It is declared to be the policy of Congress to insure the maintenance of an adequate supply of anti-hog-cholera serum and hog-cholera virus by regulating the marketing of such serum and virus in interstate and foreign commerce, and to prevent undue and excessive fluctuations and unfair methods of competition and unfair trade practices in such marketing.

In order to effectuate the policy declared in section 851 of this title the Secretary of Agriculture shall have the power, after due notice and opportunity for hearing, to enter into marketing agreements with manufacturers and others engaged in the handling of anti-hog-cholera serum and hog-cholera virus only with respect to such handling as is in the current of interstate or foreign commerce or which directly burdens, obstructs, or affects interstate or foreign commerce in such serum and virus. Such persons are in section 854 of this title referred to as “handlers.” The making of any such agreement shall not be held to be in violation of any of the antitrust laws of the United States, and any such agreement shall be deemed to be lawful.

Whenever all the handlers of not less than 75 per centum of the volume of anti-hog-cholera serum and hog-cholera virus which is handled in the current of interstate or foreign commerce, or so as directly to burden, obstruct, or affect interstate or foreign commerce, have signed a marketing agreement entered into with the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to section 852 of this title, the Secretary of Agriculture shall issue an order which shall regulate only such handling in the same manner as, and contain only such terms and conditions as are contained in such marketing agreement, and shall from time to time amend such order in conformance with amendments to such marketing agreement. Such order shall terminate upon termination of such marketing agreement as provided in such marketing agreement.

Subject to the policy declared in section 851 of this title, the provisions of subsections (6) to (9) of section 608a and of subsections (14) and (15) of section 608c of this title, are made applicable in connection with orders issued pursuant to section 854 of this title, and the provisions of section 608d of this title are made applicable in connection with marketing agreements entered into pursuant to section 852 of this title and orders issued pursuant to section 854 of this title. The provisions of subsections (a), (b)(2), (c), (f), (h), and (i) of section 610 of this title, are made applicable in connection with the administration of this chapter.