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104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2646

To amend the sugar price support program in the Agricultural Act of 1949

to provide for a additional assessment with respect to raw cane sugar

produced in the Everglades agricultural area in the State of Florida

to finance land acquisition projects for the restoration of the Florida

Everglades.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOVEMBER 16, 1995

Mr. SHAW (for himself and Mr. GILCHREST) introduced the following bill;

which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the sugar price support program in the Agricultural Act of 1949 to provide for a additional assessment

with respect to raw cane sugar produced in the Everglades agricultural area in the State of Florida to finance

land acquisition projects for the restoration of the Florida Everglades.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. MARKETING ASSESSMENT ON FLORIDA RAW

2 CANE SUGAR TO PROMOTE RESTORATION OF

3 FLORIDA EVERGLADES.

4 Section 206 of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C.

5 1446g) is amended—

6 (1) by redesignating subsection (j) as sub7 section (k); and

8 (2) by inserting after subsection (i) the follow9 ing new subsection:

10 ‘‘(j) EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA ASSESS11 MENT.—

12 ‘‘(1) ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT.—In addition to

13 the assessment required under subsection (i), the

14 first processor of raw cane sugar processed from

15 sugarcane grown in the Everglades agricultural area

16 in the State of Florida or from sugarcane molasses

17 derived from such sugarcane shall remit to the Com18 modity Credit Corporation a nonrefundable market19 ing assessment in an amount equal to 2 cents per

20 pound of such raw cane sugar. Paragraphs (3), (4),

21 and (5) of subsection (i) shall apply to the assess22 ment required by this subsection.

23 ‘‘(2) ACCOUNT.—Funds collected under para24 graph (1) shall be deposited in an account (to be

25 known as the ‘‘Everglades Agricultural Area Ac-
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1 count’’, which shall remain available to the Secretary

2 of Agriculture until expended.

3 ‘‘(3) USE OF ACCOUNT.—The Secretary of Ag4 riculture shall use amounts in the account to make

5 grants to the South Florida Water Management Dis6 trict or other appropriate entity for the purpose of—

7 ‘‘(A) assisting the State of Florida in pur8 chasing agricultural lands in the Everglades ag9 ricultural area suitable for use in the restora10 tion of the Florida Everglades; and

11 ‘‘(B) making modifications to such pur12 chased lands designed to improve water storage

13 and delivery.

14 ‘‘(4) PERIOD FOR ASSESSMENT.—The assess15 ment required by this subsection shall apply to raw

16 cane sugar processed from sugarcane grown in the

17 Everglades agricultural area and marketed during

18 the 1996 through 2000 fiscal years, except that the

19 Secretary shall terminate the assessment if the pro20 vision of price support for sugar beets and sugar21 cane is terminated or prohibited.

22 ‘‘(5) EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA.—The

23 Secretary shall determine the extent of the Ever24 glades agricultural area in the State of Florida.’’.

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