7 U.S.C. § 1748: Annual reports by…

Summary

The Secretary must make Agriculture Department staff, including people who work overseas, prepare and send yearly reports that describe three things: government programs in other countries that support exports, trade actions that block or make it hard for U.S. farm products to enter those markets, and, when possible, the average prices and production costs for similar goods in those countries. The reports must also point out chances to sell more U.S. agricultural products there. Each year the Secretary must put those reports together by country and, when needed, by commodity for products hurt by unfair trade practices. The Secretary must work with advisory committees to rank the biggest barriers, list steps taken to fix them, and give the final report to Congress, the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee, and others by January 15. The Secretary and the United States Trade Representative must meet at least once a year with those committees to make specific recommendations for government and industry to reduce barriers and grow exports.

Title 7, §1748

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

The Secretary shall require appropriate officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture, including those stationed in foreign countries, to prepare and submit annually to the Secretary detailed reports that—

(1)document the nature and extent of—

(A)programs in such countries that provide direct or indirect government support for the export of agricultural commodities and the products thereof;

(B)other trade practices that may impede the entry of United States agricultural commodities and the products thereof into such countries; and

(C)where practicable, the average prices and costs of production in such countries for like commodities exported from the United States to such countries; and

(2)identify opportunities for the export of United States agricultural commodities and the products thereof to such countries.

(b)Duties

The Secretary shall—

(1)annually compile the information contained in reports prepared under subsection (a)—

(A)on a country by country basis; and

(B)on a commodity by commodity basis for exports of United States agricultural commodities, as determined appropriate by the Secretary, the export of which is hampered by an unfair trade practice. Where practicable, the report shall include a comparison of the average prices and costs of production for such commodities in the United States and in the importing countries for the previous crop year;

(2)in consultation with the agricultural technical advisory committees established under section 2155(c) of title 19, include in the compilation a priority ranking of those trade barriers identified in subsection (a) by commodity group;

(3)include in the compilation a list of actions undertaken to reduce or eliminate such trade barriers; and

(4)not later than January 15 of each year, make the compilation available to Congress, the agricultural policy advisory committee, and other interested parties.

(c)Meeting

The Secretary and the United States Trade Representative shall convene a meeting, at least once each year, of the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee and the agricultural technical advisory committees to develop specific recommendations for actions to be taken by the Federal Government and private industry to—

(1)reduce or eliminate trade barriers or distortions identified in the annual reports required to be submitted under subsections (a) and (b); and

(2)expand United States agricultural export opportunities identified in such annual reports.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 104–127 struck out “including fruits, vegetables, legumes, popcorn and ducks” after “agricultural commodities”. 1991—Pub. L. 102–237, § 316, made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 101–624, § 1532, which enacted this section, resulting in no change in text. Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 102–237, § 317, substituted a semicolon for period at end. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 102–237, § 318, struck out “the trade assistance office authorized under section 504 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (as amended by section 201),” after “available to Congress,”.

§1748 Annual Reports by Agricultural Attachés

Summary

Title 7, §1748

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata