46.29—Duties.
(a) General.
All licensees who accept produce for sale on consignment or on joint account are required to exercise reasonable care and diligence in disposing of the produce promptly and in a fair and reasonable manner. A commission merchant engaged to sell consigned produce may not employ another person or firm, including auction companies, to dispose of all or part of such produce without the specific prior authority of the consignor. A commission merchant is not authorized to sell consigned produce outside the market area where he is located without obtaining the permission of the consignor. Averaging or pooling of sales is not permissible unless the receiver obtains the specific written permission of the consignor prior to rendering the accounting. Complete and detailed records shall be prepared and maintained by all commission merchants and joint account partners covering produce received, sales, quantities lost, dates and cost of repacking or reconditioning, unloading, handling, freight, demurrage or auction charges, and any other expenses which are deducted on the accounting, in accordance with the provisions of § 46.18 through § 46.23. When rendering account sales for produce handled for or on behalf of another, an accurate and itemized report of sales and expenses charged against the shipment shall be made. It is a violation of section 2 of the Act to fail to render true and correct accountings in connection with consignments or produce handled on joint account. Charges which cannot be supported by proper evidence in the records of the commission merchant or joint account partner shall not be deducted. The commission merchant or joint account partner may be held liable for any financial loss and for other penalties provided by the Act, due to his negligence or failure to perform any specification or duty, express or implied, arising out of any transaction subject to the Act.
(b) Commission charges.
Before accepting produce on consignment, the parties should reach a definite agreement on the amount of the commission and other charges which will be assessed by the commission merchant. In the absence of such an agreement, only the usual and customary commission and other charges shall be permitted. The receiver may not reconsign produce to another person or firm, including auction companies, and incur additional commissions, charges or expenses without the specific prior authority of the consignor. Unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties, joint account partners shall not charge a commission fee or other selling charges against the joint account for disposing of the produce. When a portion of a consigned shipment is purchased by the commission merchant he shall not charge or receive a commission fee for such sales.
(c) Purchasing consigned produce.
A commission merchant or joint account partner may not purchase produce received on consignment or joint account or sell such produce to any person or firm over whose business he has direct or indirect control, or to any person or firm having direct or indirect control over his business, without specific prior authority of the consignor or the joint account partner. However, produce may be purchased by the commission merchant or joint account partner at reasonable market value to clean up remnants of shipments so accountings will not be unduly delayed, provided the accounting shows the quantity and price of the goods bought by the commission merchant or joint account partner. “Remnants,” as used here, mean small quantities remaining after the bulk of the shipment has been sold but shall not exceed 5 percent of the shipment. When consigned produce is purchased by a commission merchant he shall not charge or receive a commission fee for such sales.
(d) Filing carrier claims.
Without the prior consent of the owner of the produce, a commission merchant has no authority to file claims with carriers in his own name or any other name: Provided, That the commission merchant may file a claim for breakage where the owner has been paid for the full value of the produce without any deduction for damage. Commission merchants have no obligation to file carrier claims on shipments for the owners. However, when a commission merchant in a transaction receives information valuable to the consignor in connection with carrier claim rights, the commission merchant should promptly advise the consignor. Before a commission merchant files a carrier claim on a consigned shipment, a specific agreement shall be reached with the consignor. If a commission merchant is authorized and agrees to file the claim, he shall forward a copy of the claim filed with the carrier to the consignor and shall exercise reasonable care to protect the interests of the consignor by filing the claim promptly and in the proper amount, supported by adequate evidence, and shall take the necessary action to bring the matter to a conclusion. When settlement of the claim is effected, he shall promptly remit the net amount due the consignor, after deducting the agreed handling charges. Full and complete information shall be furnished the consignor while the claim is being handled. If the consignor is to file the claim, the commission merchant shall exercise reasonable care to protect the claim rights of the consignor and shall promptly furnish all necessary information and evidence from his records to enable the consignor to file a proper claim. A joint account partner who files a carrier claim on behalf of the partnership shall forward a copy of the claim filed with the carrier to his partner, keep him advised of its status, and remit promptly his share of the net proceeds realized from such claim.