I
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 5446
To provide economic disaster assistance to producers of the 2002 crop of
rice in the State of Louisiana.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 24, 2002
Mr. JOHN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Agriculture
A BILL
To provide economic disaster assistance to producers of the
2002 crop of rice in the State of Louisiana.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Louisiana Rice Eco-
nomic Relief Act of 2002’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that—
(1) the rice industry in the State of Louisiana
contributes significantly to the economy of the State,
with an estimated annual value of approximately
$250,000,000 and an estimated average annual eco-
nomic benefit of approximately $1,000,000,000;
(2) rice producers in the State are suffering
from the lowest rice prices in more than 50 years;
(3) with much of the 2002 crop of rice in the
State being sold during harvest season, the market-
derived income of producers from the sale of rice is
falling to record low levels;
(4) the historically-low income of producers
from the sale of rice in the State, even when com-
bined with Federal income support, still is dev-
astating to—
(A) rice producers in the State;
(B) the rice industry infrastructure of the
State;
(C) businesses that serve and depend on
the rice industry; and
(D) communities in which rice producers
and their families reside and in which the rice
industry operates;
(5) because of the significant reduction in total
income and the current costs of production, many
rice producers of the State will not cover their total
expenses this year;
(6) the historically-low prices of the 2002 crop
of rice in the State have contributed to a combined
market price and Federal support income level that
is approximately $2.42 per hundredweight less than
the average combined market price and Federal sup-
port income levels during the 1998 through 2001 pe-
riod, which is approximately 22 percent below the
average income level for the State for the same time
period; and
(7) due to the historically-low rice prices and
reduced income, rice producers in the State and
their families are faced with dire economic cir-
cumstances that are crippling them and the commu-
nities in which they live and work.
SEC. 3. ECONOMIC DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR LOUISIANA
RICE PRODUCERS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall
use such sums as are necessary of funds of the Commodity
Credit Corporation to make payments, as soon as prac-
ticable after the date of enactment of this Act, to pro-
ducers of the 2002 crop of rice on farms located in the
State of Louisiana, to assist producers as a result of the
disastrous economic conditions occurring with the 2002
crop of rice.
(b) AMOUNT.—The amount of a payment made to
producers on a farm under this section shall be equal to
the product obtained by multiplying—
(1) the actual quantity of rice produced by the
producers on the farm during the 2002 crop year;
and
(2) a payment rate of $2.42 per hundredweight.
(c) PAYMENT LIMITATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The total amount of pay-
ments that a person shall be entitled to receive
under this section may not exceed $40,000.
(2) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall pro-
mulgate regulations—
(A) defining the term ‘‘person’’ for the
purposes of this subsection, which shall con-
form, to the maximum extent practicable, to the
regulations defining the term ‘‘person’’ promul-
gated under section 1001 of the Food Security
Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308); and
(B) promulgating such regulations as the
Secretary determines necessary to ensure a fair
and reasonable application of the limitation es-
tablished under this subsection.
(d) INFORMATION.—In carrying out this section, the
Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable—