7 USC 4510 – Enforcement
(a) Restraining order; civil action; minor violation
The district courts of the United States are vested with jurisdiction specifically to enforce, and to prevent and restrain any person from violating, any order or regulation made or issued under this subchapter. Any civil action authorized to be brought under this subsection shall be referred to the Attorney General for appropriate action, except that the Secretary is not required to refer to the Attorney General minor violations of this subchapter whenever the Secretary believes that the administration and enforcement of this subchapter would be adequately served by suitable written notice or warning to any person committing such violation.
(b) Civil penalties
Terms Used In 7 USC 4510
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- milk: means any class of cow's milk. See 7 USC 4502
- person: means any individual, group of individuals, partnership, corporation, association, cooperative, or any other entity. See 7 USC 4502
- Secretary: means the Secretary of Agriculture. See 7 USC 4502
- United States: when used in a geographical sense, means all of the States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See 7 USC 4502
Any person who willfully violates any provision of any order issued by the Secretary under this subchapter shall be assessed a civil penalty by the Secretary of not more than $1,000 for each such violation and, in the case of a willful failure to pay, collect, or remit the assessment as required by the order, in addition to the amount due, a penalty equal to the amount of the assessment on the quantity of milk as to which the failure applies. The amount of any such penalty shall accrue to the United States and may be recovered in a civil suit brought by the United States.
(c) Availability of other remedies
The remedies provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be in addition to, and not exclusive of, other remedies that may be available.