12 U.S.C. § 1141j: Miscellaneous provisions

As used in this chapter, the term “cooperative association” means any association in which farmers act together in processing, preparing for market, handling, and/or marketing the farm products of persons so engaged, and also means any association in which farmers act together in purchasing, testing, grading, processing, distributing, and/or furnishing farm supplies and/or farm business services: Provided, however , That such associations are operated for the mutual benefit of the members thereof as such producers or purchasers and conform to one or both of the following requirements: First. That no member of the association is allowed more than one vote because of the amount of stock or membership capital he may own therein; and Second. That the association does not pay dividends on stock or membership capital in excess of 8 per centum per annum. And in any case to the following: Third. That the association shall not deal in farm products, farm supplies, and farm business services with or for nonmembers in an amount greater in value than the total amount of such business transacted by it with or for members. All business transacted by any cooperative association for or on behalf of the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof shall be disregarded in determining the volume of member and nonmember business transacted by such association. It shall be unlawful for the governor, or any officer or employee of the Farm Credit Administration to speculate directly or indirectly, in any agricultural commodity or product thereof, or in contracts relating thereto, or in the stock or membership interests of any association or corporation engaged in handling, processing, or disposing of any such commodity or product. Any person violating this subdivision shall upon conviction thereof be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. It shall be unlawful (1) for any cooperative association, stabilization corporation, clearing-house association, or commodity committee, or (2) for any director, officer, employee, or member or person acting on behalf of any such association, corporation, or committee, to which or to whom information has been imparted in confidence by the administration, to disclose such information in violation of any regulation of the administration. Any such association, corporation, or committee, or director, officer, employee, or member thereof, violating this subdivision, shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. If any provision of this chapter is declared unconstitutional, or the applicability thereof to any person, circumstance, commodity, or class of transactions with respect to any commodity is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of the chapter and the applicability of such provision to other persons, circumstances, commodities, and classes of transactions shall not be affected thereby. This chapter may be cited as the “Agricultural Marketing Act.” As used in this chapter, the term “agricultural commodity” includes, in addition to other agricultural commodities, crude gum (oleoresin) from a living tree, and the following products as processed by the original producer of the crude gum (oleoresin) from which derived: Gum spirits of turpentine and gum rosin, as defined in section 92 of title 7 .