text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Dairy Promotion Equity Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FUNDING OF DAIRY PROMOTION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM.
  
      (a) Declaration of Policy.--The first sentence of section 110(b) of 
  the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4501(b)) is 
  amended--
              (1) by inserting after ``commercial use'' the following: 
          ``and on imported dairy products''; and
              (2) by striking ``products produced in'' and inserting 
          ``products produced in or imported into''.
      (b) Definitions.--Section 111 of the Dairy Production Stabilization 
  Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4502) is amended--
              (1) in subsection (k), by striking ``and'' at the end;
              (2) in subsection (l), by striking the period at the end 
          and inserting a semicolon; and
              (3) by adding at the end the following:
              ``(m) the term `imported dairy product' means any dairy 
          product that is imported into the United States, including--
                      ``(1) milk and cream and fresh and dried dairy 
                  products;
                      ``(2) butter and butterfat mixtures;
                      ``(3) cheese;
                      ``(4) casein and mixtures; and
                      ``(5) other dairy products; and
              ``(n) the term `importer' means a person that imports an 
          imported dairy product into the United States.''.
      (c) Funding.--
              (1) Representation on board.--Section 113(b) of the Dairy 
          Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4504(b)) is 
          amended--
                      (A) by designating the first through ninth 
                  sentences as paragraphs (1) through (5) and paragraphs 
                  (7) through (10), respectively;
                      (B) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), by 
                  striking ``thirty-six'' and inserting ``38'';
                      (C) in paragraph (2) (as so designated), by 
                  striking ``Members'' and inserting ``Of the members of 
                  the Board, 36 members''; and
                      (D) by inserting after paragraph (5) (as so 
                  designated) the following:
              ``(6) Importers.--
                      ``(A) In general.--Of the members of the Board, 2 
                  members shall be representatives of importers of 
                  imported dairy products.
                      ``(B) Appointment.--The importer representatives 
                  shall be appointed by the Secretary from nominations 
                  submitted by importers under such procedures as the 
                  Secretary determines to be appropriate.''.
              (2) Assessment.--Section 113(g) of the Dairy Production 
          Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4504(g)) is amended--
                      (A) by designating the first through fifth 
                  sentences as paragraphs (1) through (5), respectively; 
                  and
                      (B) by adding at the end the following:
              ``(6) Importers.--
                      ``(A) In general.--The order shall provide that 
                  each importer of imported dairy products shall pay an 
                  assessment to the Board in the manner prescribed by the 
                  order.
                      ``(B) Rate.--The rate of assessment on imported 
                  dairy products shall be determined in the same manner 
                  as the rate of assessment per hundredweight or the 
                  equivalent of milk.
                      ``(C) Value of products.--For the purpose of 
                  determining the assessment on imports under 
                  subparagraph (B), the value to be placed on imported 
                  dairy products shall be established by the Secretary in 
                  a fair and equitable manner.''.
              (3) Records.--The first sentence of section 113(k) of the 
          Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4504(k)) 
          is amended by striking ``person receiving'' and inserting 
          ``importer of imported dairy products, each person receiving''.
              (4) Referendum.--Section 116 of the Dairy Production 
          Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4507) is amended by adding 
          at the end the following:
      ``(d) Referendum on Dairy Promotion Equity Act.--
              ``(1) In general.--On the request of a representative group 
          comprising 10 percent or more of the number of producers 
          subject to the order, the Secretary shall--
                      ``(A) conduct a referendum to determine whether the 
                  producers favor suspension of the application of the 
                  amendments made by section 2 of the Dairy Promotion 
                  Equity Act; and
                      ``(B) suspend the application of the amendments 
                  until the results of the referendum are known.
              ``(2) Continuation of suspension.--The Secretary shall 
          continue the suspension of the application of the amendments 
          referred to in paragraph (1)(A) only if the Secretary 
          determines that suspension of the application of the amendments 
          is favored by a majority of the producers voting in the 
          referendum who, during a representative period (as determined 
          by the Secretary), have been engaged in the production of milk 
          for commercial use.''.
target: Dairy Promotion Equity Act - Amends the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 to:  (1) require dairy importers to contribute to the dairy promotion program; (2) increase National Dairy Board membership by including importers; and (3) provide for a referendum regarding suspension of certain provisions under the Dairy Promotion Equity Act.
feat_title: Dairy Promotion Equity Act