---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 4913"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "4913"
heading: "Suspension or termination of plans"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/4913"
units:
  - "Chapter 80 — Watermelon Research and Promotion"
---

# §4913. Suspension or termination of plans

- (a) Whenever the [Secretary](/usc/7/4902.md?p=1) finds that a plan or any provision thereof obstructs or does not tend to effectuate the declared policy of this chapter, the [Secretary](/usc/7/4902.md?p=1) shall terminate or suspend the operation of the plan or provision.
- (b) The [Secretary](/usc/7/4902.md?p=1) may conduct a referendum at any time, and shall hold a referendum on request of the [Board](/usc/7/4902.md?p=9) or at least 10 percent of the combined total of the [watermelon](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) [producers](/usc/7/4902.md?p=5), [handlers](/usc/7/4902.md?p=4), and [importers](/usc/7/4902.md?p=6) eligible to vote in a referendum, to determine if [watermelon](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) [producers](/usc/7/4902.md?p=5), [handlers](/usc/7/4902.md?p=4), and [importers](/usc/7/4902.md?p=6) favor the termination or suspension of the plan. The [Secretary](/usc/7/4902.md?p=1) shall terminate or suspend the plan at the end of the marketing year whenever the [Secretary](/usc/7/4902.md?p=1) determines that the termination or suspension is favored by a majority of those voting in the referendum, and who produce, handle, or import more than 50 per cent of the combined total of the volume of the [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) produced by the [producers](/usc/7/4902.md?p=5), handled by the [handlers](/usc/7/4902.md?p=4), or imported by the [importers](/usc/7/4902.md?p=6) voting in the referendum.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 99–198, title XVI, § 1654, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1630; Pub. L. 103–189, § 8(j), Dec. 14, 1993, 107 Stat. 2263.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1993—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–189, § 8(j)(3), struck out at end “Any such referendum shall be conducted at county extension offices.”

Pub. L. 103–189, § 8(j)(2)(C), which directed the substitution of “, handled by the handlers, or imported by the importers” for “or handled by the handlers,” in second sentence, was executed by making the substitution in text which did not contain a comma after the word “handlers”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Pub. L. 103–189, § 8(j)(1)–(2)(B), in first sentence, substituted “at least 10 percent of the combined total” for “10 per centum or more” and “, handlers, and importers” for “and handlers” in two places, and in second sentence, substituted “, handle, or import” for “or handle” and “50 percent of the combined total” for “50 per centum”.