Montana farmer-stockman., 1948-03-15
Laws Protecting Farm Prices

Laws Protecting Farm Prices
As Summarized by the American Form Bureau Federation
These laws comprise the present farm program. Action by congress
tain features of the following basic laws. o T expiration of the law
iiself)
l. Section q of Agricultural Adjustment Act 1889. as amended, en-
towering the President to impose import quotas or fees whenever
necessary to safeguard certain domestic agricultural programs.
2 Section 90 of Act of August "a. 1895. a amended, earmarking 80
percent of annual tariff revenues for use in expanding domestic
and export outlets of agricultural SURPRISES.
:. Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act usasl as amended,
providing national program of soil conservation and acreage adj
iustments. Authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to make pay
ments expires Dec. 81. ls48.
4 Sugar Act of ls4s. providing system of marketing quotas, benefit
payments and processing taxes to assure parity to producers of
sugar cane and sugar beets-
MARKET AGREEMENTS PROGRAM
5. Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1887. as amended, pro-
vidng program of marketing agreements for all commodities and
orders for milk and its products, and a number of other specified
ommodites-prncipally fresh fruits and vegetables.
6. Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1888. a amended providing ma
tional program for basic agricultural commodities to control sur
pluses and assure parity prices through a system of marketing
quotas, mandatory commodity loans, and parity payments.
z. Federal Crop Insurance Act. 1888. as amended by Public Law 51,
18th congress and P. L. 800, 8Oth congress, providing limited ex-
per1mental crop insurance programs for wheat, flax cotton, corn
and tobacco and permitting development of experimental insur-
ance programs for additional agricultural commodities.
LOANS AT 80 PERCENT OF PARITY
8. Section 8. Sterilization Act of 1912. providing mandatory loans on
basic commodities for crops harvested in 1912 through 1948, at the
rate of 90 percent of parity lin case of cotton 91A percent), as of
beginning of marketing year. Expires Dec. 81 1s4s.
g. Act of July l. ls4l. so-caIed steasan Amendment C. L. lat, 18th
congess), as amended, providing price supports for nonbasic COM
modites at not less than IS percent of parity for commodities on
which government requires increased production for war purposes
Cater amended to provide minimum of 80 percent of parity for
period of two years after end of present emergency, and providing
for lending and purchase operations to bring the prices and income
of producers of other nonbasic commodities to fair parity relation
ship with basic commodities to the extent funds are available. Elk
pires Dec. 81. 1948.
SALE OF SURPLUS FARM COMMODITIES
10. Section I'll tcl of the Surplus Properly Act of 1914 Up. L. 47, 18th
congress-, preventing sales of surplus farm commodities in domes-
tic markets at less than parity prices O. current prevailing market
prices, whichever are higher; but permitting sales for export be-
low these levels at competitive world prices, if the domestic supply
situation is adequate.
II. Act of April IL. l45 P. I. 100, Both congress), extending life of
Commodity Credit corporation until June 80, 1913, increasing its
borrowing authority to support farm prices through loans and pur-
chase operations, and prohibiting sales of farm commodities owned
or controlled by it at less than parity except wheat for feeding at
not less than the parity price of corn, and except sales for new or
by-product uses, export, seed or feed, or peanuts for oil. This pro-
vision expires Dec. 81, 1948.
IL Act of July S l945 Up. L. 100, 10th congress), amending and re-
newing trade agreement provisions of Tariff Act of 1880 for a s.
year period. Expires June 80, 1948.
13. Research and Marketing Act of 1916 (P. L. 1873, 10th congress), to
provide for further research into basic laws and principles relating
to agriculture and to improve and facilitate the marketing and dis
tribution of agricultural products.