7 U.S.C. § 7232 (AGRICULTURE)
§ 7232. Loan rates for marketing assistance loans
(a) Wheat
(1) Loan rate
Subject to paragraph (2), the loan rate for a marketing assistance loan under section 7231 of this title for wheat shall be—
(A) not less than 85 percent of the simple average price received by producers of wheat, as determined by the Secretary, during the marketing years for the immediately preceding 5 crops of wheat, excluding the year in which the average price was the highest and the year in which the average price was the lowest in the period; but
(B) not more than $2.58 per bushel.
(2) Stocks to use ratio adjustment
If the Secretary estimates for any marketing year that the ratio of ending stocks of wheat to total use for the marketing year will be—
(A) equal to or greater than 30 percent, the Secretary may reduce the loan rate for wheat for the corresponding crop by an amount not to exceed 10 percent in any year;
(B) less than 30 percent but not less than 15 percent, the Secretary may reduce the loan rate for wheat for the corresponding crop by an amount not to exceed 5 percent in any year; or
(C) less than 15 percent, the Secretary may not reduce the loan rate for wheat for the corresponding crop.
(b) Feed grains
(1) Loan rate for corn
Subject to paragraph (2), the loan rate for a marketing assistance loan under section 7231 of this title for corn shall be—
(A) not less than 85 percent of the simple average price received by producers of corn, as determined by the Secretary, during the marketing years for the immediately preceding 5 crops of corn, excluding the year in which the average price was the highest and the year in which the average price was the lowest in the period; but
(B) not more than $1.89 per bushel.
(2) Stocks to use ratio adjustment
If the Secretary estimates for any marketing year that the ratio of ending stocks of corn to total use for the marketing year will be—
(A) equal to or greater than 25 percent, the Secretary may reduce the loan rate for corn for the corresponding crop by an amount not to exceed 10 percent in any year;
(B) less than 25 percent but not less than 12.5 percent, the Secretary may reduce the loan rate for corn for the corresponding crop by an amount not to exceed 5 percent in any year; or
(C) less than 12.5 percent, the Secretary may not reduce the loan rate for corn for the corresponding crop.
(3) Other feed grains
The loan rate for a marketing assistance loan under section 7231 of this title for grain sorghum, barley, and oats, respectively, shall be established at such level as the Secretary determines is fair and reasonable in relation to the rate that loans are made available for corn, taking into consideration the feeding value of the commodity in relation to corn.
(c) Upland cotton
(1) Loan rate
Subject to paragraph (2), the loan rate for a marketing assistance loan under section 7231 of this title for upland cotton shall be established by the Secretary at such loan rate, per pound, as will reflect for the base quality of upland cotton, as determined by the Secretary, at average locations in the United States a rate that is not less than the smaller of—
(A) 85 percent of the average price (weighted by market and month) of the base quality of cotton as quoted in the designated United States spot markets during 3 years of the 5-year period ending July 31 of the year preceding the year in which the crop is planted, excluding the year in which the average price was the highest and the year in which the average price was the lowest in the period; or
(B) 90 percent of the average, for the 15-week period beginning July 1 of the year preceding the year in which the crop is planted, of the 5 lowest-priced growths of the growths quoted for Middling 13⁄32-inch cotton C.I.F. Northern Europe (adjusted downward by the average difference during the period April 15 through October 15 of the year preceding the year in which the crop is planted between the average Northern European price quotation of such quality of cotton and the market quotations in the designated United States spot markets for the base quality of upland cotton), as determined by the Secretary.
(2) Limitations
The loan rate for a marketing assistance loan for upland cotton shall not be less than $0.50 per pound or more than $0.5192 per pound.
(d) Extra long staple cotton
The loan rate for a marketing assistance loan under section 7231 of this title for extra long staple cotton shall be—
(1) not less than 85 percent of the simple average price received by producers of extra long staple cotton, as determined by the Secretary, during 3 years of the 5-year period ending July 31 of the year preceding the year in which the crop is planted, excluding the year in which the average price was the highest and the year in which the average price was the lowest in the period; but
(2) not more than $0.7965 per pound.
(e) Rice
The loan rate for a marketing assistance loan under section 7231 of this title for rice shall be $6.50 per hundredweight.
(f) Oilseeds
(1) Soybeans
The loan rate for a marketing assistance loan under section 7231 of this title for soybeans shall be—
(A) not less than 85 percent of the simple average price received by producers of soybeans, as determined by the Secretary, during the marketing years for the immediately preceding 5 crops of soybeans, excluding the year in which the average price was the highest and the year in which the average price was the lowest in the period; but
(B) not less than $4.92 or more than $5.26 per bushel.
(2) Sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, safflower, mustard seed, and flaxseed
The loan rate for a marketing assistance loan under section 7231 of this title for sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, safflower, mustard seed, and flaxseed, individually, shall be—
(A) not less than 85 percent of the simple average price received by producers of sunflower seed, individually, as determined by the Secretary, during the marketing years for the immediately preceding 5 crops of sunflower seed, individually, excluding the year in which the average price was the highest and the year in which the average price was the lowest in the period; but
(B) not less than $0.087 or more than $0.093 per pound.
(3) Other oilseeds
The loan rates for a marketing assistance loan under section 7231 of this title for other oilseeds shall be established at such level as the Secretary determines is fair and reasonable in relation to the loan rate available for soybeans, except in no event shall the rate for the oilseeds (other than cottonseed) be less than the rate established for soybeans on a per-pound basis for the same crop.
(Pub. L. 104–127, title I, § 132, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 905.)