---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 2303"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "2303"
heading: "Prohibited practices"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/2303"
units:
  - "Chapter 56 — Unfair Trade Practices Affecting Producers of Agricultural Products"
---

# §2303. Prohibited practices


It shall be unlawful for any [handler](/usc/7/2302.md?p=3-A) knowingly to engage or permit any employee or agent to engage in the following practices:

- (a) To coerce any [producer](/usc/7/2302.md?p=4) in the exercise of his right to join and belong to or to refrain from joining or belonging to an [association of producers](/usc/7/2302.md?p=2-A), or to refuse to deal with any [producer](/usc/7/2302.md?p=4) because of the exercise of his right to join and belong to such an association; or
- (b) To discriminate against any [producer](/usc/7/2302.md?p=4) with respect to price, quantity, quality, or other terms of purchase, acquisition, or other handling of [agricultural products](/usc/7/2302.md?p=1) because of his membership in or contract with an [association of producers](/usc/7/2302.md?p=2-A); or
- (c) To coerce or intimidate any [producer](/usc/7/2302.md?p=4) to enter into, maintain, breach, cancel, or terminate a membership agreement or marketing contract with an [association of producers](/usc/7/2302.md?p=2-A) or a contract with a [handler](/usc/7/2302.md?p=3-A); or
- (d) To pay or loan money, give any thing of value, or offer any other inducement or reward to a [producer](/usc/7/2302.md?p=4) for refusing to or ceasing to belong to an [association of producers](/usc/7/2302.md?p=2-A); or
- (e) To make false reports about the finances, management, or activities of associations of [producers](/usc/7/2302.md?p=4) or [handlers](/usc/7/2302.md?p=3-A); or
- (f) To conspire, combine, agree, or arrange with any other [person](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) to do, or aid or abet the doing of, any act made unlawful by this chapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–288, § 4, Apr. 16, 1968, 82 Stat. 94.)