Target Prices and Export Initiatives Act of 1983
PL 98-284 (H.R.2733), enacted 05/16/1984

PUBLIC LAW 98-284—MAY 16, 1984 
98 STAT. 181 
Public Law 98-
98th Congress 
•284 
An Act 
To extend and improve the existing program of research, development, and demon-
stration in the production and manufacture of guayule rubber, and to broaden such 
program to include other critical agricultural materials. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first 
section of the Native Latex Commercialization and Economic Devel-
opment Act of 1978 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act") is amended 
to read as follows: "That this Act may be cited as the 'Critical 
Agricultural Materials Act'.". 
SEC. 2. Section 2 of the Act is amended— 
(1) by inserting "(1)" after "SEC. 2. (a)"; 
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) through (e) as paragraphs 
(2) through (5); and 
(3) by striking out paragraph (5) (as so redesignated) and 
inserting in lieu thereof the following: 
"(5) Congress further recognizes that ongoing research into the 
development and commercialization of native latex has been con-
ducted by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Com-
merce, the National Science Foundation, and other public as well as 
private and industrial research groups, and that these research 
efforts should be continued and expanded."; and 
(4) by striking out subsection (f) and inserting in lieu thereof 
the following: 
"(b) In addition, Congress recognizes that the development of a 
domestic industry or industries for the production and manufacture 
from native agricultural crops of products other than rubber which 
are of strategic and industrial importance but for which the Nation 
is now dependent upon foreign sources, would benefit the economy, 
the defense, and the general well-being of the Nation, and that 
additional research efforts in this area should be undertaken or 
continued and expanded. 
"(c) It is therefore the policy of the United States to provide for 
the development and demonstration of economically feasible means 
of culturing and manufacturing Parthenium and other hydrocarbon-
containing plants, along with other native agricultural crops, for the 
production of critical agricultural materials to benefit the Nation 
and promote economic development.". 
SEC. 3. (a) Section 3(d) of the Act is amended to read as follows: 
"(d) The term 'native' means hydrocarbon-containing plants and 
other agricultural crops of strategic and industrial importance 
which may be cultured in North America, especially plants which 
are members of the genus Parthenium known as Guayule."; and 
(b) Section 3 of the Act is further amended by striking out 
subsection (e). 
SEC. 4. (a) Section 4(a) of the Act is amended by striking out 
"Guayule Research and Commercialization" and inserting in lieu 
thereof 
"Research and Development of Critical 
Agricultural 
Materials". 
May 16, 1984 
[H.R. 2733] 
7 u s e 178 note. 
7 u s e 178. 
Hydrocarbon-
containing 
plants. 
7 u s e 178a. 
7 u s e 178b. 
98 STAT. 182 
PUBLIC LAW 98-284—MAY 16, 1984 
7 use 178b. 
(b) Section 4(b) of the Act is amended to read as follows: 
"(b) The Joint Commission shall consist of the following members: 
Three individuals designated by the Secretary of Agriculture from 
among the staff of the Department of Agriculture; three individuals 
designated by the Secretary of Commerce from among the staff of 
the Department of Commerce; a representative of the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs of the Department of the Interior; a representative 
of the National Science Foundation; a representative of the Depart-
ment of State; a representative of the Department of Defense; and a 
representative of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
Each of the members of the Joint Commission shall be an individual 
who, on behalf of the Department or agency which such individual 
represents, is engaged in the support of research, development, 
demonstration, and commercialization activities involving native 
latex and the production of other critical agricultural materials 
from native agricultural crops.". 
(c) Section 4(c) of the Act is amended to read as follows: 
"(c) The Joint Commission shall be headed by a Chairman who 
shall be selected by the Secretary of Agriculture from among the 
three individuals designated by the Secretary as members under 
subsection (b).". 
(d) Section 4(h) of the Act is amended by striking out "rubber 
manufacturing and commerce" and inserting in lieu thereof "manu-
facturing and commerce involving rubber and other critical agricul-
7 use 178c. 
SEC. 5. Section 5 of the Act is amended— 
(1) by striking out the first sentence and inserting in lieu 
thereof the following: 
"(a) The Department of Agriculture shall be the lead agency in 
carrying out this Act. 
"(b) The Secretary of Agriculture shall conduct, sponsor, promote, 
and coordinate basic and applied research, technology development, 
and technology transfer leading to effective and economical methods 
for large-scale culturing of plantations and the extraction of latex 
from Parthenium or other hydrocarbon-containing plants, and for 
the development of other critical agricultural materials from native 
agricultural crops having strategic and industrial importance."; 
(2) by redesignating clauses (a) through (h) in the second 
sentence as paragraphs (1) through (8), respectively; 
(3) by striking out paragraph (3) (as so redesignated) and 
inserting in lieu thereof the following: 
"(3) accelerating present plant breeding, genetics, and selec-
tion programs for the purpose of improving and increasing latex 
yields, expanding insect and disease resistance, broadening the 
ranges of drought and cold resistance of the Parthenium plant, 
and providing a system of regional research trials for enhancing 
and increasing the supply of foundation seed for certified seed 
production;"; 
(4) by striking out paragraph (4) (as so redesignated) and 
inserting in lieu thereof the following: 
"(4) establishing a system of large-scale experimental plant-
ings (aggregating ten thousand acres or more) to provide shrub 
for feedstock to process in the developmental rubber processing 
facility described in paragraph (7);"; 
(5) by striking out paragraph (7) (as so redesignated) and 
inserting in lieu thereof the following: 
PUBLIC LAW 98-284—MAY 16, 1984 
98 STAT. 183 
"(7) accelerating the refinement of present extraction and 
processing technologies and future extraction technologies, 
including the development and construction of a developmental 
rubber processing facility for the extraction and production of 
test quantities of gua5aile natural rubber;"; 
(6) by striking out the period at the end of paragraph (8) (as so 
redesignated) and inserting in lieu thereof "; and , 
(7) by adding after paragraph (8) (as so redesignated) the 
following new paragraph: 
"(9) stud3dng the economic feasibility of developing other 
native agricultural crops (in addition to Parthenium and other 
hydrocarbon-containing plants) that would supply critical agri-
cultural materials for strategic and industrial purposes, and, to 
the extent appropriate, carrjdng out research activities with 
respect to such crops in the manner specified in paragraphs (1) 
through (8)."; and 
(8) by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: 
"(c) The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish within the 
Department of Agriculture an Office of Critical Agricultural Mate-
rials, as a central location where such Department can address 
research and development with respect to agricultural crops that 
have the potential of producing critical materials for strategic and 
industrial purposes.". 
SEC. 6. Section 6 of the Act is amended— 
(1) by inserting before the period at the end of the first 
sentence the following: "or the manufacture and commercializa-
tion of other critical agricultural materials from native agricul-
tural crops having strategic and industrial importance"; 
(2) by striking out "may be carried out through the Regional 
Commissions or otherwise and" in the second sentence; 
(3) by striking out "and" at the end of clause (e); 
(4) by striking out the period at the end of clause (f) and 
inserting in lieu thereof "; and"; and 
(5) by adding after clause (f) the following new clause: 
"(g) to the extent appropriate, carrying out research activities 
j^ 
with respect to native agricultural crops (other than Parthen-
ium and other hydrocarbon-containing plants) that would 
supply critical agricultural materials for strategic and indus-
trial purposes, in the manner specified in clauses (a) through 
(f).". 
SEC. 7. Section 7 of the Act is amended— 
(1) by inserting ", the Government of Australia, and the 
Government of Israel" after "Mexico"; and 
(2) by striking out "latex extraction and processing" and 
inserting in lieu thereof "extraction and processing of latex and 
other critical agricultural materials produced in the United 
States". 
SEC. 8. Section 8 of the Act is amended by inserting before the 
period at the end thereof the following: "or to other critical agricul-
tural materials". 
SEC. 9. Section 9 of the Act is amended— 
(1) by inserting "or the culture of other native agricultural 
crops which could supply critical agricultural materials" before 
the semicolon in clause (h); and 
(2) by inserting "or the technology of other native agricultural 
crops which could supply critical agricultural materials" before 
the semicolon in clause (i). 
Office of Critical 
Agricultural 
Materials, 
establishment. 
Research and 
development. 
7 use 178d. 
''i , 
7 use 178e. 
7 use 178f. 
7 use 178g. 
98 STAT. 184 
PUBLIC LAW 98-284—MAY 16, 1984 
7 use I78h. 
SEC. 10. Section 10 of the Act is amended— 
(1) by striking out "the provisions of this section" and insert-
ing in lieu thereof "the provisions of this Act"; 
(2) by striking out ", acting through the Regional Commis-
sions or otherwise,"; 
(3) by inserting "having expertise in native agricultural crops 
which could supply critical agricultural materials" after "per-
sonnel" in clause (b); and 
(4) by striking out "natural rubber manufacture" in clause (f) 
and inserting in lieu thereof "the activities authorized by this 
Act". 
7 use I78i. 
SEC. 11. Section 11 of the Act is amended— 
(1) by striking out "shall insure that their activities are 
closely coordinated with the activities of other Federal agen-
cies" and inserting in lieu thereof "shall cooperate with each 
other in the conduct of their activities under this Act, and shall 
insure that their activities under this Act are closely coordi-
nated with the activities of other Federal agencies"; 
(2) by inserting "Department of State," after "Department of 
Energy,"; and 
(3) by striking out "Federal Preparedness Agency, and 
others" and inserting in lieu thereof "Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency, and others,". 
7 use 178k. 
SEC. 12. Section 13 of the Act is amended— 
(1) by striking out "The Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Secretary of Commerce" and inserting in lieu thereof "The 
Secretaries"; 
(2) by inserting after "byproducts" the following: ", as well as 
products, other than rubber, developed from agricultural crops 
which are of strategic and industrial importance,"; and 
(3) by inserting after the first sentence the following new 
sentence: "Dispositions under this section may include sales of 
the materials involved to other Federal departments and agen-
cies for testing purposes.". 
7 use 178/. 
SEC. 13. Section 14 of the Act is amended by striking out "The 
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Commerce" and 
inserting in lieu thereof "The Secretaries". 
7 use 178m. 
SEC. 14. Section 15 of the Act is amended— 
(1) by striking out "The Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Secretary of Commerce" and inserting in lieu thereof "The 
(2) by striking out "1982" and inserting in lieu thereof "1987". 
Appropriation 
SEC. 15. (a) Section 16(a) of the Act is amended by striking out 
au.thorizations. 
"and" where it appears after "1981," and by inserting after "1983," 
the following: "$5,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
1984, $5,500,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1985, 
$6,500,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1986, $7,500,000 
for the fiscal year ending September 30,1987, and $8,000,000 for the 
fiscal year ending September 30,1988,". 
Ob) Section 16(b) of the Act is amended by striking out "and" 
where it appears after "1981," and by inserting after "1983," the 
following: "$2,500,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1984, 
$3,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1985, $3,500,000 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1986, $4,000,000 for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 1987, and $4,500,000 for the fiscal 
year ending September 30,1988,". 
7 u s e 178n. 
PUBLIC LAW 98-284—MAY 16, 1984 
98 STAT. 185 
(c) Section 16 of the Act is further amended by adding at the end 
7 use I78n. 
thereof the following new subsection: 
"(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretar-
ies and the Joint Commission shall limit their activities under this 
Act to critical agricultural materials other than native latex after 
the close of the fiscal year ending September 30,1988.". 
Approved May 16, 1984. 
.SB--. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2733: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 98-109, Pt. 1 (Comm. on Agriculture) and Pt. 2 (Comm. on 
Science and Technology). 
SENATE REPORT No. 98-164 (Comm. on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 129 (1983): May 17, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 130 (1984): May 1, considered and passed Senate.