
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC1621]

 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
     CHAPTER 38--DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
 
                    SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
Sec. 1621. Congressional declaration of purpose; use of existing 
        facilities; cooperation with States
        
    The Congress declares that a sound, efficient, and privately 
operated system for distributing and marketing agricultural products is 
essential to a prosperous agriculture and is indispensable to the 
maintenance of full employment and to the welfare, prosperity, and 
health of the Nation. It is further declared to be the policy of 
Congress to promote through research, study, experimentation, and 
through cooperation among Federal and State agencies, farm 
organizations, and private industry a scientific approach to the 
problems of marketing, transportation, and distribution of agricultural 
products similar to the scientific methods which have been utilized so 
successfully during the past eighty-four years in connection with the 
production of agricultural products so that such products capable of 
being produced in abundance may be marketed in an orderly manner and 
efficiently distributed. In order to attain these objectives, it is the 
intent of Congress to provide for (1) continuous research to improve the 
marketing, handling, storage, processing, transportation, and 
distribution of agricultural products; (2) cooperation among Federal and 
State agencies, producers, industry organizations, and others in the 
development and effectuation of research and marketing programs to 
improve the distribution processes; (3) an integrated administration of 
all laws enacted by Congress to aid the distribution of agricultural 
products through research, market aids and services, and regulatory 
activities, to the end that marketing methods and facilities may be 
improved, that distribution costs may be reduced and the price spread 
between the producer and consumer may be narrowed, that dietary and 
nutritional standards may be improved, that new and wider markets for 
American agricultural products may be developed, both in the United 
States and in other countries, with a view to making it possible for the 
full production of American farms to be disposed of usefully, 
economically, profitably, and in an orderly manner. In effectuating the 
purposes of this chapter, maximum use shall be made of existing research 
facilities owned or controlled by the Federal Government or by State 
agricultural experiment stations and of the facilities of the Federal 
and State extension services. To the maximum extent practicable 
marketing research work done under this chapter in cooperation with the 
States shall be done in cooperation with the State agricultural 
experiment stations; marketing educational and demonstrational work done 
under this chapter in cooperation with the States shall be done in 
cooperation with the State agricultural extension service; market 
information, inspection, regulatory work and other marketing service 
done under this chapter in cooperation with the State agencies shall be 
done in cooperation with the State departments of agriculture, and State 
bureaus and departments of markets.

(Aug. 14, 1946, ch. 966, title II, Sec. 202, 60 Stat. 1087.)


                      Short Title of 2000 Amendment

    Pub. L. 106-532, Sec. 1, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2541, provided 
that: ``This Act [enacting subchapter III of this chapter] may be cited 
as the `Dairy Market Enhancement Act of 2000'.''


                               Short Title

    Section 201 of title II of act Aug. 14, 1946, provided that: ``This 
title [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the `Agricultural 
Marketing Act of 1946'.''

                          Transfer of Functions

    Functions of all officers, agencies, and employees of Department of 
Agriculture transferred, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of 
Agriculture by 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 2, Sec. 1, eff. June 4, 1953, 18 
F.R. 3219, 67 Stat. 633, set out as a note under section 2201 of this 
title.


       Value-Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grants

    Pub. L. 106-224, title II, Sec. 231, June 20, 2000, 114 Stat. 409, 
provided that:
    ``(a) Grant Program.--
        ``(1) Establishment and purposes.--Of the amount made available 
    under section 261(a)(2) [114 Stat. 427], $15,000,000 shall be used 
    by the Secretary to award competitive grants to eligible independent 
    producers (as determined by the Secretary) of value-added 
    agricultural commodities and products of agricultural commodities to 
    assist an eligible producer--
            ``(A) to develop a business plan for viable marketing 
        opportunities for a value-added agricultural commodity or 
        product of an agricultural commodity; or
            ``(B) to develop strategies for the ventures that are 
        intended to create marketing opportunities for the producers.
        ``(2) Amount of grant.--The total amount provided under this 
    subsection to a grant recipient may not exceed $500,000.
        ``(3) Producer strategies.--A producer that receives a grant 
    under paragraph (1) shall use the grant--
            ``(A) to develop a business plan or perform a feasibility 
        study to establish a viable marketing opportunity for a value-
        added agricultural commodity or product of an agricultural 
        commodity; or
            ``(B) to provide capital to establish alliances or business 
        ventures that allow the producer to better compete in domestic 
        or international markets.
    ``(b) Agricultural Marketing Resource Center Pilot Project.--
        ``(1) Establishment.--Notwithstanding the limitation on grants 
    in subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall not use more than 
    $5,000,000 of the funds made available under subsection (a) to 
    establish a pilot project (to be known as the `Agricultural 
    Marketing Resource Center') at an eligible institution described in 
    paragraph (2) that will--
            ``(A) develop a resource center with electronic capabilities 
        to coordinate and provide to independent producers and 
        processors (as determined by the Secretary) of value-added 
        agricultural commodities and products of agricultural 
        commodities information regarding research, business, legal, 
        financial, or logistical assistance; and
            ``(B) develop a strategy to establish a nationwide market 
        information and coordination system.
        ``(2) Eligible institution.--To be eligible to receive funding 
    to establish the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, an 
    applicant shall demonstrate to the Secretary--
            ``(A) the capacity and technical expertise to provide the 
        services described in paragraph (1)(A);
            ``(B) an established plan outlining support of the applicant 
        in the agricultural community; and
            ``(C) the availability of resources (in cash or in kind) of 
        definite value to sustain the Center following establishment.
    ``(c) Matching Funds.--A recipient of funds under subsection (a) or 
(b) shall contribute an amount of non-Federal funds that is at least 
equal to the amount of Federal funds received.
    ``(d) Limitation.--Funds provided under this section may not be used 
for--
        ``(1) planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or 
    construction of a building or facility (including a processing 
    facility); or
        ``(2) the purchase, rental, or installation of fixed 
    equipment.''


                  National Commission on Food Marketing

    Pub. L. 88-354, July 3, 1964, 78 Stat. 269, as amended by Pub. L. 
89-20, May 15, 1965, 79 Stat. 111, provided for the establishment of a 
bipartisan National Commission on Food Marketing composed of fifteen 
members, five from the Senate, five from the House of Representatives 
and five from outside the Federal Government, to study and appraise the 
marketing structure of the food industry and to make a final report of 
its findings and conclusions to the President and to the Congress by 
July 1, 1966. The Commission ceased to exist ninety days after 
submission of its final report.
