§2279a — Title 7 Agriculture | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture must correct crop acreage bases and farm payment yields for farms run or owned by socially disadvantaged producers if those numbers were not set under the Agricultural Act of 1949. The Secretary must also provide any fitting commodity program benefits. If the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act is being applied in a way that is not fair to socially disadvantaged producers, the Secretary must change how that law is run to make treatment fair and equal. The Comptroller General must write a report to see if socially disadvantaged producers are underrepresented on certain State, county, area, local, or review committees because of racial, ethnic, or gender bias, and if that underrepresentation stops them from using USDA programs. That report had to be sent by February 1, 1995 to the House Committee on Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. A "socially disadvantaged producer" is a producer who belongs to a group that has faced racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their group identity.

Title 7, §2279a

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)If the Secretary of Agriculture determines that crop acreage bases or farm program payment yields established for farms owned or operated by socially disadvantaged producers are not established in accordance with title V of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1461 et seq.), the Secretary shall adjust the bases and yields to conform to the requirements of such title and make available any appropriate commodity program benefits.

(b)If the Secretary of Agriculture determines that application of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.) with respect to socially disadvantaged producers is not consistent with the requirements of such Act, the Secretary shall make such changes in the administration of such Act as the Secretary considers necessary to provide for the fair and equitable treatment of socially disadvantaged producers under such Act.

(c)(1)The Comptroller General of the United States shall prepare a report to determine—

(A)whether socially disadvantaged producers are underrepresented on State, county, area, or local committees established under section 590h(b)(5) of title 16 or local review committees established under section 1363 of this title because of racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice; and

(B)if such underrepresentation exists, whether it inhibits or interferes with the participation of socially disadvantaged producers in programs of the Department of Agriculture.

(2)Not later than February 1, 1995, the Comptroller General shall submit the report required by this subsection to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate.

(d)For purposes of this section, the term “socially disadvantaged producer” means a producer who is a member of a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Agricultural Act of 1949, referred to in subsec. (a), is act Oct. 31, 1949, ch. 792, 63 Stat. 1051. Title V of the Act, which was classified generally to subchapter IV (§ 1461 et seq.) of chapter 35A of this title, was omitted from the Code. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1421 of this title and Tables. The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is title III of Pub. L. 87–128, Aug. 8, 1961, 75 Stat. 307, which is classified principally to chapter 50 (§ 1921 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1921 of this title and Tables.

§2279a Fair and equitable treatment of socially disadvantaged producers

Summary

Title 7, §2279a

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Short Title

Short Title

Citations & Metadata