7 U.S.C. § 7802 — Definitions

This section defines terms used throughout this chapter: (1) Board. "Avocado Board" and "Board" mean the Hass Avocado Board created under section 7804. (2) Conflict of interest. This means a situation where a Board member or employee has a direct or indirect money interest in a person or company doing business with the Board. (3) Consumer information. This means any action or program that gives consumers information to help them decide whether to buy, prepare, or use Hass avocados, including nutrition facts. (4) Customs. This means the United States Customs Service. (5) Department. This means the United States Department of Agriculture. (6) Hass avocado. This includes the fruit of any Hass-variety avocado tree, plus any other avocado the Board (with USDA approval) decides looks the same to consumers as Hass avocados. It covers fresh, frozen, or otherwise processed fruit — except that if a handler processes the avocados further before selling to a retailer, the Board (with USDA approval) can decide the processing removes enough value that the product no longer counts as a Hass avocado product for assessments, and the Board can also exempt certain frozen avocado products. (7) Handler. A "first handler" is a person in the Hass avocado market who sells domestic or imported Hass avocados for use in the United States and is responsible for paying assessments to the Board; this includes an importer or producer who sells directly to consumers. An "exempt handler" is someone who would otherwise be a first handler, except that every avocado they buy already had the assessment paid on it. (8) Importer. Anyone who imports Hass avocados into the United States. (9) Industry information. Information and programs meant to make processing more efficient, build new markets and marketing strategies, and improve the image of Hass avocados and the industry. (10) Order. The Hass avocado promotion, research, and information order issued under this chapter. (11) Person. Any individual, group, firm, partnership, corporation, joint stock company, association, cooperative, or other legal entity. (12) Producer. Anyone who grows Hass avocados domestically for commercial use and who owns them, or shares ownership and risk of loss, of those avocados. (13) Promotion. Any action to improve the image, appeal, or marketability of Hass avocados, including paid ads, sales promotion, and publicity, meant to boost their competitive position and sales in the U.S. market. (14) Research. Any test, study, or analysis about market research, market development, marketing, the use, quality, or nutrition of Hass avocados, other related food science, or research meant to boost the image and marketability of Hass avocados. (15) Secretary. The Secretary of Agriculture. (16) State. Each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. (17) United States. The United States as a whole.