Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 35A— - PRICE SUPPORT OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - BASIC AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES › § 1445–3
Requires certain tobacco groups and the Commodity Credit Corporation to sell old stocks of Flue-cured and Burley tobacco so the excess from past crops is removed without upsetting new crop sales. Producer-owned cooperatives that had CCC loans must offer Flue-cured stock from 1976–1984 and Burley stock from 1982 and 1984 for sale. The CCC must take title to Burley from the 1983 crop by calling the loans within 30 days after April 7, 1986, and then offer that tobacco for sale. If the CCC has not sold the 1983 Burley within 2 years after calling the loans, it may offer the remainder to U.S. cigarette makers. Prices and charges are set: Flue-cured from 1976–1981 is sold at base price minus 90 percent, and from 1982–1984 at base price minus 10 percent, with buyers paying carrying charges from the offer date until removal. Burley 1982 sells at the listed base price as of July 1, 1985; Burley 1984 sells at the association’s cost as of April 7, 1986, with buyers paying accrued carrying charges as specified. If CCC sells 1983 Burley after the 2-year wait, it sells at association cost as of the loan-call date reduced by 90 percent, and no one pays carrying charges that build up after the loan is called. U.S. cigarette makers may sign buy agreements to get the price reductions. To qualify, they must sign as soon as possible but no later than 90 days after April 7, 1986 (or, for the 1983 Burley sold by the CCC, within 90 days after the 2-year period ends). Agreements must spell out how much each maker will buy over time. Purchase shares are based on each maker’s share of “net cigarettes manufactured for use,” using the monthly ATF reports, and are set on April 7, 1986 and each year after. Annual withdrawals from inventories are 12½ percent for Flue-cured (based on stocks on April 7, 1986) and 20 percent for the Burley lots listed. Buy-out periods are up to 8 years for Flue-cured from April 7, 1986, and 5 years for Burley 1982 and 1984 from that date (and 5 years for 1983 Burley from the end of the 2-year period). Extra purchases a maker makes in one year count toward future requirements. Agreements must be approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, who must ensure they won’t disrupt markets and that terms are fair and the same for all buyers. Information from manufacturers used to set shares is protected, and USDA employees who improperly disclose it face penalties.
Full Legal Text
Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
7 U.S.C. § 1445–3
Title 7 — Agriculture
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73