---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 6409"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "6409"
heading: "Assessments"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/6409"
units:
  - "Chapter 93 — Processor-Funded Milk Promotion Program"
---

# §6409. Assessments

- (a) **In general—** The order shall provide that each [fluid milk processor](/usc/7/6402.md?p=4) shall pay an assessment on each unit of [fluid milk product](/usc/7/6402.md?p=3) that such [person](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) processes and [markets](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) commercially in consumer-type packages in the [United States](/usc/7/6402.md?p=8).
- (b) **No effect on producer prices—** Such assessments shall not—
  - (1) reduce the prices paid under the Federal milk marketing orders issued under [section 608c of this title](/usc/7/608c.md);
  - (2) otherwise be deducted from the amounts that handlers must pay to producers for [fluid milk products](/usc/7/6402.md?p=3) sold to a processor; or
  - (3) otherwise be deducted from the price of milk paid to a producer by a handler, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6402.md?p=7).
- (c) **Remitting assessments—**
  - (1) **In general—** Assessments required under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be remitted by the [fluid milk processor](/usc/7/6402.md?p=4) directly to the [Board](/usc/7/6402.md?p=2) in accordance with the order and regulations issued by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6402.md?p=7).
  - (2) **Time to remit assessment—** Each processor who is responsible for the remittance of an assessment under [paragraph (1)](#c-1) shall remit the assessment to the [Board](/usc/7/6402.md?p=2) not later than the last day of the month following the month that the milk being assessed was marketed.
  - (3) **Verification—** Remittances shall be verified by [market](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) administrators and [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) regulatory officials, and local and [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service offices, as provided by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6402.md?p=7).
- (d) **Limitation on assessments—** Not more than one assessment may be assessed under this section for the purposes of this chapter on a processor for any unit of [fluid milk product](/usc/7/6402.md?p=3).
- (e) **Producer-handlers—** Producer-handlers that are required to pay the assessment imposed under [section 4504(g) of this title](/usc/7/4504.md?p=g), and that are [fluid milk processors](/usc/7/6402.md?p=4), shall also be responsible for the additional assessment imposed by this section.
- (f) **Processor assessment rate—** Except as provided in [section 6415(b) of this title](/usc/7/6415.md?p=b), the rate of assessment prescribed by the order shall be 20 cents per hundredweight of [fluid milk products](/usc/7/6402.md?p=3) marketed.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–624, title XIX, § 1999J, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3921; Pub. L. 103–72, § 2(b), Aug. 11, 1993, 107 Stat. 717.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1993—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–72 inserted “, and that are fluid milk processors,” after “section 4504(g) of this title”.