§ 374 — Short weight

(a) If any fertilizer, beneficial substance, or agricultural liming material is found to be short in net weight, the registrant of the fertilizer, beneficial substance, or lime shall pay a penalty of three times the value of the actual shortage to the affected party.
(b) Each registrant shall be offered an opportunity for a hearing before the Secretary. Penalty payments shall be made within 30 days after notice of the Secretary’s decision to assess a penalty. Proof of payment to the consumer shall be promptly forwarded to the Secretary by the registrant.
(c) If the consumer cannot be found, the amount of the penalty payments shall be paid to the Secretary who shall deposit the payment into the revolving account established by subsection 364(f) of this title.
(d) This section is not an exclusive cause of action, and persons affected may utilize any other right of action available under law. (Added 1985, No. 126 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2021, No. 41, § 10; 2025, No. 59, § 1, eff. July 1, 2025.)