§1342 — Title 7 Agriculture | U.S. Code

§1342 National marketing quota; proclamation; amount; date of proclamation

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 B— - Marketing Quotas › Subpart subpart iv— - marketing quotas—cotton › § 1342

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

If the Secretary finds that the total cotton supply for the marketing year that starts in a calendar year will be bigger than the normal supply, the Secretary must announce that and set a national marketing quota for the crop produced the next calendar year. The announcement must say how many standard bales (500 pounds gross) the quota will be. That number must be enough—when added to estimated carry-over at the start of the marketing year and estimated imports during the year—to provide a normal supply. Starting with the 1961 crop, the quota must be at least equal to estimated domestic consumption plus estimated exports minus estimated imports, but the Secretary can adjust it after looking at U.S. and foreign stocks to keep stocks adequate but not excessive and for national security. The quota cannot be cut below either one million bales less than estimated consumption plus exports or ten million bales, whichever is larger. The announcement must be made by October 15 of that calendar year. Despite the above, the quota for 1957 and 1958 must be at least enough bales to give a national acreage allotment equal to 1956. If any State’s allotment for 1957 or 1958 would drop by more than 1% from the prior year, that State’s allotment must be raised so the drop is no more than 1% per year; the extra acreage for that increase is added to the national allotment for that year and won’t count when making future State allotments. For upland cotton in 1959 and later years, the national quota must be at least the number of bales needed to provide a national acreage allotment of sixteen million acres.

Title 7, §1342

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whenever during any calendar year the Secretary determines that the total supply of cotton for the marketing year beginning in such calendar year will exceed the normal supply for such marketing year, the Secretary shall proclaim such fact and a national marketing quota shall be in effect for the crop of cotton produced in the next calendar year. The Secretary shall also determine and specify in such proclamation the amount of the national marketing quota in terms of the number of bales of cotton (standard bales of five hundred pounds gross weight) adequate, together with (1) the estimated carry-over at the beginning of the marketing year which begins in the next calendar year and (2) the estimated imports during such marketing year, to make available a normal supply of cotton: Provided, That beginning with the 1961 crop, the national marketing quota shall be not less than a number of bales equal to the estimated domestic consumption and estimated exports (less estimated imports) for the marketing year for which the quota is proclaimed, except that the Secretary shall make such adjustment in the amount of such quota as he determines necessary after taking into consideration the estimated stocks of cotton in the United States (including the qualities of such stocks) and stocks in foreign countries which would be available for the marketing year for which the quota is being proclaimed if no adjustment of such quota is made hereunder, to assure the maintenance of adequate but not excessive stocks in the United States to provide a continuous and stable supply of the different qualities of cotton needed in the United States and in foreign cotton consuming countries, and for purposes of national security; but the Secretary, in making such adjustments, may not reduce the national marketing quota for any year below (i) one million bales less than the estimated domestic consumption and estimated exports for the marketing year for which such quota is being proclaimed, or (ii) ten million bales, whichever is larger. Such proclamation shall be made not later than October 15 of the calendar year in which such determination is made. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the national marketing quota for cotton for 1957 and 1958 shall be not less than the number of bales required to provide a national acreage allotment for 1957 and 1958 equal to the national acreage allotment for 1956: Provided, That if the acreage allotment for any State for 1957 or 1958 is less than its allotment for the preceding year by more than 1 per centum, such State allotment shall be increased so that the reduction shall not exceed 1 per centum per annum, and the acreage required for such increase shall be in addition to the national acreage allotment for such year. Additional acreage apportioned to a State for 1957 or 1958 under the foregoing proviso shall not be taken into account in establishing future State allotments. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the national marketing quota for upland cotton for 1959 and subsequent years shall be not less than the number of bales required to provide a national acreage allotment for each such year of sixteen million acres.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1958—Pub. L. 85–835, § 103(1), substituted proviso prescribing, beginning with the 1961 crop, a minimum national marketing quota for cotton equal to estimated domestic consumption and exports less imports subject to adjustment assuring maintenance of adequate but not excessive stocks, the adjustment not to reduce the national marketing quota for any year below the larger of (1) estimated domestic consumption and exports less one million bales or (2) ten million bales, for provisions prescribing for a national marketing quota not less than the smaller of ten million bales or one million bales less than estimated domestic consumption plus exports and providing for 1950 a national marketing quota based on a twenty-one million national acreage allotment. Pub. L. 85–835, § 103(2), provided for a national marketing quota for upland cotton for 1959 and subsequent years based on a sixteen million national acreage allotment. 1956—Act May 28, 1956, provided that national marketing quota for cotton for 1957 and 1958 shall not be less than the number of bales required to provide a national acreage allotment for 1957 and 1958 equal to national acreage allotment for 1956. 1949—Act Aug. 29, 1949, amended section generally to set up a national marketing quota and to provide for amount and proclamation of such quota.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Inapplicability of Section Section inapplicable to 2014 through 2018 crops of covered commodities, cotton, and sugar and inapplicable to milk during period beginning Feb. 7, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2018, see section 9092(a)(1) of this title. Section inapplicable to 2008 through 2012 crops of covered commodities, peanuts, and sugar and inapplicable to milk during period beginning

June 18, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2012, see section 8782(a)(1) of this title. Section inapplicable to 2002 through 2007 crops of covered commodities, peanuts, and sugar and inapplicable to milk during period beginning

May 13, 2002, through Dec. 31, 2007, see section 7992(a)(1) of this title. Section inapplicable to 1996 through 2001 crops of loan commodities, peanuts, and sugar and inapplicable to milk during period beginning Apr. 4, 1996, and ending Dec. 31, 2002, see section 7301(a)(1)(A) of this title. Pub. L. 101–624, title V, § 502, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3440, provided that: “section 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, and 377 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1342–1346 and 1377) shall not be applicable to any of the 1991 through 1995 crops of upland cotton.” Pub. L. 99–198, title V, § 502, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1418, provided that: “section 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, and 377 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1342–1346 and 1377) [7 U.S.C. 1342, 1343, 1344, 1345, 1346, and 1377] shall not be applicable to any of the 1986 through 1990 crops of upland cotton.” Pub. L. 98–88, § 3, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 494, provided that: “section 342, 343, 344, 344a, 345, 346, and 377 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended [section 1342, 1343, 1344, 1344b, 1345, 1346, and 1377 of this title], shall not be applicable to the 1984 and subsequent crops of extra long staple cotton.” Pub. L. 97–98, title V, § 501, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1234, provided that: “section 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, and 377 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 [section 1342, 1343, 1344, 1345, 1346, and 1377 of this title] shall not be applicable to upland cotton of the 1982 through 1985 crops.” Pub. L. 95–113, title VI, § 601, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 933, provided that: “section 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, and 377 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended [section 1342, 1343, 1344, 1345, 1346, and 1377 of this title], shall not be applicable to upland cotton of the 1978 through 1981 crops.” Pub. L. 91–524, title VI, § 601(1), Nov. 30, 1970, 84 Stat. 1371, as amended by Pub. L. 93–86, § 1(19)(A), Aug. 10, 1973, 87 Stat. 233, provided that this section shall not be applicable to upland cotton of 1971 through 1977 crops. Preliminary Allotments for 1996 Crop of Upland Cotton Pub. L. 101–624, title V, § 505, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3440, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the permanent State, county, and farm base acreage allotments for the 1977 crop of upland cotton, adjusted for any underplantings in 1977 and reconstituted as provided in section 379 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1379), shall be the preliminary allotments for the 1996 crop.” Preliminary Allotments for 1991 Crop of Upland Cotton Pub. L. 99–198, title V, § 506, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1418, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the permanent State, county, and farm base acreage allotments for the 1977 crop of upland cotton, adjusted for any underplantings in 1977 and reconstituted as provided in section 379 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1379), shall be the preliminary allotments for the 1991 crop.” Preliminary Allotments for 1986 Crop of Upland Cotton Pub. L. 97–98, title V, § 506, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1241, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the permanent State, county, and farm base acreage allotments for the 1977 crop of upland cotton, adjusted for any underplantings in 1977 and reconstituted as provided in section 379 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended [section 1379 of this title], shall again become effective as preliminary allotments for the 1986 crop.” Preliminary Allotments for 1982 Crop of Upland Cotton Pub. L. 95–113, title VI, § 606, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 940, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the permanent State, county, and farm base acreage allotments for the 1977 crop of upland cotton, adjusted for any underplantings in 1977 and reconstituted as provided in section 379 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended [section 1379 of this title], shall again become effective as preliminary allotments for the 1982 crop.”