Any milk producer may lease a portion or the total amount of his quota up to a maximum of five thousand (5,000) quarts of milk every fourteen (14) days, provided that both the lessor and the lessee possess a valid license to operate a first class dairy issued by the Office. A producer may acquire by lease the amount of quotas he desires.
Any milk producer who incurs in a violation against Regulation No. 138 of November 16, 1990, as amended, of the Puerto Rico Department of Health or against Regulation No. 5 of October 29, 1991, as amended, of the Office of the Milk Industry Regulation Administrator, may not lease his/her quota nor lease any quota to another producer until he/she complies with the regulations mentioned herein.
Leasing quotas of more than five thousand (5,000) quarts of milk every fourteen (14) days is hereby prohibited, except in those cases where the dairy production is affected by any catastrophic event or by any cattle disease. Under said circumstances, the milk producer may request a special permit to the administrator and the governing board that administers the price stabilizing fund in order to access the maximum allowed by law. Said permit shall be approved by the Administrator and by the Governing Board that administers the Price Stabilizing Fund.
The Administrator, through regulation promulgated to that effect, shall establish the proceeding to record said leases in the Registry of Quota Transactions created by this chapter. The effectiveness of the lease contracts shall not exceed one (1) year, and they may be renewed but not transferred.
Any violation to the provisions established herein as to the leasing of quotas, shall cause the cancellation of the license and confiscation of the total quota of the infringing milk producer.
History
—Sept. 2, 2000, No. 301, § 12, eff. 6 months after Sept. 2, 2000.