USC Subpart III

in effect

7 U.S.C. § 1331 Legislative finding of effect on interstate and foreign commerce and necessity of regulation

Wheat is a basic source of food for the Nation, is produced throughout the United States by more than a million farmers, is sold on the country-wide market and, as wheat or flour, flows almost entirely through instrumentalities of interstate and foreign commerce from producers to consumers. Abnormally excessive and abnormally deficient supplies of wheat on the country-wide market acutely and directly affect, burden, and obstruct interstate and foreign commerce. Abnormally excessive supplies overtax the facilities of interstate and foreign transportation, congest terminal markets and milling centers in the flow of wheat from producers to consumers, depress the price of wheat in interstate and foreign commerce, and otherwise disrupt the orderly marketing of such commodity in such commerce. Abnormally deficient supplies result in an inadequate flow of wheat and its products in interstate and foreign commerce with consequent injurious effects to the instrumentalities of such commerce and with excessive increases in the prices of wheat and its products in interstate and foreign commerce. It is in the interest of the general welfare that interstate and foreign commerce in wheat and its products be protected from such burdensome surpluses and distressing shortages, and that a supply of wheat be maintained which is adequate to meet domestic consumption and export requirements in years of drought, flood, and other adverse conditions as well as in years of plenty, and that the soil resources of the Nation be not wasted in the production of such burdensome surpluses. Such surpluses result in disastrously low prices of wheat and other grains to wheat producers, destroy the purchasing power of grain producers for industrial products, and reduce the value of the agricultural assets supporting the national credit structure. Such shortages of wheat result in unreasonably high prices of flour and bread to consumers and loss of market outlets by wheat producers. The conditions affecting the production and marketing of wheat are such that, without Federal assistance, farmers, individually or in cooperation, cannot effectively prevent the recurrence of such surpluses and shortages and the burdens on interstate and foreign commerce resulting therefrom, maintain normal supplies of wheat, or provide for the orderly marketing thereof in interstate and foreign commerce. Wheat which is planted and not disposed of prior to the date prescribed by the Secretary for the disposal of excess acres of wheat is an addition to the total supply of wheat and has a direct effect on the price of wheat in interstate and foreign commerce and may also affect the supply and price of livestock and livestock products. In the circumstances, wheat not disposed of prior to such date must be considered in the same manner as mechanically harvested wheat in order to achieve the policy of the chapter. The diversion of substantial acreages from wheat to the production of commodities which are in surplus supply or which will be in surplus supply if they are permitted to be grown on the diverted acreage would burden, obstruct, and adversely affect interstate and foreign commerce in such commodities, and would adversely affect the prices of such commodities in interstate and foreign commerce. Small changes in the supply of a commodity could create a sufficient surplus to affect seriously the price of such commodity in interstate and foreign commerce. Large changes in the supply of such commodity could have a more acute effect on the price of the commodity in interstate and foreign commerce and, also, could overtax the handling, processing, and transportation facilities through which the flow of interstate and foreign commerce in such commodity is directed. Such adverse effects caused by overproduction in one year could further result in a deficient supply of the commodity in the succeeding year, causing excessive increases in the price of the commodity in interstate and foreign commerce in such year. It is, therefore, necessary to prevent acreage diverted from the production of wheat to be used to produce commodities which are in surplus supply or which will be in surplus supply if they are permitted to be grown on the diverted acreage. The provisions of this subpart affording a cooperative plan to wheat producers are necessary in order to minimize recurring surpluses and shortages of wheat in interstate and foreign commerce, to provide for the maintenance of adequate reserve supplies thereof, to provide for an adequate and orderly flow of wheat and its products in interstate and foreign commerce at prices which are fair and reasonable to farmers and consumers, and to prevent acreage diverted from the production of wheat from adversely affecting other commodities in interstate and foreign commerce.

7 U.S.C. § 1332 National marketing quota

(a) Proclamation; duration of programWhenever prior to April 15 in any calendar year the Secretary determines that the total supply of wheat in the marketing year beginning in the next succeeding calendar year will, in the absence of a marketing quota program, likely be excessive, the Secretary shall proclaim that a national marketing quota for wheat shall be in effect for such marketing year and for either the following marketing year or the following two marketing years, if the Secretary determines and declares in such proclamation that a two- or three-year marketing quota program is necessary to effectuate the policy of the chapter. (b) Amount; minimumIf a national marketing quota for wheat has been proclaimed for any marketing year, the Secretary shall determine and proclaim the amount of the national marketing quota for such marketing year not earlier than January 1 or later than April 15 of the calendar year preceding the year in which such marketing year begins. The amount of the national marketing quota for wheat for any marketing year shall be an amount of wheat which the Secretary estimates (i) will be utilized during such marketing year for human consumption in the United States as food, food products, and beverages, composed wholly or partly of wheat, (ii) will be utilized during such marketing year in the United States for seed, (iii) will be exported either in the form of wheat or products thereof, and (iv) will be utilized during such marketing year in the United States as livestock (including poultry) feed, excluding the estimated quantity of wheat which will be utilized for such purpose as a result of the substitution of wheat for feed grains under section 1339c of this title; less (A) an amount of wheat equal to the estimated imports of wheat into the United States during such marketing year and, (B) if the stocks of wheat owned by the Commodity Credit Corporation are determined by the Secretary to be excessive, an amount of wheat determined by the Secretary to be a desirable reduction in such marketing year in such stocks to achieve the policy of the chapter: Provided, That if the Secretary determines that the total stocks of wheat in the Nation are insufficient to assure an adequate carryover for the next succeeding marketing year, the national marketing quota otherwise determined shall be increased by the amount the Secretary determines to be necessary to assure an adequate carryover: And provided further, That the national marketing quota for wheat for any marketing year shall be not less than one billion bushels. (c) National emergencies or material increase in demand; investigation; increase or terminationIf, after the proclamation of a national marketing quota for wheat for any marketing year, the Secretary has reason to believe that, because of a national emergency or because of a material increase in the demand for wheat, the national marketing quota should be terminated or the amount thereof increased, he shall cause an immediate investigation to be made to determine whether such action is necessary in order to meet such emergency or increase in the demand for wheat. If, on the basis of such investigation, the Secretary finds that such action is necessary, he shall immediately proclaim such finding and the amount of any such increase found by him to be necessary and thereupon such national marketing quota shall be so increased or terminated. In case any national marketing quota is increased under this subsection, the Secretary shall provide for such increase by increasing acreage allotments established under this subpart by a uniform percentage. (d) Farm marketing quotas for wheat crops planted in calendar years 1966–1970Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Secretary shall proclaim a national marketing quota for the crops of wheat planted for harvest in the calendar years 1966 through 1970, and farm marketing quotas shall not be in effect for such crops of wheat.

7 U.S.C. § 1333 National acreage allotment

The Secretary shall proclaim a national acreage allotment for each crop of wheat. The amount of the national acreage allotment for any crop of wheat shall be the number of acres which the Secretary determines on the basis of the projected national yield and expected underplantings (acreage other than that not harvested because of program incentives) of farm acreage allotments will produce an amount of wheat equal to the national marketing quota for wheat for the marketing year for such crop, or if a national marketing quota was not proclaimed, the quota which would have been determined if one had been proclaimed.

7 U.S.C. § 1334 Apportionment of national acreage allotment

(a) Apportionment among States; special acreage reserveThe national allotment for wheat, less a reserve of not to exceed 1 per centum thereof for apportionment as provided in this subsection and less the special acreage reserve provided for in this subsection, shall be apportioned by the Secretary among the States on the basis of the preceding year’s allotment for each such State, including all amounts allotted to the State and including for 1967 the increased acreage in the State allotted for 1966 under section 1335 of this title, adjusted to the extent deemed necessary by the Secretary to establish a fair and equitable apportionment base for each State, taking into consideration established crop rotation practices, estimated decrease in farm allotments because of loss of history, and other relevant factors. The reserve acreage set aside herein for apportionment by the Secretary shall be used (1) to make allotments to counties in addition to the county allotments made under subsection (b) of this section, on the basis of the relative needs of counties for additional allotments because of reclamation and other new areas coming into production of wheat, or (2) to increase the allotment for any county, in which wheat is the principal grain crop produced, on the basis of its relative need for such increase if the average ratio of wheat acreage allotment to cropland on old wheat farms in such county is less by at least 20 per centum than such average ratio on old wheat farms in an adjoining county or counties in which wheat is the principal grain crop produced or if there is a definable contiguous area consisting of at least 10 per centum of the cropland acreage in such county in which the average ratio of wheat acreage allotment to cropland on old wheat farms is less by at least 20 per centum than such average ratio on the remaining old wheat farms in such county, provided that such low ratio of wheat acreage allotment to cropland is due to the shift prior to 1951 from wheat to one or more alternative income-producing crops which, because of plant disease or sustained loss of markets, may no longer be produced at a fair profit and there is no other alternative income-producing crop suitable for production in the area or county. The increase in the county allotment under clause (2) of the preceding sentence shall be used to increase allotments for old wheat farms in the affected area to make such allotments comparable with those on similar farms in adjoining areas or counties but the average ratio of increased allotments to cropland on such farms shall not exceed the average ratio of wheat acreage allotment to cropland on old wheat farms in the adjoining areas or counties. There also shall be made available a special acreage reserve of not in excess of one million acres as determined by the Secretary to be desirable for the purposes hereof which shall be in addition to the national acreage reserve provided for in this subsection. Such special acreage reserve shall be made available to the States to make additional allotments to counties on the basis of the relative needs of counties, as determined by the Secretary, for additional allotments to make adjustments in the allotments on old wheat farms (that is, farms on which wheat has been seeded or regarded as seeded to one or more of the three crops immediately preceding the crop for which the allotment is established) on which the ratio of wheat acreage allotment to cropland on the farm is less than one-half the average ratio of wheat acreage allotment to cropland on old wheat farms in the county. Such adjustments shall not provide an allotment for any farm which would result in an allotment-cropland ratio for the farm in excess of one-half of such county average ratio and the total of such adjustments in any county shall not exceed the acreage made available therefor in the county. Such apportionment from the special acreage reserve shall be made only to counties where wheat is a major income-producing crop, only to farms on which there is limited opportunity for the production of an alternative income-producing crop, and only if an efficient farming operation on the farm requires the allotment of additional acreage from the special acreage reserve. For the purposes of making adjustments hereunder the cropland on the farm shall not include any land developed as cropland subsequent to the 1963 crop year. (b) Apportionment among countiesThe State acreage allotment for wheat, less a reserve of not to exceed 3 per centum thereof for apportionment as provided in subsection (c) of this section, shall be apportioned by the Secretary among the counties in the State, on the basis of the preceding year’s wheat allotment in each such county, including for 1967 the increased acreage in the county allotted for 1966 pursuant to section 1335 of this title, adjusted to the extent deemed necessary by the Secretary in order to establish a fair and equitable apportionment base for each county, taking into consideration established crop rotation practices, estimated decrease in farm allotments because of loss of history, and other relevant factors. (c) Apportionment among farms; overplanted allotments; reductions; notice(1) The allotment to the county shall be apportioned by the Secretary, through the local committees, among the farms within the county on the basis of past acreage of wheat, tillable acres, crop-rotation practices, type of soil, and topography. Not more than 3 per centum of the State allotment shall be apportioned to farms on which wheat has not been planted during any of the three marketing years immediately preceding the marketing year in which the allotment is made. For the purpose of establishing farm acreage allotments—(i) the past acreage of wheat on any farm for 1958 or 1965 shall be the base acreage determined for the farm under the regulations issued by the Secretary for determining 1958 or 1965 farm wheat acreage allotments; (ii) if subsequent to the determination of such base acreage the 1958 or 1965 wheat acreage allotment for the farm is increased through administrative, review, or court proceedings, the 1958 or 1965 farm base acreage shall be increased in the same proportion; and (iii) the past acreage of wheat for 1959 and any subsequent year except 1965 shall be the wheat acreage on the farm which is not in excess of the farm wheat acreage allotment, plus, in the case wheat acreage on the farm which is not in excess of wheat acreage allotment, the acreage diverted under such wheat allotment programs: Provided, That for 1959 and subsequent years in the case of any farm on which the entire amount of the farm marketing excess is delivered to the Secretary or stored in accordance with applicable regulations to avoid or postpone payment of the penalty, the past acreage of wheat for the year in which such farm marketing excess is so delivered or stored shall be the farm base acreage of wheat determined for the farm under the regulations issued by the Secretary for determining farm wheat acreage allotments for such year, but if any part of the amount of wheat so stored is later depleted and penalty becomes due by reason of such depletion, for the purpose of establishing farm wheat acreage allotments subsequent to such depletion the past acreage of wheat for the farm for the year in which the excess was produced shall be reduced to the farm wheat acreage allotment for such year. (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each old or new farm acreage allotment for the 1962 crop of wheat as determined on the basis of a minimum national acreage allotment of fifty-five million acres shall be reduced by 10 per centum. In the event notices of farm acreage allotments for the 1962 crop of wheat have been mailed to farm operators prior to the effective date of this subparagraph (2), new notices showing the required reduction shall be mailed to farm operators as soon as practicable. (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, the past acreage of wheat for 1967 and any subsequent year shall be the acreage of wheat planted, plus the acreage regarded as planted, for harvest as grain on the farm which is not in excess of the farm acreage allotment. (4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection (c), the farm acreage allotment for the 1967 and any subsequent crop of wheat shall be established for each old farm by apportioning the county wheat acreage allotment among farms in the county on which wheat has been planted, or is considered to have been planted, for harvest as grain in any one of the three years immediately preceding the year for which allotments are determined on the basis of past acreage of wheat and the farm acreage allotment for the year immediately preceding the year for which the allotment is being established, adjusted as hereinafter provided. For purposes of this paragraph, the acreage allotment for the immediately preceding year may be adjusted to reflect established crop-rotation practices, may be adjusted downward to reflect a reduction in the tillable acreage on the farm, and may be adjusted upward to reflect such other factors as the Secretary determines should be considered for the purpose of establishing a fair and equitable allotment: Provided, That (i) for the purposes of computing the allotment for any year, the acreage allotment for the farm for the immediately preceding year shall be decreased by 7 per centum if for the year immediately preceding the year for which such reduction is made neither a voluntary diversion program nor a voluntary certificate program was in effect and there was noncompliance with the farm acreage allotment for such year; (ii) for purposes of clause (i), any farm on which the entire amount of farm marketing excess is delivered to the Secretary, stored, or adjusted to zero in accordance with applicable regulations to avoid or postpone payment of the penalty when farm marketing quotas are in effect, shall be considered in compliance with the allotment, but if any part of the amount of wheat so stored is later depleted and penalty becomes due by reason of such depletion, the allotment for such farm next computed after determination of such depletion shall be reduced by reducing the allotment for the immediately preceding year by 7 per centum; and (iii) for purposes of clause (i) if the Secretary determines that the reduction in the allotment does not provide fair and equitable treatment to producers on farms following special crop rotation practices, he may modify such reduction in the allotment as he determines to be necessary to provide fair and equitable treatment to such producers. (d) Repealed. Pub. L. 89–321, title V, § 501(6), Nov. 3, 1965, 79 Stat. 1201 (e) Increase in acreage allotments and marketing quotas for class II durum wheatIf, with respect to the 1962 and 1963 crops of wheat, the Secretary determines that the acreage allotments of farms producing durum wheat are inadequate to provide for the production of a sufficient quantity of durum wheat to satisfy the demands therefor (but not including export demand involving a subsidy by, or a loss to, the Federal Government), he shall increase the farm marketing quotas and acreage allotments for such crop of wheat for farms located in counties in the States of North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota, and California, designated by the Secretary as counties which (1) are capable of producing durum wheat (class II), and (2) have produced such wheat for commercial food products during one or more of the five years immediately preceding the year in which such crop is harvested. The Secretary shall determine the percentage factor by which the average acreage of durum wheat (class II) produced during the last two-year period for which statistics are available (excluding any increases in durum wheat acreage as a result of increases in wheat acreage allotments authorized by this subsection) must be increased to satisfy such demand. The wheat acreage allotment for any farm established for such crop without regard to this subsection, after reduction in the case of the 1962 crop as required by subsection (c)(2) (hereinafter referred to as the “original allotment”), shall be increased by an acreage computed by multiplying the average acreage of durum wheat (class II) on the farm during such two-year period (excluding any increase in the acreage of durum wheat as a result of an increase in the wheat acreage allotment for the farm authorized by this subsection) by such percentage factor: Provided, That such increased allotment shall not exceed the cropland on the farm well suited to wheat. The increase in the wheat acreage allotment for any farm shall be conditioned upon the production of an acreage of durum wheat (class II) at least equal to the average acreage of such wheat produced during such two-year period plus the number of acres by which the allotment is increased. Any increases in wheat acreage allotments authorized by this subsection shall be in addition to the National, State, and county wheat acreage allotments, and such increases shall not be considered in establishing future State, county, and farm allotments. The provisions of sections 1326(b) and 1340(6) of this title, relating to the reduction of the storage amount of wheat shall apply to the allotment for the farm established without regard to this subsection and not to the increased allotment under this subsection. As used in this subsection the term “durum wheat” means durum wheat (class II) other than the varieties known as “Golden Ball” and “Peliss”. Any farm receiving an increased allotment under this subsection shall not be required as a condition of eligibility for price support, or permitted, to participate in the special 1962 wheat program formulated under section 124 of the Agricultural Act of 1961, or section 307 of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1962. The Secretary shall give growers and millers of durum wheat and manufacturers of semolina products an opportunity to present their views and recommendations, prior to making any determination hereunder. (f) Voluntary surrender of acreage allotmentAny part of any 1955, 1956, or 1957 farm wheat acreage allotment on which wheat will not be planted and which is voluntarily surrendered to the county committee shall be deducted from the allotment to such farm and may be reapportioned by the county committee to other farms in the same county receiving allotments in amounts determined by the county committee to be fair and reasonable on the basis of past acreage of wheat tillable acres, crop rotation practices, type of soil, and topography. If all of the allotted acreage voluntarily surrendered is not needed in the county, the county committee may surrender the excess acreage to the State committee to be used for the same purposes as the State acreage reserve under subsection (c) of this section. Any allotment transferred under this provision shall be regarded for the purposes of subsection (c) of this section as having been planted on the farm from which transferred rather than on the farm to which transferred, except that this shall not operate to make the farm from which the allotment was transferred eligible for an allotment as having wheat planted thereon during the three-year base period: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provisions of law, any part of any 1955, 1956, or 1957 farm acreage allotment may be permanently released in writing to the county committee by the owner and operator of the farm, and reapportioned as provided herein. Acreage surrendered, reapportioned under this subsection, and planted shall be credited to the State and county in determining future acreage allotments. (g) Plantings in excess of allotments or where no allotment is establishedNotwithstanding any other provision of law, no acreage in the commercial wheat-producing area seeded to wheat for harvest as grain in 1958 or thereafter except 1965 in excess of acreage allotments shall be considered in establishing future State and county acreage allotments. The planting on a farm in the commercial wheat-producing area of wheat of the 1958 or any subsequent crop for which no farm wheat acreage allotment was established shall not make the farm eligible for an allotment as an old farm pursuant to the first sentence of subsection (c) of this section nor shall such farm by reason of such planting be considered ineligible for an allotment as a new farm under the second sentence of such subsection. (h) Omitted (i) Increase in acreage allotments for any kind of wheat in short supply; storage reduction and land-use provisions inapplicable to such wheatIf, with respect to any crop of wheat, the Secretary finds that the acreage allotments of farms producing any type of wheat are inadequate to provide for the production of a sufficient quantity of such type of wheat to satisfy the demand therefor, the wheat acreage allotment for such crop for each farm located in a county designated by the Secretary as a county which (1) is capable of producing such type of wheat, and (2) has produced such type of wheat for commercial food products during one or more of the five years immediately preceding the year in which such crop is harvested, shall be increased by such uniform percentage as he deems necessary to provide for such quantity. No increase shall be made under this subsection in the wheat acreage allotment of any farm for any crop if any wheat other than such type of wheat is planted on such farm for such crop. Any increases in wheat acreage allotments authorized by this subsection shall be in addition to the National, State, and county wheat acreage allotments, and such increases shall not be considered in establishing future State, county, and farm allotments. The provisions of sections 1326(b) and 1340(6) of this title, relating to the reduction of the storage amount of wheat shall apply to the allotment for the farm established without regard to this subsection and not to the increased allotment under this subsection. The land-use provisions of section 1339 of this title shall not be applicable to any farm receiving an increased allotment under this subsection and the producers on such farms shall not be required to comply with such provisions as a condition of eligibility for price support. (j) Increased durum wheat acreage allotments to Tulelake area, California, for 1970 and subsequent years; factors determinative; effect of increased allotments on marketing allocations and diversion paymentsNotwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Secretary shall increase the acreage allotments for the 1970 and subsequent crops of wheat for privately owned farms in the irrigable portion of the area known as the Tulelake division of the Klamath project of California located in Modoc and Siskiyou Counties, California, as defined by the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, and hereinafter referred to as the area. The increase for the area for each such crop shall be determined by adding, to the extent applications are made therefor, to the total allotments established for privately owned farms in the area for the particular crop without regard to this subsection (hereinafter referred to as the original allotments) an acreage sufficient to make available for each such crop a total allotment of twelve thousand acres for the area. The additional allotments made available by this subsection shall be in addition to the National, State, and county allotments otherwise established under this section, and the acreage planted to wheat pursuant to such increases in allotments shall not be taken into account in establishing future State, county, and farm acreage allotments except as may be desirable in providing increases in allotments for subsequent years under this subsection for the production of Durum wheat. The Secretary shall apportion the additional allotment acreage made available under this subsection between Modoc and Siskiyou Counties on the basis of the relative needs for additional allotments for the portion of the area in each county. The Secretary shall allot such additional acreage to individual farms in the area for which applications for increased acreages are made on the basis of tillable acres, crop rotation practices, type of soil and topography, and the original allotment for the farm, if any. The increase in the wheat acreage allotment for any farm under this subsection (1) shall not be taken into account in computing the farm wheat marketing allocation under section 1379b of this title, and (2) shall be conditioned upon the production of Durum wheat on the original allotment and on the increased acreage. The producers on a farm receiving an increased allotment under this subsection shall not be eligible for diversion payments under section 1339 of this title. (k) Transfer of farm wheat acreage allotments in case of natural disastersNotwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if the Secretary determines that because of a natural disaster a portion of the farm wheat acreage allotments in a county cannot be timely planted or replanted, he may authorize the transfer of all or a part of the wheat acreage allotment for any farm in the county so affected to another farm in the county or in an adjoining county on which one or more of the producers on the farm from which the transfer is to be made will be engaged in the production of wheat and will share in the proceeds thereof, in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe. Any farm allotment transferred under this subsection shall be deemed to be planted on the farm from which it was transferred for the purposes of acreage history credits under this chapter.

7 U.S.C. § 1334a–1 Summer fallow farms; upper limit on required set aside acreage for 1971 through 1977 wheat, feed grain, and cotton crops

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the 1971 through 1977 crops of wheat, feed grains and cotton, if in any year at least 55 per centum of the cropland acreage on an established summer fallow farm is devoted to a summer fallow use, no further acreage shall be required to be set aside under the wheat, feed grain and cotton programs for such year.

7 U.S.C. § 1334b Designation of States outside commercial wheat-producing areas

If the acreage allotment for any State for any crop of wheat is twenty-five thousand acres or less, the Secretary, in order to promote efficient administration of this chapter and the Agricultural Act of 1949 [7 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.], may designate such State as outside the commercial wheat-producing area for the marketing year for such crop. If such State is so designated, acreage allotments for such crop and marketing quotas for the marketing year therefor shall not be applicable to any farm in such State. Acreage allotments in any State shall not be increased by reason of such designation.

7 U.S.C. § 1335 Small-farm exemption; small-farm base acreage; election; acreage allotment; land-use provisions; price support; wheat marketing certificates

Notwithstanding any other provision of this subpart, no farm marketing quota for any crop of wheat shall be applicable to any farm with a farm acreage allotment of less than fifteen acres if the acreage of such crop of wheat does not exceed the small-farm base acreage determined for the farm, unless the operator elects in writing on a form and within the time prescribed by the Secretary to be subject to the farm acreage allotment and marketing quota. The small-farm base acreage for a farm shall be the smaller of (A) the average acreage of the crop of wheat planted for harvest in the three years 1959, 1960, and 1961, or such later three-year period, excluding 1963, determined by the Secretary to be representative, with adjustments for abnormal weather conditions, established crop-rotation practices on the farm, and such other factors as the Secretary determines should be considered for the purpose of establishing a fair and equitable small-farm base acreage, or (B) fifteen acres. The acreage allotment for any farm shall be the larger of (1) the small-farm base acreage determined as provided above on the basis of the three-year period 1959–1961, reduced by the same percentage by which the national acreage allotment for the crop is reduced below fifty-five million acres, or (2) the acreage allotment determined without regard to (1) above. If the operator of any such farm fails to make such election with respect to any crop of wheat, (i) for the purposes of section 1340 of this title, the farm acreage allotment for such crop of wheat shall be deemed to be the larger of (A) the small-farm base acreage or (B) the acreage allotment for the farm, (ii) the land-use provisions of section 1339 of this title shall be inapplicable to the farm, (iii) such crop of wheat shall not be eligible for price support, and (iv) wheat marketing certificates applicable to such crop shall not be issued with respect to the farm. The additional acreage required to provide acreage allotments for farms based upon small-farm base acreages under this section shall be in addition to National, State, and county acreage allotments. This section shall not be applicable to the crops planted for harvest in 1967 and subsequent years.

7 U.S.C. § 1336 Referendum

If a national marketing quota for wheat for one, two, or three marketing years is proclaimed, the Secretary shall, not later than August 1 of the calendar year in which such national marketing quota is proclaimed, conduct a referendum, by secret ballot, of farmers to determine whether they favor or oppose marketing quotas for the marketing year or years for which proclaimed. Any producer who has a farm acreage allotment shall be eligible to vote in any referendum held pursuant to this section, except that a producer who has a farm acreage allotment of less than fifteen acres shall not be eligible to vote unless the farm operator elected pursuant to section 1335 of this title to be subject to the farm marketing quota. The Secretary shall proclaim the results of any referendum held hereunder within thirty days after the date of such referendum, and if the Secretary determines that more than one-third of the farmers voting in the referendum voted against marketing quotas, the Secretary shall proclaim that marketing quotas will not be in effect with respect to the crop of wheat produced for harvest in the calendar year following the calendar year in which the referendum is held. If the Secretary determines that two-thirds or more of the farmers voting in a referendum approve marketing quotas for a period of two or three marketing years, no referendum shall be held for the subsequent year or years of such period. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the referendum with respect to the national marketing quota for wheat for the marketing year beginning June 1, 1986, may be conducted not later than thirty-one days after December 20, 1985.

7 U.S.C. § 1338 Transfer of quotas

Farm marketing quotas for wheat shall not be transferable, but, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary for such purpose, any farm marketing quota in excess of the supply of wheat for such farm for any marketing year may be allocated to other farms on which the acreage allotment has not been exceeded.

7 U.S.C. § 1339 Land use

(a) Penalties: computation, lien, joint and several liability and interest; exceptions: nonsurplus supply crops, substantial impairment, and nonproduction of wheat; diverted acreage: amount, annual identity, and grazing; crops available for marketing(1) During any year in which marketing quotas for wheat are in effect, the producers on any farm (except a new farm receiving an allotment from the reserve for new farms) on which any crop is produced on acreage required to be diverted from the production of wheat shall be subject to a penalty on such crop, in addition to any marketing quota penalty applicable to such crops, as provided in this subsection unless (1) the crop is designated by the Secretary as one which is not in surplus supply and will not be in surplus supply if it is permitted to be grown on the diverted acreage, or as one the production of which will not substantially impair the purpose of the requirements of this section, or (2) no wheat is produced on the farm, and the producers have not filed an agreement or a statement of intention to participate in the payment program formulated pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The acreage required to be diverted from the production of wheat on the farm shall be an acreage of cropland equal to the number of acres determined by multiplying the farm acreage allotment by the diversion factor determined by dividing the number of acres by which the national acreage allotment (less an acreage equal to the increased acreage allotted for 1966 pursuant to section 1335 of this title) is reduced below fifty-five million acres by the number of acres in the national acreage allotment (less an acreage equal to the increased acreage allotted for 1966 pursuant to section 1335 of this title). The actual production of any crop subject to penalty under this subsection shall be regarded as available for marketing and the penalty on such crop shall be computed on the actual acreage of such crop at the rate of 65 per centum of the parity price per bushel of wheat as of May 1 of the calendar year in which such crop is harvested, multiplied by the normal yield of wheat per acre established for the farm. Until the producers on any farm pay the penalty on such crop, the entire crop of wheat produced on the farm and any subsequent crop of wheat subject to marketing quotas in which the producer has an interest shall be subject to a lien in favor of the United States for the amount of the penalty. Each producer having an interest in the crop or crops on acreage diverted or required to be diverted from the production of wheat shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire amount of the penalty. The persons liable for the payment or collection of the penalty under this section shall be liable also for interest thereon at the rate of 6 per centum per annum from the date the penalty becomes due until the date of payment of such penalty. (2) The Secretary may require that the acreage on any farm diverted from the production of wheat be land which was diverted from the production of wheat in the previous year, to the extent he determines that such requirement is necessary to effectuate the purposes of this part. (3) The Secretary may permit the diverted acreage to be grazed in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary. (b) Payment program for 1964 through 1970 crops; terms and conditions; amount; additional diverted acreage; conservation and soil-conserving uses; adjustment; knowledge of exceeding acreage allotment; acreage allotment not exceeded by delivery to Secretary of farm marketing excess or storage in accordance with regulations to avoid or postpone payment of penalty or by farms exempt from marketing quota; new farms ineligible for payments; sharing and medium of paymentsThe Secretary is authorized to formulate and carry out a program with respect to the crops of wheat planted for harvest in the calendar years 1964 through 1970 under which, subject to such terms and conditions as he determines are desirable to effectuate the purposes of this section, payments may be made in amounts not in excess of 50 per centum of the estimated basic county support rate for wheat not accompanied by marketing certificates on the normal production of the acreage diverted taking into account the income objectives of the chapter, determined by the Secretary to be fair and reasonable with respect to acreage diverted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Any producer who complies with his 1964 farm acreage allotment for wheat and with the other requirements of the program shall be eligible to receive payments under the program for the 1964 crop of wheat. The Secretary may permit producers on any farm to divert from the production of wheat an acreage, in addition to the acreage diverted pursuant to subsection (a), equal to 50 per centum of the farm acreage allotment for wheat: Provided, That the producers on any farm may, at their election, divert such acreage in addition to the acreage diverted pursuant to subsection (a), as will bring the total acreage diverted on the farm to twenty-five acres. Such program shall require (1) that the diverted acreage shall be devoted to conservation uses approved by the Secretary; (2) that the total acreage of cropland on the farm devoted to soil-conserving uses, including summer fallow and idle land but excluding the acreage diverted as provided above, shall be not less than the total average acreage of cropland devoted to soil-conserving uses including summer fallow and idle land on the farm during a representative period, as determined by the Secretary, adjusted to the extent the Secretary determines appropriate for (i) abnormal weather conditions or other factors affecting production, (ii) established crop-rotation practices on the farm, (iii) participation in other Federal farm programs, (iv) unusually high percentage of land on the farm devoted to conserving uses, and (v) other factors which the Secretary determines should be considered for the purpose of establishing a fair and equitable soil-conserving acreage for the farm; and (3) that the producer shall not knowingly exceed (i) any farm acreage allotment in effect for any commodity produced on the farm, and (ii) except as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe, with the farm acreage allotments on any other farm for any crop in which the producer has a share: Provided, That no producer shall be deemed to have exceeded a farm acreage allotment for wheat if the entire amount of the farm marketing excess is delivered to the Secretary or stored in accordance with applicable regulations to avoid or postpone payment of the penalty: And provided further, That no producer shall be deemed to have exceeded a farm acreage allotment for any crop of wheat if the farm is exempt from the farm marketing quota for such crop under section 1335 of this title. The producers on a new farm shall not be eligible for payments hereunder. The Secretary shall provide for the sharing of payment among producers on the farm on a fair and equitable basis. Payments may be made in cash or in wheat. (c) Adjustment of paymentsThe Secretary may provide for adjusting any payment on account of failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the land-use program formulated under subsection (b) of this section. (d) Advance paymentsNot to exceed 50 per centum of any payment to producers under subsection (b) of this section may be made in advance of determination of performance. (e) Diverted acreage used for production of certain crops; rate of payment; limitation on rateThe Secretary may permit all or any part of the diverted acreage to be devoted to the production of guar, sesame, safflower, sunflower, castor beans, mustard seed, crambe, plantago ovato, and flaxseed, if he determines that such production of the commodity is needed to provide an adequate supply, is not likely to increase the cost of the price-support program and will not adversely affect farm income, subject to the condition that payment with respect to diverted acreage devoted to any such crop shall be at a rate determined by the Secretary to be fair and reasonable taking into consideration the use of such acreage for the production of such crops: Provided, That in no event shall the payment exceed one-half the rate which otherwise would be applicable if such acreage were devoted to conservation uses. (f) Additional terms and conditionsThe program formulated pursuant to subsection (b) of this section may include such terms and conditions, including provision for the control of erosion, in addition to those specifically provided for herein, as the Secretary determines are desirable to effectuate the purposes of this section. (g) RegulationsThe Secretary is authorized to promulgate such regulations as may be desirable to carry out the provisions of this section. (h) Commodity Credit Corporation funds and authorization of appropriations for payments and administrative expensesThe Commodity Credit Corporation is authorized to utilize its capital funds and other assets for the purpose of making the payments authorized in this section and to pay administrative expenses necessary in carrying out this section during the period ending June 30, 1965. There is authorized to be appropriated such amounts as may be necessary thereafter to pay such administrative expenses.

7 U.S.C. § 1339b Wheat diversion programs; credits in establishment of State, county and farm acreage allotments for wheat

In the establishment of State, county, and farm acreage allotments for wheat under the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended [7 U.S.C. 1281 et seq.], the acreage which is determined under regulations of the Secretary to have been diverted from the production of wheat under the special programs formulated pursuant to section 307 of this Act, section 339 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended [7 U.S.C. 1339], and section 124 of the Agricultural Act of 1961, shall be credited to the State, county, and farm as though such acreage had actually been devoted to the production of wheat.

7 U.S.C. § 1339c Feed grains diversion programs for 1964 and subsequent years; feed grain acreage considered wheat acreage and wheat acreage considered feed grain acreage

Effective with the 1964 crop, during any year in which an acreage diversion program is in effect for feed grains, the Secretary shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law, permit producers of feed grains to have acreage devoted to the production of feed grains considered as devoted to the production of wheat and producers of wheat to have acreage devoted to the production of wheat considered as devoted to the production of feed grains to such extent and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines will not impair the effective operation of the program for feed grains or wheat. In establishing terms and conditions for permitting wheat to be planted in lieu of oats and rye, the Secretary may take into account the number of feed units per acre of wheat in relation to the number of feed units per acre of oats and rye.

7 U.S.C. § 1339d Hay production on set-aside or diverted acreage; storage; emergency use; loans

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall permit any producer who is participating in the wheat program under title IV of this Act, in the feed grain program under title V of this Act, or in the cotton program under title VI of this Act, in any year in which an acreage diversion or set-aside program is in effect, under any such program in which such producer is participating, subject to the conditions prescribed in subsection (b) of this section, to plant and harvest hay from 25 per centum of the acreage on the farm diverted from production under such programs or twenty-five acres, whichever is greater. (b) Any producer who elects to plant and harvest hay on diverted or set aside acreage pursuant to this section shall first agree not to use any such hay harvested from such acreage unless authorized to do so by the Secretary. (c) When any diverted or set aside acreage has been planted and harvested under authority of this section, the hay harvested therefrom shall be baled and stored in sealed storage on the farm in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe and shall be available only for use during periods of emergency declared by the Secretary. In order to avoid deterioration of such hay stored on the farm for emergency purposes pursuant to this section, the Secretary may permit such hay to be removed and used or sold from time to time so long as an amount of hay equal to the amount removed is previously placed in storage and sealed. (d) Any farmer who has hay stored on his farm for emergency purposes pursuant to this section may remove such hay from storage and use it whenever the Secretary has (1) designated as an emergency area the area in which such farm is located, and (2) specifically authorized the use of emergency hay by farmers in the area. (e) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to make or guarantee loans to farmers, both tenants and landowners, to assist such farmers in the construction of storage facilities on the farm for the storage of emergency hay pursuant to the provisions of this section if such farmers are unable to obtain loans from commercial sources at reasonable rates and on reasonable terms and conditions. Loans made by the Secretary under this subsection shall be made at the current rate of interest for periods not exceeding ten years, and on such other terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe.

7 U.S.C. § 1340 Supplemental provisions relating to wheat marketing quotas; marketing penalty for rice; crop loans on cotton, wheat, rice, tobacco, and peanuts

Notwithstanding the provisions of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended [7 U.S.C. 1281 et seq.] (hereinafter referred to as the Act)— (1) The farm marketing quota for any crop of wheat shall be the actual production of the acreage planted to such crop of wheat on the farm less the farm marketing excess. The farm marketing excess shall be an amount equal to twice the projected farm yield multiplied by the number of acres of such crop of wheat on the farm in excess of the farm acreage allotment for such crop unless the producer, in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary and within the time prescribed therein, establishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary the actual production of such crop of wheat on the farm. If such actual production is so established, the farm marketing excess shall be an amount equal to the actual production of the number of acres of wheat on the farm in excess of the farm acreage allotment for such crop. In determining the farm marketing quota and farm marketing excess, any acreage of wheat remaining after the date prescribed by the Secretary for the disposal of excess acres of wheat shall be included as acreage of wheat on the farm, and the production thereof shall be appraised in such manner as the Secretary determines will provide a reasonably accurate estimate of such production. Any acreage of wheat disposed of in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary prior to such date as may be prescribed by the Secretary shall be excluded in determining the farm marketing quota and farm marketing excess. Self-seeded (volunteer) wheat shall be included in determining the acreage of wheat. Marketing quotas for any marketing year shall be in effect with respect to wheat harvested in the calendar year in which such marketing year begins notwithstanding that the wheat is marketed prior to the beginning of such marketing year. (2) Whenever farm marketing quotas are in effect with respect to any crop of wheat, the producers on a farm shall be subject to a penalty on the farm marketing excess of wheat at a rate per bushel equal to 65 per centum of the parity price per bushel of wheat as of May 1 of the calendar year in which the crop is harvested. Each producer having an interest in the crop of wheat on any farm for which a farm marketing excess of wheat is determined shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire amount of the penalty on the farm marketing excess. (3) The farm marketing excess for wheat shall be regarded as available for marketing, and the penalty and the storage amount or amounts to be delivered to the Secretary of the commodity shall be computed upon twice the normal production of the excess acreage. Where, upon the application of the producer for an adjustment of penalty or of storage, it is shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the actual production of the excess acreage is less than twice the normal production thereof, the difference between the amount of the penalty or storage as computed upon the basis of twice the normal production and as computed upon the basis of actual production shall be returned to or allowed the producer. The Secretary shall issue regulations under which the farm marketing excess of the commodity for the farm may be stored or delivered to him. Upon failure to store or deliver to the Secretary the farm marketing excess within such time as may be determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, the penalty computed as aforesaid shall be paid by the producer. Any wheat delivered to the Secretary hereunder shall become the property of the United States and shall be disposed of by the Secretary for relief purposes in the United States or in foreign countries or in such other manner as he shall determine will divert it from the normal channels of trade and commerce. (4) Until the producers on any farm store, deliver to the Secretary, or pay the penalty on, the farm marketing excess of any crop of wheat, the entire crop of wheat produced on the farm and any subsequent crop of wheat subject to marketing quotas in which the producer has an interest shall be subject to a lien in favor of the United States for the amount of the penalty. (5) The penalty upon wheat stored shall be paid by the producer at the time, and to the extent, of any depletion in the amount of the commodity so stored, except depletion resulting from some cause beyond the control of the producer. (6) Whenever the planted acreage of the then current crop of wheat on any farm is less than the farm acreage allotment for such commodity, the total amount of the commodity from any previous crops required to be stored in order to postpone or avoid payment of penalty shall be reduced by that amount which is equal to the normal production of the number of acres by which the farm acreage allotment exceeds the planted acreage. The provisions of section 326(b) and (c) of the Act [7 U.S.C. 1326(b), (c)] shall be applicable also to wheat. (7) Until the farm marketing excess of wheat is stored or delivered to the Secretary or the penalty thereon is paid, each bushel of the commodity produced on the farm which is sold by the producer to any person within the United States shall be subject to the penalty as specified in paragraph (2) of this section. Such penalty shall be paid by the buyer, who may deduct an amount equivalent to the penalty from the price paid to the producer. If the buyer fails to collect such penalty, such buyer and all persons entitled to share in the wheat marketed from the farm or the proceeds thereof shall be jointly and severally liable for such penalty. (8) The marketing penalty for rice produced in the calendar year in which any marketing year begins (if beginning with or after the 1941–1942 marketing year) shall be at a rate equal to 50 per centum of the basic rate of the loan for cooperators for such marketing year under section 302 of the Act [7 U.S.C. 1302] and this section. (9) Omitted. (10) The provisions of this section are amendatory of and supplementary to the Act, and all provisions of law applicable in respect of marketing quotas and loans under such Act as so amended and supplemented shall be applicable, but nothing in this section shall be construed to amend or repeal sections 301(b)(6), 323(b), or 335(d) of the Act [7 U.S.C. 1301(b)(6), 1323(b), 1335(d)]. (11) The persons liable for the payment or collection of the penalty on any amount of wheat shall be liable also for interest thereon at the rate of 6 per centum per annum from the date the penalty becomes due until the date of payment of such penalty. (12) If marketing quotas for wheat are not in effect for any marketing year, all previous marketing quotas applicable to wheat shall be terminated, effective as of the first day of such marketing year. Such termination shall not abate any penalty previously incurred by a producer or relieve any buyer of the duty to remit penalties previously collected by him.