Title 7 — AgricultureRelease 119-73
§1308–3 Foreign persons made ineligible for program benefits
Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 35— - AGRICULTURAL ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 1938 › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - LOANS, PARITY PAYMENTS, CONSUMER SAFEGUARDS, MARKETING QUOTAS, AND MARKETING CERTIFICATES › Part Part A— - Definitions, Loans, Parity Payments, and Consumer Safeguards › § 1308–3
Summary
Non-U.S. citizens and people who are not lawful permanent residents cannot get loans, payments, or other benefits from certain federal farm programs for crops they grow or for land taken out of production on a farm they own or run. One exception is for an individual who actually provides the land, the money, and a substantial amount of the personal labor to grow the crops. If a company or other business has more than 10% owned by non-U.S. citizens or non‑permanent residents, the business is also barred unless those owners do substantial farm work. The Secretary may still pay the share that equals the percent owned by U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. Nothing here makes someone ineligible for crops planted or contracts made before December 22, 1987.
Full Legal Text
Title 7, §1308–3
Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Notwithstanding any other provision of law:
(a)Any person who is not a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted into the United States for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) shall be ineligible to receive any type of loans or payments made available under title I of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 [7 U.S.C. 8701 et seq.], title I of the Agricultural Act of 2014 [7 U.S.C. 9001 et seq.], the Agricultural Market Transition Act [7 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.], the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714 et seq.), or subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.),11 See References in Text note below. or under any contract entered into under title XII [16 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.], with respect to any commodity produced, or land set aside from production, on a farm that is owned or operated by such person, unless such person is an individual who is providing land, capital, and a substantial amount of personal labor in the production of crops on such farm.
(b)For purposes of subsection (a), a corporation or other entity shall be considered a person that is ineligible for production adjustment payments, price support program loans, payments, or benefits if more than 10 percent of the beneficial ownership of the entity is held by persons who are not citizens of the United States or aliens lawfully admitted into the United States for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.], unless such persons provide a substantial amount of personal labor in the production of crops on such farm. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection, with respect to an entity that is determined to be ineligible to receive such payments, loans, or other benefits, the Secretary may make payments, loans, and other benefits in an amount determined by the Secretary to be representative of the percentage interests of the entity that is owned by citizens of the United States and aliens lawfully admitted into the United States for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
(c)No person shall become ineligible under this section for production adjustment payments, price support program loans, payments or benefits as the result of the production of a crop of an agricultural commodity planted, or commodity program or conservation reserve contract entered into, before December 22, 1987.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Immigration and Nationality Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), is act June 27, 1952, ch. 477, 66 Stat. 163, which is classified principally to chapter 12 (§ 1101 et seq.) of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 1101 of Title 8 and Tables. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 110–246, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1651. Title I of the Act is classified principally to chapter 113 (§ 8701 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 8701 of this title and Tables. The Agricultural Act of 2014, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 113–79, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 649. Title I of the Act is classified principally to chapter 115 (§ 9001 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 9001 of this title and Tables. The Agricultural Market Transition Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is title I of Pub. L. 104–127, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 896, which is classified principally to chapter 100 (§ 7201 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
References in Text
note set out under section 7201 of this title and Tables. The Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is act June 29, 1948, ch. 704, 62 Stat. 1070, which is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 714 et seq.) of chapter 15 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 714 of Title 15 and Tables. The Food Security Act of 1985, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 99–198, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1354. Title XII of the Act is classified principally to chapter 58 (§ 3801 et seq.) of Title 16, Conservation. Subtitle D of title XII of the Act is classified generally to subchapter IV (§ 3830 et seq.) of chapter 58 of Title 16. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
of 1985 Amendment note set out under section 1281 of this title and Tables. Codification Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical
Amendments
to this section. The
Amendments
by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246. Section was enacted as part of the Food Security Act of 1985, and not as part of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 which comprises this chapter.
Amendments
2014—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 113–79 inserted “title I of the Agricultural Act of 2014,” before “the Agricultural Market Transition Act”. 2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–246, § 1603(a), substituted “Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008” for “Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002”. 2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–171 inserted “title I of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002,” after “made available under”. 1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–127 substituted “Any person” for “For each of the 1991 through 1997 crops, any person”, substituted “loans or payments made available under the Agricultural Market Transition Act,” for “production adjustment payments, price support program loans, payments, or benefits made available under the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.),”, and struck out “during the 1989 through 1997 crop years” before “, with respect to any commodity produced”. 1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–66 substituted “1997” for “1995” in two places. 1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–624 substituted “1991 through 1995 crops” for “1989 and 1990 crops” and inserted “, or under any contract entered into under title XII during the 1989 through 1995 crop years,” after “(16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.)”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2014 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 113–79 applicable beginning with the 2014 crop year, see section 1603(c) of Pub. L. 113–79, set out as a note under section 1308 of this title.
Effective Date
of 2008 AmendmentAmendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 8701 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1990 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 101–624 effective beginning with 1991 crop of an agricultural commodity, with provision for prior crops, see section 1171 of Pub. L. 101–624, set out as a note under section 1421 of this title.
Effective Date
Pub. L. 100–203, title I, § 1306, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–19, provided that this section is effective beginning with the 1989 crops.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
7 U.S.C. § 1308–3
Title 7 — Agriculture
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73