610 AGRICULTURAL RELIEF when away from principal office on official business, said office to be located in Washington, District of Columbia. (b) Four of the members of said board to be appointed by the President shall be designated by him to serve for two years, four for four years, and four for six years, and thereafter each member so appointed shall serve for a term of six years, unless sooner removed for cause by the President. In case of vacancy in said board by death, resignation, or otherwise, the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint a suc- cessor to fill out the unexpired term. Any member in office at the expiration of the term for which he was appointed may continue in office until his successor qualifies and takes office. (3) No person shall be eligible for appointment as a member of said board who is not well advised in methods of production and marketing the leading agricultural products in the district from which he is appointed, and he shall have been engaged in the production or marketing of one or more of the crops grown or produced in the district from which he is appointed at least five years prior to and at the time of his appointment. No member of said board shall, during his continuance in office, be an officer or director in any cooperative associa- tion, or in any other institution, firm, or organization engaged in holding or marketing any of the crops or livestock named or in any way referred to herein, or the products thereof, and before entering upon his duties as a member of said board each member shall certify under oath to the President of the United States that he is eligible under this section. The President shall designate one of said members as commissioner, who shall be the active executive officer of said board. (d) The salaries and expenses of the farm surplus board and all employees employed therein shall be paid by the United States, and said board is authorized and empowered to fix salaries and employ attorneys, accountants, experts, assistants, clerks, and other employees necessary to carry on the business of said board, the same to be appointed in accordance with the classification act of 1923 and subject to the provisions of the civil service law. (e) It shall be unlawful for any member of said board or any employee therein to furnish or give any person, firm, or corporation confidential or advance informa- tion relative to any of the activities of the board; or to purchase or sell for future delivery on any exchange any or either of the commodities handled or that may be handled through the operations of said board, and any such person or persons being found guilty of violating this provision of this act shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $10,000, or imprisonment for a period of not exceeding ten years, or both. Sec. 4. (a) That for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act it is provided that the board herein provided for shall keep advised by investigation, from time to time, made upon its own initiative or petition of an approved farm organization or cooperative association, as to the domestic and world require- ments, prices, the existence of a surplus or probable surplus of any nonperishable farm crop, including livestock, or the products thereof. (b) Whenever the board finds that there is or may be in the hands or possession of producers during the ensuing year a substantial surplus above the normal domestic or world requirements of any nonperishable farm crop or product thereof within the United States, said board is hereby authorized, upon the request of the organized producers of such crop, to avail itself of any provision or provisions of the Federal reserve act, the intermediate credit bank act, the Federal warehouse act, or any other act of Congress, not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, and arrange for financing or otherwise aiding such organized producers in removing from the market and storing under any approved ware- house system any such farm crop or crops to the extent of the estimated surplus of such crop or crops. That the advances so made or provided for under this section shall be on the basis of the market value of such crop at the time of purchase, storage, or removal of same from the market. Sec. 5. (a) That the board is further permitted and authorized, upon such terms and conditions as it may prescribe, not inconsistent with this act, to make such advances or loans out of the revolving fund, hereinafter provided for, to any approved cooperative association or farm organization of producers engaged in purchasing, holding, marketing, or storing any nonperishable farm crop or commodity: Provided, That no advance or advances under the provisions of this act shall be made to any person, organization, or association whatsoever when the ensuing production of such crop or commodity shows an increase in planting or breeding according to the estimates of the United States Department of Agri- culture over and above the five-vear average immediately prior thereto: Provided