§1442 Price support and acreage requirements for corn and other feed grains

Summary

Requires corn farmers to set aside 15 percent of their farm’s corn base acres, tilled in normal rotation, into either a corn acreage reserve or the conservation reserve to get price support. Farmers also must not plant more than their farm’s corn base acres to qualify. The Secretary can still give price support to farmers who do not follow these rules, but not at a higher level than to those who do, if the Secretary thinks that helps the program. Corn acreage allotments do not apply to the 1956 crop. By December 15, 1956, the Secretary must hold a vote of 1956 corn producers in the commercial corn area on switching to a different price-support plan for 1957 and later instead of acreage allotments. If two-thirds or more vote yes, no county or farm corn allotments will be set for 1957 and later, and Commodity Credit Corporation price support will be set to help normal marketing without encouraging uneconomic corn production. For the 1956 crop, price support for grain sorghums, barley, rye, and oats is fixed at 76 percent of the parity price as of May 1, 1956. For corn grown outside the commercial corn area, and for crops with base acres (except the rule below), price support is 82½ percent of the level of price support given to compliant corn producers in the commercial area. If price support for the 1957 corn crop in the commercial area is given to noncompliant producers, then price support for 1957 for grain sorghums, barley, rye, oats, and corn outside the commercial area must be at least 70 percent of parity as of the beginning of the marketing year. The Secretary must set that level to be fair compared with the level for noncompliant corn producers, considering normal price relationships to corn, feed value, supply and demand, and the ability to sell stocks acquired through support.