 in such a manner as to ensure that advertising coverage in each of the regions defined in § 1160.200 is proportionate to funds collected from each such region;

(e) To disseminate information to fluid milk processors or eligible organizations;

(f) To maintain minutes, books and records that accurately reflect all of the acts and transactions of the Board, which shall be available to the Secretary for inspection and audit, and prepare and promptly report minutes of each Board meeting to the Secretary and submit such reports from time to time to the Secretary as the Secretary may prescribe, and to account with respect to the receipt and disbursement of all funds entrusted to it;

(g) To enter into contracts or agreements, with the approval of the Secretary, with such persons and organizations as the Board may approve for the development and conduct of activities authorized under this subpart and for the payment of the cost thereof with funds collected through assessments pursuant to § 1160.211 and income from such assessments. Any such contract or agreement shall provide that:

(h) For the initial fiscal period, the Board shall contract, to the extent practicable and subject to the approval of the Secretary, with an eligible organization to carry out the provisions of this subpart;

(i) To prepare and make public, at least annually, a report of its activities and an accounting for funds received and expended;

(j) To have an audit of its financial statements conducted by a certified public accountant in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, at the end of the first 15 months of the initial fiscal period, at the end of the initial fiscal period, and at least once each fiscal period thereafter as well as at such other times as the Secretary may request, and to submit a copy of each such audit report to the Secretary;

(k) To give the Secretary the same notice of meetings of the Board and committees of the Board, including actions conducted under § 1160.206(b), as is given to such Board or committee members in order that the Secretary, or a representative of the Secretary, may attend such meetings;

(l) To submit to the Secretary such information pursuant to this subpart as may be requested;

(m) The Board shall take reasonable steps to coordinate the collection of assessments, and promotion, education, and research activities of the Board, with the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board established under section 113(b) of the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4504(b)); and

(n) The Board shall conduct advertising using third parties only through contracts which shall prohibit the third party from selling, offering for sale, or otherwise making available advertising time or space to private industry members conducting brand-name advertising which immediately precedes, follows, appears in juxtaposition, or appears in the midst of Board-sponsored advertising.

(a) The Board is authorized to incur such expenses (including provision for a reasonable reserve) as the Secretary finds are reasonable and likely to be incurred by the Board for its administration, and to enable it to exercise its powers and perform its duties in accordance with the provisions of this subpart; except that, after the Board's first year, it shall not spend on its administration more than 5 percent of the assessments collected during any fiscal period subsequent to the initial fiscal period. Such administrative expenses shall be paid from assessments collected pursuant to § 1160.211.

(b) The Board shall reimburse the Secretary for administrative costs incurred by the Department from assessments collected pursuant to § 1160.211.

(c) Within 30 days after funds are remitted from Regions 14 and 15, the Board shall provide a grant of 80% of such funds to the entity authorized by the laws of the State of California to conduct an advertising program for fluid milk products in that State for the purpose of implementing a coordinated advertising program in the markets within those regions. Such grant shall be provided with the approval of the Secretary on the following conditions:

(a)

(b) Such assessments shall not:

(c) Money remitted to the Board or the Board's designated agent shall be in the form of a negotiable instrument made payable to the Board or its agent, as the case may be. Processors must mail remittances and reports specified in §§ 1160.108, 1160.211(a)(1), 1160.213, 1160.214, and 1160.401 to the location designated by the Board or its agent.

(a) Late-payment charge. Any unpaid assessments shall be increased 1.5 percent each month beginning with the day following the date such assessments were due. Any remaining amount due, which shall include any unpaid charges previously made pursuant to this section, shall be increased at the same rate on the corresponding day of each month thereafter until paid. For the purpose of this section, any assessment determined at a date later than prescribed by this subpart because of the failure of a processor to submit a report to the Board when due shall be considered to have been payable by the date it would have been due if the report had been filed when due. The receipt of a payment by the Board will be based on the earlier of the postmark date or the actual date of receipt.

(b) Penalties. The Secretary may assess any person who violates any provision of this subpart a civil penalty of not less than nor more than the minimum and maximum amounts specified in § 3.91(b)(1)(xxxv) of this title for each such violation. In the case of a willful failure to pay an assessment as required by this subpart, in addition to the amount due, the Secretary may assess an additional penalty of not less than nor more than the minimum and maximum amounts specified in § 3.91(b)(1)(xxxv) of this title for each such violation. The amount of any such penalty shall accrue to the United States, which may recover such amount in a civil suit. The remedies provided in this section are in addition to, and not exclusive of, other remedies that may be available by law or in equity.

(a) No assessment shall be required on fluid milk products exported from the United States.

(b) A fluid milk processor described in § 1160.211(a) who operates under an approved National Organic Program (7 CFR part 205) (NOP) organic handling system plan may be exempt from the payment of assessments under this part, provided that:

(c) To apply for an assessment exemption, a fluid milk processor described in § 1160.211(a) shall submit a request to the Board on an Organic Exemption Request Form (Form AMS-15) at any time during the year initially, and annually thereafter on or before July 1, for as long as the processor continues to be eligible for the exemption.

(d) A fluid milk processor request for exemption shall include the following information:

(e) If a fluid milk processor complies with the requirements of this section, the Board will grant an assessment exemption and issue a Certificate of Exemption to the processor within 30 days. If the application is disapproved, the Board will notify the applicant of the reason(s) for disapproval within the same timeframe.

(f) The exemption will apply not later than the last day of the month following the Certificate of Exemption issuance date.