Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§713c–2 Purchase and distribution of surplus fishery products

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 15— - ECONOMIC RECOVERY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERALLY › § 713c–2

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture may use up to $1,500,000 each year from a related agricultural fund to buy surplus seafood—fish, shellfish, mollusks, and crustaceans—and remove it from normal markets so it can be distributed through federal, state, or private relief programs. None of this money under this authority or a related provision may be used to buy those seafood items if they were produced in a foreign country, and the usual federal purchasing rules do not apply to these buys.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §713c–2

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Any part of the funds not to exceed $1,500,000 per year, created under and to carry out the provisions of section 612c of title 7, may also be used by the Secretary of Agriculture for the purpose of diverting surplus fishery products (including fish, shellfish, mollusks, and crustacea) from the normal channels of trade and commerce by acquiring them and providing for their distribution through Federal, State, and private relief channels: Provided, That none of the funds made available to the Secretary of Agriculture under this section and section 713c–3 of this title shall be used to purchase any of the commodities designated in this section and section 713c–3 of this title which may have been produced in any foreign country. The provisions of law relating to the acquisition of materials or supplies for the United States shall not apply to the acquisition of commodities under this section and section 713c–3 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification The first part of this section originally read: “Any part of the funds not to exceed $1,500,000 per year, transferred by the Secretary of Agriculture to the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation created under and to carry out the provisions of section 612c of title 7 may also be used by such Corporation”, etc., and the reference in the proviso to the Secretary of Agriculture originally read: “Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation”. See

Transfer of Functions

note below.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Similar ProvisionsEarlier provisions on this subject were contained in act Mar. 5, 1937, ch. 29, 50 Stat. 27, and in Joint Res. Apr. 12, 1937, ch. 73, 50 Stat. 61. The former forbade acquisition of commodities thereunder after 90 days after its enactment, but permitted distribution of commodities after such period. The latter made funds available to be used in accordance with the provisions of the former. Joint Res. Apr. 12, 1937, ch. 73, 50 Stat. 61, provided as follows: “That not to exceed $1,000,000 of the funds available to the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation may be used by such Corporation for the purpose of diverting surplus fish (including shellfish) and the products thereof from the normal channels of trade and commerce by the acquisition and distribution thereof in accordance with the provisions of the Act entitled ‘An Act to authorize the purchase and distribution of products of the fishing industry’, approved March 5, 1937.” Act Mar. 5, 1937, ch. 29, 50 Stat. 27, provided as follows: “That there is authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $2,000,000 for the purpose of enabling the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation to divert surplus fish (including shellfish) and the products thereof from the normal channels of trade and commerce by acquiring them and providing for their distribution through Federal, State, and private relief agencies. No commodities shall be acquired under this Act after ninety days after the date of its enactment: Provided, however, That distribution thereof may extend beyond said period. The provisions of law relating to the acquisition of materials or supplies for the United States shall not apply to the acquisition of commodities under this Act.”

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Functions of all officers, agencies, and employees of Department of Agriculture transferred, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of Agriculture by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1953, § 1, eff. June 4, 1953, 18 F.R. 3219, 67 Stat. 633, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. For

Transfer of Functions

of Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation, see

Transfer of Functions

note set out under section 712a of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 713c–2

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73