
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: 7USC7411]

 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
                   CHAPTER 101--AGRICULTURAL PROMOTION
 
     SUBCHAPTER II--ISSUANCE OF ORDERS FOR PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND 
        INFORMATION ACTIVITIES REGARDING AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES
 
Sec. 7411. Findings and purpose


(a) Findings

    Congress finds the following:
        (1) The production of agricultural commodities plays a 
    significant role in the economy of the United States. Thousands of 
    producers in the United States are involved in the production of 
    agricultural commodities, and such commodities are consumed by 
    millions of people throughout the United States and foreign 
    countries.
        (2) Agricultural commodities must be of high quality, readily 
    available, handled properly, and marketed efficiently to ensure that 
    consumers have an adequate supply.
        (3) The maintenance and expansion of existing markets and the 
    development of new markets for agricultural commodities through 
    generic commodity promotion, research, and information programs are 
    vital to the welfare of persons engaged in the production, 
    marketing, and consumption of such commodities, as well as to the 
    general economy of the United States.
        (4) Generic promotion, research, and information activities for 
    agricultural commodities play a unique role in advancing the demand 
    for such commodities, since such activities increase the total 
    market for a product to the benefit of consumers and all producers. 
    These generic activities complement branded advertising initiatives, 
    which are aimed at increasing the market share of individual 
    competitors, and are of particular benefit to small producers who 
    lack the resources or market power to advertise on their own. These 
    generic activities do not impede the branded advertising efforts of 
    individual firms, but instead increase general market demand for an 
    agricultural commodity using methods that individual companies do 
    not have the incentive to employ.
        (5) Generic promotion, research, and information activities for 
    agricultural commodities, paid by the producers and others in the 
    industry who reap the benefits of such activities, provide a unique 
    opportunity for producers to inform consumers about a particular 
    agricultural commodity.
        (6) It is important to ensure that generic promotion, research, 
    and information activities for agricultural commodities be carried 
    out in an effective and coordinated manner designed to strengthen 
    the position of the commodities in the marketplace and to maintain 
    and expand their markets and uses. Independent evaluation of the 
    effectiveness of the generic promotion activities of these programs 
    will assist the Secretary of Agriculture and Congress in ensuring 
    that these objectives are met.
        (7) The cooperative development, financing, and implementation 
    of a coordinated national program of research, promotion, and 
    information regarding agricultural commodities are necessary to 
    maintain and expand existing markets and to develop new markets for 
    these commodities.
        (8) Agricultural commodities move in interstate and foreign 
    commerce, and agricultural commodities and their products that do 
    not move in such channels of commerce directly burden or affect 
    interstate commerce in agricultural commodities and their products.
        (9) Commodity promotion programs have the ability to provide 
    significant conservation benefits to producers and the public.

(b) Purpose

    The purpose of this subchapter is to authorize the establishment, 
through the exercise by the Secretary of Agriculture of the authority 
provided in this subchapter, of an orderly program for developing, 
financing, and carrying out an effective, continuous, and coordinated 
program of generic promotion, research, and information regarding 
agricultural commodities designed to--
        (1) strengthen the position of agricultural commodity industries 
    in the marketplace;
        (2) maintain and expand existing domestic and foreign markets 
    and uses for agricultural commodities;
        (3) develop new markets and uses for agricultural commodities; 
    or
        (4) assist producers in meeting their conservation objectives.

(c) Rule of construction

    Nothing in this subchapter provides for the control of production or 
otherwise limits the right of any person to produce, handle, or import 
an agricultural commodity.

(Pub. L. 104-127, title V, Sec. 512, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1032.)
