§269. Cooperation with State authorities; authority of Secretary; operation of existing laws

In the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture he is authorized to cooperate with State officials charged with the enforcement of State laws relating to warehouses, warehousemen, weighers, graders, inspectors, samplers, or classifiers; but the power, jurisdiction, and authority conferred upon the Secretary of Agriculture under this chapter shall be exclusive with respect to all persons securing a license hereunder so long as said license remains in effect. This chapter shall not be construed so as to limit the operation of any statute of the United States relating to warehouses or to warehousemen, weighers, graders, inspectors, samplers, or classifiers now in force in the District of Columbia or in any Territory or other place under the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States.

(Aug. 11, 1916, ch. 313, pt. C, §29, 39 Stat. 490 ; Feb. 23, 1923, ch. 106, 42 Stat. 1285 ; Mar. 2, 1931, ch. 366, §9, 46 Stat. 1465 .)

Amendments

1931-Act Mar. 2, 1931, struck out first clause which read as follows: "Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to conflict with, or to authorize any conflict with, or in any way to impair or limit the effect or operation of the laws of any State relating to warehouses, warehousemen, weighers, graders, inspectors, samplers, or classifiers;", inserted "In the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture" in first clause of first sentence and "but the power, jurisdiction, and authority conferred upon the Secretary of Agriculture under this chapter shall be exclusive with respect to all persons securing a license hereunder so long as said license remains in effect" in second clause of first section.

1923-Act of Feb. 23, 1923, included among the objects to which the section applied, "inspectors, and samplers," as well as warehouses, warehousemen, weighers, graders and classifiers as originally specified.