§ 5201. — Findings.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC5201]
TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
CHAPTER 83--AGRICULTURAL COMPETITIVENESS AND TRADE
SUBCHAPTER I--FINDINGS, POLICY, AND PURPOSE
Sec. 5201. Findings
Congress finds that--
(1) United States agricultural exports have declined by more
than 36 percent since 1981, from $43,800,000,000 in 1981 to
$27,900,000,000 in 1987;
(2) the United States share of the world market for agricultural
commodities and products has dropped by 20 percent during the last 6
years;
(3) for the first time in 15 years, the United States incurred
monthly agricultural trade deficits in 1986;
(4) the loss of $1,000,000,000 in United States agricultural
exports causes the loss of 35,000 agricultural jobs and the loss of
60,000 nonagricultural jobs;
(5) the loss of agricultural exports threatens family farms and
the economic well-being of rural communities in the United States;
(6) factors contributing to the loss of United States
agricultural exports include changes in world agricultural markets
such as--
(A) the addition of new exporting nations;
(B) innovations in agricultural technology;
(C) increased use of export subsidies designed to lower the
price of commodities on the world market;
(D) the existence of barriers to agricultural trade;
(E) the slowdown in the growth of world food demand in the
1980's due to cyclical economic factors, including currency
fluctuations and a debt-related slowdown in the economic growth
of agricultural markets in certain developing countries; and
(F) the rapid buildup of surplus stocks as a consequence of
favorable weather for agricultural production during the 1980's;
(7) increasing the volume and value of exports is important to
the financial well-being of the farm sector in the United States and
to increasing farm income in the United States;
(8) in order to increase agricultural exports and improve prices
for farmers and ranchers in the United States, it is necessary that
all agricultural export programs of the United States be used in an
expeditious manner, including programs established under the
Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C.
1691 et seq.), the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15
U.S.C. 714 et seq.), and section 416 of the Agricultural Act of 1949
(7 U.S.C. 1431);
(9) greater use should be made by the Secretary of Agriculture
of the authorities established under section 4 \1\ of the Food for
Peace Act of 1966 (7 U.S.C. 1707a), the Agricultural Trade
Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.),
section 416 of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1431), and the
Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714 et seq.) to
provide intermediate credit financing and other assistance for the
establishment of facilities in importing countries to--
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\1\ See References in Text note below.
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(A) improve the handling, marketing, processing, storage,
and distribution of imported agricultural commodities and
products; and
(B) increase livestock production to enhance the demand for
United States feed grains;
(10) food aid and export assistance programs in developing
countries stimulate economic activity which causes incomes to rise,
and, as incomes rise, diets improve and the demand for and ability
to purchase food increases;
(11) private voluntary organizations and cooperatives are
important and successful partners in our food aid and development
programs; and
(12) in addition to meeting humanitarian needs, food aid used in
sales and barter programs by private voluntary organizations and
cooperatives--
(A) provides communities with health care, credit systems,
and tools for development; and
(B) establishes the infrastructure that is essential to the
expansion of markets for United States agricultural commodities
and products.
(Pub. L. 100-418, title IV, Sec. 4101, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1388.)
References in Text
The Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954,
referred to in pars. (8) and (9), is act July 10, 1954, ch. 469, 68
Stat. 454, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 41
(Sec. 1691 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this
Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1691 of this
title and Tables.
The Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, referred to in pars.
(8) and (9), is act June 29, 1948, ch. 704, 62 Stat. 1070, as amended,
which is classified generally to subchapter II (Sec. 714 et seq.) of
chapter 15 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification
of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 714
of Title 15 and Tables.
Section 4 of the Food for Peace Act of 1966 (7 U.S.C. 1707a),
referred to in par. (9), was repealed by Pub. L. 101-624, title XV,
Sec. 1574, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3702. See subchapter II (Sec. 5621
et seq.) of chapter 87 of this title.
Short Title
Section 4001 of title IV of Pub. L. 100-418 provided that: ``This
title [enacting this chapter, section 2112 of Title 16, Conservation,
and sections 1401, 1402, and 1403 of Title 21, Food and Drugs, amending
sections 608c, 608e-1, 626, 1704, 1707a, 1726, 1736o, 1736s, 1736t,
1736v, 1736x, 1736bb, and 1736bb-3 to 1736bb-6 of this title, section
713a-14 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and section 620 of Title 21,
and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 624, 1431, 1446,
1691, and 1736t of this title and section 1401 of Title 21] may be cited
as the `Agricultural Competitiveness and Trade Act of 1988'.''
