§ 612c. Appropriation to encourage exportation and domestic consumption of agricultural products

§ 612c. Appropriation to encourage exportation and domestic consumption of agricultural products

There is appropriated for each fiscal year beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1936 an amount equal to 30 per centum of the gross receipts from duties collected under the customs laws during the period January 1 to December 31, both inclusive, preceding the beginning of each such fiscal year. Such sums shall be maintained in a separate fund and shall be used by the Secretary of Agriculture only to (1) encourage the exportation of agricultural commodities and products thereof by the payment of benefits in connection with the exportation thereof or of indemnities for losses incurred in connection with such exportation or by payments to producers in connection with the production of that part of any agricultural commodity required for domestic consumption; (2) encourage the domestic consumption of such commodities or products by diverting them, by the payment of benefits or indemnities or by other means, from the normal channels of trade and commerce or by increasing their utilization through benefits, indemnities, donations or by other means, among persons in low income groups as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture; and (3) reestablish farmers’ purchasing power by making payments in connection with the normal production of any agricultural commodity for domestic consumption. Determinations by the Secretary as to what constitutes diversion and what constitutes normal channels of trade and commerce and what constitutes normal production for domestic consumption shall be final. The sums appropriated under this section shall be expended for such one or more of the above-specified purposes, and at such times, in such manner, and in such amounts as the Secretary of Agriculture finds will effectuate substantial accomplishment of any one or more of the purposes of this section. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the amount that may be devoted, during any fiscal year after June 30, 1939, to any one agricultural commodity or the products thereof in such fiscal year, shall not exceed 25 per centum of the funds available under this section for such fiscal year. The sums appropriated under this section shall be devoted principally to perishable nonbasic agricultural commodities (other than those receiving price support under section 1446 of this title) and their products. The sums appropriated under this section shall, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, continue to remain available for the purposes of this section until expended; but any excess of the amount remaining unexpended at the end of any fiscal year over $500,000,000 shall, in the same manner as though it had been appropriated for the service of such fiscal year, be subject to the provisions of section 3690 11 See References in Text note below. of the Revised Statutes, and section 5 1 of the Act entitled “An Act making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of the Government for the year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-five, and for other purposes”. A public or private nonprofit organization that receives agricultural commodities or the products thereof under clause (2) of the second sentence may transfer such commodities or products to another public or private nonprofit organization that agrees to use such commodities or products to provide, without cost or waste, nutrition assistance to individuals in low-income groups.

(Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 32, 49 Stat. 774; Feb. 29, 1936, ch. 104, § 2, 49 Stat. 1151; Feb. 16, 1938, ch. 30, title II, § 203, 52 Stat. 38; June 30, 1939, ch. 253, title I, 53 Stat. 975; July 3, 1948, ch. 827, title III, § 301, 62 Stat. 1257; Oct. 31, 1949, ch. 792, title IV, § 411, 63 Stat. 1057; Jan. 30, 1954, ch. 2, § 5(b), 68 Stat. 7; Pub. L. 99–198, title XV, § 1561, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1589; Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10602, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 511.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 3690 of the Revised Statutes, and section 5 of act June 30, 1875, referred to in text, which were classified to sections 712 and 713 of former Title 31, Money and Finance, were repealed by act July 6, 1949, ch. 299, § 3, 63 Stat. 407.

Codification

Section was not enacted as part of the Agricultural Adjustment Act which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2002—Pub. L. 107–171, which directed amendment of second undesignated par. by substituting “$500,000,000” for “$300,000,000”, was executed by making the substitution in text to reflect the probable intent of Congress, because section does not contain a second undesignated par.

1985—Pub. L. 99–198 inserted sentence authorizing a public or private nonprofit organization that receives agricultural commodities or the products thereof under clause (2) of the second sentence to transfer such commodities or products to another public or private nonprofit organization that agrees to use such commodities or products to provide, without cost or waste, nutrition assistance to individuals in low-income groups.

1954—Act Jan. 30, 1954, substituted “(other than those receiving price support under section 1446 of this title)” for “(other than those designated in section 1446 of this title),” in next to last sentence.

1949—Act Oct. 31, 1949, inserted sentence relating to perishable nonbasic agricultural commodities.

1948—Act July 3, 1948, inserted sentence providing for the accumulation of funds up to $300,000,000.

1939—Act June 30, 1939, in cl. (2), inserted “or by increasing their utilization through benefits, indemnities, donations or by other means, among persons in low income groups as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture”.

1938—Act Feb. 16, 1938, inserted “Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the amount that may be devoted, during any fiscal year after June 30, 1939, to any one agricultural commodity or the products thereof in such fiscal year, shall not exceed 25 per centum of the funds available under this section for such fiscal year.”

1936—Act Feb. 29, 1936, struck out cl. (3) and inserted in lieu thereof immediately preceding second proviso “(3) reestablish farmers’ purchasing power by making payments in connection with the normal production of any agricultural commodity for domestic consumption. Determinations by the Secretary as to what constitutes diversion and what constitutes normal channels of trade and commerce and what constitutes normal production for domestic consumption shall be final. The sums appropriated under this section shall be expended for such one or more of the above-specified purposes, and at such times, in such manner, and in such amounts as the Secretary of Agriculture finds will effectuate substantial accomplishment of any one or more of the purposes of this section.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1948 Amendment

Amendment by act July 3, 1948, effective Jan. 1, 1950, see section 303 of act July 3, 1948, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.

Additional Appropriations

Joint Res. July 1, 1941, ch. 266, § 34, 55 Stat. 407, appropriated, in addition to the funds already provided, $25,000,000, to be used by the Secretary of Agriculture, for the purpose of effectuating this section, subject to the provisions of law relating to the expenditure of such funds.

Act July 1, 1941, ch. 267, § 1, 55 Stat. 435, made the funds provided for in this section available for the fiscal year 1942.

Joint Res. June 26, 1940, ch. 432, § 41, 54 Stat. 627, appropriated, in addition to the funds already provided, $50,000,000, to be used by the Secretary of Agriculture, for the purpose of effectuating this section, subject to the provisions of law relating to the expenditure of such funds.

Act June 25, 1940, ch. 421, § 1, 54 Stat. 561, made the funds provided for in this section available for the fiscal year 1941.

Act June 30, 1939, besides amending clause 2, provided for the availability of funds provided by this section during the fiscal year 1940.

Act Aug. 25, 1937, ch. 757, title I, § 1, 50 Stat. 762, provided for availability of portions of funds available under this section in fiscal years 1938 and 1939, for expenditure for price-adjustment payments with respect to 1937 cotton crop.

Reduction in Appropriation

Act July 30, 1947, ch. 356, title III, 61 Stat. 550, provided that, notwithstanding section 612c of this title, no more than $44,000,000 would be available during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1948, for use in effectuating this chapter; that $65,000,000 of the fiscal year 1948 appropriation were made available to carry out the National School Lunch Act of June 4, 1946, without regard to the 25 per cent limitation in section 612c and exclusive of funds expended pursuant to the last sentence of section 9 of the National School Lunch Act: provided that no part of such funds were to be used for nonfood assistance under section 5 of said Act; and that the remainder of the fund appropriated by said Act for the fiscal year 1948 was rescinded effective July 1, 1947, carried to the surplus fund, and covered into the Treasury immediately thereafter.

Cancellation or Rescission of Appropriation

Act Apr. 3, 1948, ch. 169, title I, § 112(f), 62 Stat. 148, which provided in part for the rescission or cancellation of appropriations under this section as provided for in act July 30, 1947, ch. 356, title III, 61 Stat. 550, was repealed by act Oct. 10, 1951, ch. 479, title V, § 503(b)(1), as added June 20, 1952, ch. 449, § 7 (c), 66 Stat. 144.

Report on Specialty Crop Purchases

Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10901, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 536, directed Secretary of Agriculture, not later than one year after May 13, 2002, to submit to Congress a report on specialty crop and other commodity purchases under this section and section 612c–4 of this title.

Domestic Fish or Fish Product Compliance With Food Safety Standards or Procedures Deemed To Have Met Requirements for Federal Commodity Purchase Programs

Domestic fish or fish products produced in compliance with food safety standards or procedures accepted by Food and Drug Administration deemed to have met inspection requirements for program authorized by this section, except that lot inspections may be utilized, see section 733 of Pub. L. 104–180, set out as a note under section 342 of Title 21, Food and Drugs.

Report on Entitlement Commodity Processing

Pub. L. 101–624, title XVII, § 1773(f), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3811, directed Comptroller General of the United States, not later than Jan. 1, 1992, to submit a report to Congress regarding processing of entitlement commodities used in child nutrition programs, with evaluation of extent to which processing of entitlement commodities occurs in the States, governmental requirements for participation in the processing vary among States, and entitlement commodity recipients are satisfied with access to and services provided through entitlement commodity processing, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–193, title VIII, § 874, Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2346.

Soup Kitchens and Other Emergency Food Aid

Pub. L. 100–435, title I, § 110, Sept. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 1651, as amended by Pub. L. 101–624, title XVII, § 1774(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3811; Pub. L. 102–237, title IX, § 922(a), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1888; Pub. L. 104–127, title IV, § 404, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1029, established formula so that amount, measured by their value, of additional commodities that were to be provided to each State for redistribution to soup kitchens and food banks could be precisely calculated for fiscal years 1989 through 2002, and further provided for definitions, appropriations through fiscal year 2002 to purchase additional commodities, mandatory allotments to States, maintenance of effort by States, authority of Secretary to establish different formula for allocation of commodities, priority system for State distribution of commodities, and settlement and adjustment of claims, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–193, title VIII, § 873(1), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2346.

Gleaning Clearinghouses

Pub. L. 100–435, title I, § 111, Sept. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 1654, as amended by Pub. L. 101–624, title XVII, § 1774(b), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3812, provided that: “(a) Definition of Gleaning.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘to glean’ means to collect unharvested crops from the fields of farmers, or to obtain agricultural products from farmers, processors, or retailers, in order to distribute the products to needy individuals, including unemployed and low-income individuals, and the term includes only those situations in which agricultural products and access to fields and facilities are made available without charge. “(b) Establishment.—“(1) In general.—The Secretary of Agriculture (hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’) is authorized to assist States and private nonprofit organizations in establishing Gleaning Clearinghouses (hereafter in this section referred to as a ‘Clearinghouse’). “(2) Assistance.—The Secretary is authorized to provide technical information and other assistance considered appropriate by the Secretary to encourage public and nonprofit private organizations to—“(A) initiate and carry out gleaning activities, and to assist other organizations and individuals to do so, through lectures, correspondence, consultation, or such other measures as the Secretary may consider appropriate; “(B) collect from public and private sources (including farmers, processors, and retailers) information relating to the kinds, quantities, and geographical locations of agricultural products not completely harvested; “(C) gather, compile, and make available to public and nonprofit private organizations and to the public the statistics and other information collected under this paragraph, at reasonable intervals; “(D) establish and operate a toll-free telephone line by which—“(i) farmers, processors, and retailers may report to a Clearinghouse for dissemination information regarding unharvested crops and agricultural products available for gleaning, and may also report how they may be contacted; “(ii) public and nonprofit organizations that wish to glean or to assist others to glean, may report to a Clearinghouse the kinds and amounts of products that are wanted for gleaning, and may also report how they may be contacted; “(iii) persons who can transport crops or products may report the availability of free transportation for gleaned crops or products; and “(iv) information about gleaning can be provided without charge by a Clearinghouse to the persons and organizations described in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii); “(E) prepare, publish, and make available to the public, at cost and on a continuing basis, a handbook on gleaning that includes such information and advice as may be useful in operating efficient gleaning activities and projects, including information regarding how to—“(i) organize groups to engage in gleaning; and “(ii) distribute to needy individuals, including low-income and unemployed individuals, food and other agricultural products that have been gleaned; or “(F) advertise in print, on radio, television, or through other media, as the Secretary considers to be appropriate, the services offered by a Clearinghouse under this section.”