Egg Research and Consumer Information Act

Egg Research and Consumer Information Act - Declares that it is the purpose of this Act to authorize and enable the establishment of an orderly procedure to the development and financing of an effective and continuous coordinated program of research, consumer and producer education, and promotion designed to strengthen the egg industry's position in the marketplace, and maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets and uses for eggs, egg products, spent fowl, and products of spent fowl of the United States.

Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to issue orders applicable to persons engaged in the hatching and/or sale of egg-type baby chicks and started pullets, the production and marketing of commercial eggs, the processing and distribution of commercial eggs, and the purchase, sale, or processing of spent fowl. Provides that a hearing shall be held on a proposed order before it is issued.

Directs that orders issued pursuant to this Act shall contain one or more of the following terms and conditions, and no others: (1) providing for the establishment, issuance, effectuation, and administration of appropriate plans or projects for the advertising of, sales promotion of, and consumer education with respect to the use of eggs, egg products, spent fowl, and products of spent fowl, and for the disbursement of necessary funds for such purposes; (2) providing for, establishing, and carrying on research, marketing and development projects, and studies with respect to sale, distribution, marketing, utilization, or production of eggs, egg products, spent fowl, and products of spent fowl, and the creation of new products thereof; (3) providing that hatchery operators, persons engaged in the sale of egg-type baby chicks and started pullet dealers, egg producers, breakers, processors, persons marketing commercial eggs and persons engaged in the purchase, sale, or processing of spent fowl, maintain and make available for inspection such books and records as may be required by any order issued pursuant to this Act, or (4) terms and conditions incidental to and not inconsistent with the terms and conditions specified in this Act and necessary to effectuate the other provisions of such order.

Requires that orders issued pursuant to this Act shall contain the conditions set forth in this Act.

Provides for the establishment and appointment, by the Secretary of Agriculture, of an Egg Board and defines its specified powers and duties.

Requires the Egg Board to develop and submit to the Secretary for his approval any advertising or sales promotion or research and development plans or projects, and that any such plan or project must be approved by the Secretary before becoming effective.

Provides that each egg producer shall pay, to the first processor of such producer's eggs, an assessment based upon the number of cases of commercial eggs processed for the account of such producer, in the manner as prescribed by the order, for such expenses and expenditures as the Secretary finds are reasonable and likely to be incurred by the Egg Board under the order during any period specified by him.

Provides that the Secretary shall conduct a referendum among egg producers to ascertain whether the issuance of an order is approved by such producers.

Provides that no such order issued pursuant to this Act is effective unless the Secretary determines that it is approved by the egg producers.

Exempts from this Act: (1) any egg producer whose aggregate number of laying hens at any time during three months prior to assessment has not exceeded three thousand laying hens; (2) any flock of breeding hens whose production of eggs is primarily utilized for the hatching of baby chicks; or (3) commercial eggs of foreign origin not exceeding one hundred cases in any one entry into the United States.

Provides that any egg producer against whose commercial eggs any assessment is made under this Act and who is not in favor of supporting the research and promotion program as provided for by this Act shall have the right to demand and recieve form the Egg Board a refund of such assessment.

Provides for petition and review of any order issued pursuant to this Act.

Provides penalties for willful violation of orders issued pursuant to this Act.

Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make such investigations as he deems necessary for the effective administration of this Act or to determine if violations of this Act have occurred. Provides the Secretary with the power of subpoena.

Authorizes the appropriation of such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.