7 U.S.C. § 347a: Disadvantaged agricultural…

Summary

Allows Congress to provide money to help agricultural areas that have special problems. These problems include many farm families living on farms that are too small or unproductive, farms that cannot invest to become profitable, farm units that cannot use available labor, and families that lack resources or enough extension help. The Secretary of Agriculture must find that an area has many such disadvantaged farms before giving help. Payments go to States based on need and on plans from State Extension directors. Help can include on‑farm education, counseling for local groups, job information for under‑employed workers, and advice for families starting a new farming venture. No State may get more than 10% of the funds. The money is extra and cannot exceed 10% of other yearly program funds.

Title 7, §347a

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Congressional findings

The Congress finds that there exists special circumstances in certain agricultural areas which cause such areas to be at a disadvantage insofar as agricultural development is concerned, which circumstances include the following: (1) There is concentration of farm families on farms either too small or too unproductive or both; (2) such farm operators because of limited productivity are unable to make adjustments and investments required to establish profitable operations; (3) the productive capacity of the existing farm unit does not permit profitable employment of available labor; (4) because of limited resources, many of these farm families are not able to make full use of current extension programs designed for families operating economic units nor are extension facilities adequate to provide the assistance needed to produce desirable results.

(b)Appropriation

In order to further the purposes of section 342 of this title in such areas and to encourage complementary development essential to the welfare of such areas, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as the Congress from time to time shall determine to be necessary for payments to the States on the basis of special needs in such areas as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.

(c)Assistance

In determining that the area has such special need, the Secretary shall find that it has a substantial number of disadvantaged farms or farm families for one or more of the reasons heretofore enumerated. The Secretary shall make provisions for the assistance to be extended to include one or more of the following: (1) Intensive on-the-farm educational assistance to the farm family in appraising and resolving its problems; (2) assistance and counseling to local groups in appraising resources for capability of improvement in agriculture or introduction of industry designed to supplement farm income; (3) cooperation with other agencies and groups in furnishing all possible information as to existing employment opportunities, particularly to farm families having under-employed workers; and (4) in cases where the farm family, after analysis of its opportunities and existing resources, finds it advisable to seek a new farming venture, the providing of information, advice, and counsel in connection with making such change.

(d)Allocation of funds

No more than 10 per centum of the sums available under this section shall be allotted to any one State. The Secretary shall use project proposals and plans of work submitted by the State Extension directors as a basis for determining the allocation of funds appropriated pursuant to this section.

(e)Appropriation as additional; limitation on amount

Sums appropriated pursuant to this section shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for, appropriations otherwise available under this subchapter. The amounts authorized to be appropriated pursuant to this section shall not exceed a sum in any year equal to 10 per centum of sums otherwise appropriated pursuant to this subchapter.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 8 of act May 8, 1914, was renumbered section 9 and is classified to section 348 of this title.

Amendments

1962—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 87–749 struck out “, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico” before “on the basis of”.

§347a Disadvantaged Agricultural Areas

Summary

Title 7, §347a

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Amendments

Citations & Metadata