---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 86"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "86"
heading: "Refusal of inspection and weighing services; civil penalties"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/86"
units:
  - "Chapter 3 — Grain Standards"
---

# §86. Refusal of inspection and weighing services; civil penalties

- (a) **Grounds for refusal of services—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) may (for such period, or indefinitely, as the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter) refuse to provide [official inspection](/usc/7/75.md?p=i) or the services related to weighing otherwise available under this chapter with respect to any [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) offered for such services, or owned, wholly or in part, by any [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) if the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) determines (1) that the individual (or in case such [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) is a partnership, any general partner; or in case such [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) is a corporation, any officer, director, or holder or owner of more than 10 per centum of the voting stock; or in case such [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) is an unincorporated association or other business entity, any officer or director thereof; or in case of any such business entity, any individual who is otherwise [responsibly connected](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-9) with the business) has knowingly committed any violation of [section 87b of this title](/usc/7/87b.md), or has been convicted of any violation of other Federal law with respect to the handling, weighing, or [official inspection](/usc/7/75.md?p=i) of [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g), or that [official inspection](/usc/7/75.md?p=i) or the services related to weighing have been refused for any of the above-specified causes (for a period which has not expired) to such [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c), or any other [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) conducting a business with which the former was, at the time such cause existed, or is [responsibly connected](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-9); and (2) that providing such service with respect to such [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) would be inimical to the integrity of the service.
- (b) **Persons responsibly connected with a business—** For purposes of [subsection (a)](#a) of this section, a [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) shall be deemed to be [responsibly connected](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-9) with a business if the [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) was or is a partner, officer, director, or holder or owner of 10 per centum or more of its voting stock, or an employee in a managerial or executive capacity.
- (c) **Civil penalties—** In addition to, or in lieu of, penalties provided under [section 87c of this title](/usc/7/87c.md), or in addition to, or in lieu of, refusal of [official inspection](/usc/7/75.md?p=i) or services related to weighing in accordance with this section, the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) may assess against any [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) who has knowingly committed any violation of [section 87b of this title](/usc/7/87b.md) or has been convicted of any violation of other Federal law with respect to the handling, weighing, or [official inspection](/usc/7/75.md?p=i) of [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) a civil penalty not to exceed $75,000 for each such violation as the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) determines is appropriate to effectuate the objectives stated in [section 74 of this title](/usc/7/74.md).
- (d) **Opportunity for hearing; temporary refusal without hearing pending final determination—** Before [official inspection](/usc/7/75.md?p=i) or services related to weighing is refused to any [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) or a civil penalty is assessed against any [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) under this section, such [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) shall be afforded opportunity for a hearing in accordance with sections [554](/usc/5/554.md), [556](/usc/5/556.md), and [557](/usc/5/557.md) of title 5: Provided, That the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) may, without first affording the [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) a hearing, refuse [official inspection](/usc/7/75.md?p=i) or services related to weighing temporarily pending final determination whenever the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) has reason to believe there is cause for refusal of inspection or services related to weighing and considered such action to be in the best interest of the [official inspection](/usc/7/75.md?p=i) system under this chapter. The [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) shall afford such [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) an opportunity for a hearing within seven days after temporarily refusing [official inspection](/usc/7/75.md?p=i) or services related to weighing; and such hearing and ancillary procedures related thereto shall be conducted in an expedited manner.
- (e) **Collection and disposition of civil penalties—** Moneys received in payment of such civil penalties shall be deposited in the general fund of the [United States](/usc/7/75.md?p=d) Treasury. Upon any failure to pay the penalties assessed under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) may request the Attorney General of the [United States](/usc/7/75.md?p=d) to institute a civil action to collect the penalties in the appropriate court identified in subsection (h) of [section 87f of this title](/usc/7/87f.md) for the jurisdiction in which the respondent is found or resides or transacts business, and such court shall have jurisdiction to hear and decide any such action.

## Source credit

(Aug. 11, 1916, ch. 313, pt. B, § 10, 39 Stat. 485; Pub. L. 90–487, § 1, Aug. 15, 1968, 82 Stat. 765; Pub. L. 94–582, § 12, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2879; Pub. L. 103–156, § 12(i), Nov. 24, 1993, 107 Stat. 1528; Pub. L. 103–354, title II, § 293(a)(7), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3237.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Subsecs. (a), (c) to (e). Pub. L. 103–354 substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” wherever appearing.

1993—Pub. L. 103–156, § 12(i), which directed amendment of “Section 10”, without specifying the name of the Act being amended, was executed to this section, which is section 10 of the United States Grain Standards Act, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–156, § 12(i)(1), substituted “the Administrator” for “he” in two places.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–156, § 12(i)(2), substituted “the person” for “he”.

1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–582 substituted “Administrator” for “Secretary”, “grain offered for such services” for “grain offered for inspection”, “has knowingly committed any violation of section 87b of this title or has been convicted of any violation of other Federal law with respect to the handling, weighing, or official inspection of grain, or that official inspection or the services related to weighing have been refused” for “has been convicted of any violation of section 87b of this title, or that official inspection has been refused”, and “integrity of the service” for “integrity of the official inspection service”, and authorized refusal of provision of services relating to weighing.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–582 added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94–582 redesignated provisions of former subsec. (c) as (d), inserted “or services related to weighing” before “is refused”, inserted “or a civil penalty is assessed against any person under this section” after “to any person”, provided for the hearing under sections 554, 556, and 557 of title 5, and inserted provisions relating to temporary refusal without hearing pending final determination.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–582 added subsec. (e).

1968—Pub. L. 90–487 substituted provisions authorizing the Secretary to refuse official inspection and affording an opportunity for a hearing in such a case, for provisions setting the penalty for interference with the execution of official duties.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 94–582 effective 30 days after Oct. 21, 1976, see section 27 of Pub. L. 94–582, as amended, set out as a note under section 74 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 90–487, see section 2 of Pub. L. 90–487, set out as a note under section 78 of this title.