The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized and directed to collect and publish statistics of raw peanuts, shelled, unshelled, and crushed, and peanut oil, in the United States, received, processed, shipped, and owned by or in the possession of warehousemen, brokers, cleaners, shellers, dealers, growers’ cooperative associations, crushers, salters, manufacturers of peanut products, and owners other than the original producers of peanuts: Provided, That the Secretary may, in his discretion, omit for any period of time to collect such statistics from any or all salters of peanuts or manufacturers of peanut products who used, during the calendar year preceding that for which statistics are being collected, less than thirty thousand pounds of shelled and unshelled peanuts. Such statistics shall show the quality of peanuts in such details as to kinds—Virginias, Runners, Spanish, and imported varieties—as the Secretary shall deem necessary for the purposes of this chapter. All reports shall be submitted monthly in each year, except as otherwise prescribed by the Secretary.

It shall be the duty of each warehouseman, broker, cleaner, sheller, dealer, growers’ cooperative association, crusher, salter, manufacturer of peanut products, and owner other than the original producer of peanuts to furnish reports, complete and correct to the best of his knowledge, on the quantity of peanuts and peanut oil received, processed, shipped, and owned by him or in his possession. Such reports, when and as requested by the Secretary, shall be furnished within the time prescribed and in accordance with forms provided by him for the purpose. Any person required by this chapter, or the regulations promulgated thereunder, to furnish reports or information, and any officer, agent, or employee thereof, who shall refuse to give such reports or information or shall willfully give answers that are false and misleading, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than $300 nor more than $1,000, or imprisoned not more than one year, or be subject to both such fine and imprisonment.

The Secretary is authorized to establish and promulgate grades and standards for the classification of peanuts, whenever in his discretion he may see fit.

The information furnished under the provisions of this chapter shall be used only for the statistical purposes for which it is supplied. No publication shall be made by the Secretary whereby the data furnished by any person can be identified nor shall the Secretary permit anyone other than the sworn employees of the Department of Agriculture to examine the individual reports.

The Secretary may make rules and regulations as may be necessary in the administration of this chapter and may cooperate with any department or agency of the Government, any State, Territory, District, or possession, or department, agency, or political subdivision thereof, or any person; and shall have the power to appoint, remove, and fix the compensation of such officers and employees not in conflict with existing law, and make such expenditures for rent outside the District of Columbia, printing, binding, telegrams, telephones, law books, books of reference, publications, furniture, stationery, office equipment, travel, and other supplies and expenses, including reporting services, as shall be necessary to the administration of this chapter in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, and as may be appropriated for by Congress; and there is authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as may be necessary for such purpose.