USC Subchapter II

USC Subchapter II
in effect

46 U.S.C. § 55311 Findings and purposes

(a) Findings.—Congress finds that—(1) a productive and healthy agricultural industry and a strong and active United States maritime industry are vitally important to the economic well-being and security of the United States; (2) both industries must compete in international markets increasingly dominated by foreign trade barriers and the subsidization practices of foreign governments; and (3) increased agricultural exports and the use of merchant vessels of the United States contribute positively to the United States balance of trade and generate employment opportunities in the United States. (b) Purposes.—The purposes of this subchapter are to—(1) enable the Secretary of Agriculture to plan export programs effectively, by clarifying the ocean transportation requirements applicable to those programs; (2) take immediate and positive steps to promote the growth of the cargo-carrying capacity of the United States merchant marine; (3) expand international trade in United States agricultural commodities and products and develop, maintain, and expand markets for United States agricultural exports; (4) improve the efficiency of administration of both the commodity purchasing and selling activities and the ocean transportation activities associated with export programs sponsored by the Secretary; (5) stimulate and promote the agricultural and maritime industries of the United States and encourage cooperative efforts by both industries to address their common problems; and (6) provide for the appropriate disposition of these findings and purposes.

46 U.S.C. § 55312 Determining prevailing world market price

(a) Agricultural Commodities and Products.—The prevailing world market price for agricultural commodities or their products shall be determined under this subchapter under procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary shall prescribe the procedures by regulation, with notice and opportunity for public comment under section 553 of title 5. (b) Services and Non-Agricultural Commodities and Products.—If a determination of the prevailing world market price of any other type of materials, goods, equipment, or service is required to determine whether a barter or exchange transaction is subject to section 55314(b)(6) or (7) of this title, the determination shall be made by the Secretary of Agriculture in consultation with the heads of other appropriate agencies.

46 U.S.C. § 55313 Exemption of certain agricultural exports from cargo preference provisions

Sections 55304 and 55305 of this title do not apply to export activities of the Secretary of Agriculture or the Commodity Credit Corporation under which— (1) agricultural commodities or their products acquired by the Corporation are made available to United States exporters, users, processors, or foreign purchasers for the purpose of developing, maintaining, or expanding export markets for United States agricultural commodities or their products at prevailing world market prices; (2) payments are made available to United States exporters, users, or processors or, except as provided in section 55314 of this title, cash grants are made available to foreign purchasers, for the purpose described in paragraph (1); (3) commercial credit guarantees are blended with direct credits from the Corporation to reduce the effective rate of interest on export sales of United States agricultural commodities or their products; (4) credit or credit guarantees for not more than 3 years are extended by the Corporation to finance or guarantee export sales of United States agricultural commodities or their products; or (5) agricultural commodities or their products owned or controlled by or under loan from the Corporation are exchanged or bartered for materials, goods, equipment, or services at least equal in value to the agricultural commodities or their products for which they are exchanged or bartered (determined on the basis of prevailing world market prices at the time of the exchange or barter), but this paragraph does not exempt from the cargo preference provisions referred to in section 55314(b) of this title any requirement otherwise applicable to the materials, goods, equipment, or services imported under the transaction.

46 U.S.C. § 55314 Transportation requirements for certain exports sponsored by the Secretary of Agriculture

[(a) Repealed. Pub. L. 112–141, div. F, title I, § 100124(a)(1), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 915.] (b) Applicable Export Activity.—The activities specified in this subsection are export activities (except inspection or weighing activities, other activities carried out for health or safety, or technical assistance provided in the handling of commercial transactions) of the Secretary of Agriculture or the Commodity Credit Corporation—(1) carried out under the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.); (2) carried out under section 416 of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1431); (3) carried out under the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act (7 U.S.C. 1736f–1); (4) under which agricultural commodities or their products are—(A) donated through foreign governments or private or public agencies, including intergovernmental organizations; or (B) sold for foreign currencies or for dollars on credit terms of more than 10 years; (5) under which agricultural commodities or their products are made available for emergency food relief at less than prevailing world market prices; (6) under which a cash grant is made directly or through an intermediary to a foreign purchaser to enable the purchaser to obtain United States agricultural commodities or their products in an amount greater than the difference between the prevailing world market price and the United States market price, free along side vessel at a United States port; or (7) under which agricultural commodities owned or controlled by or under loan from the Corporation are exchanged or bartered for materials, goods, equipment, or services produced in foreign countries, except export activities described in section 55313(5) of this title. [(c) Repealed. Pub. L. 112–141, div. F, title I, § 100124(a)(1), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 915.]

46 U.S.C. § 55315 Minimum tonnage

(a) Definition.—In this section, the term “base period” means the 5-year period running from the sixth through the second prior fiscal years. (b) Requirement.—For each fiscal year, the minimum quantity of agricultural commodities to be exported under programs specified in section 55314(b) of this title is the average of the tonnage exported under those programs during the base period, discarding the high and low years. (c) Waivers.—The President may waive the minimum quantity for a fiscal year under this section if the President determines and reports to Congress, together with reasons, that the quantity cannot be used effectively for the purposes of those programs or, based on a certification by the Secretary of Agriculture, that the commodities are not available for reasons that include the unavailability of funds.

46 U.S.C. § 55318 Effect on other law

This subchapter does not affect chapter 5 of title 5.

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