Legal Document

337 U.S. 755 69 Supreme Court Reporter 1274 93 L.Ed. 1672 FARMERS RESERVOIR & IRRIGATION CO.v.McCOMB, Administrator of Wage and Hour Division, Dept. Labor. McCOMB, Labor, versus CO. Nos. 128 196. Argued Dec. 16, 1948. Decided June 27, 1949. Rehearing Denied Oct. 10, See 70 31. Messrs. John Pacific KF135 P2 Akolt, Frank N. Bancroft, Denver, Colo., for Farmers Reservoir Irrigation company Mr. Jeter S. Ray, Washington, D.C., McComb. Chief Justice VINSON delivered the opinion Court. 1 The principal question to be decided in this case is whether employees a mutual ditch are exempt from provisions Fair Labor Standards Act1 as persons employed agriculture. Company, Colorado corporation having an authorized capital stock $1,050,000 bonded indebtedness $850,000, $450,000 which presently outstanding hands public. has central offices Denver. It owns four large several small reservoirs system canals 200 300 miles long, all Colorado. sole activity collection, storage distribution water irrigation purposes. diverted public streams Colorado, stored company's distributed farmers through canals. 2 one. does not sell water. distributes it only its own stockholders, who each entitled limited quantity share held. income derived largely assessments levied on stockholders annually pay costs operating system. There no profits dividends. 3 did comply with either record keeping or wages hours Act, sought injunction directed against continuation these alleged violations. claimed that were subject Act. These fall into two categories. First, there field employees—ditch riders, lake tenders maintenance men. Their activity, general, consists physical operation, control canals, reservoirs, headgates. second category comprises office force For purposes contains one occupant bookkeeper. 4 District held engaged production goods commerce, those terms defined § but bookkeeper was not. held, however, under 13(a)(6) 'employed agriculture.' This holding reversed, employees, by Appeals Tenth Circuit,2 judge dissenting, and, Number 128, we granted petition certiorari exemption issue. pass bookkeeper's status. regarded his moot because salary said company, brief, have been raised $210 per month while appeal pending. court sufficient establish administrative employee 13(a)(1) Act therefore consideration reversal employees. In 196, Administrator's cross-petition respect 5 conceded here courts below correct employe commerce. argues requires conclusion they argument rests fact activities entirely confined within State diverts stores who, finally, consume products moving interstate commerce agricultural commodities produced Hence, can hold if say their work supplying integral part farm shipped But is, course must 6 misconstruction 3(j) Act3—the section relied concluding Section provides 'for shall deemed such * any process occupation necessary thereof.'4 From beginning, refused read provision out limiting coverage actually or, other hand, expand so include every affecting We occupation, itself 'a close immediate tie' production, comes 3(j).5 Applying standard, quite properly necessary, statutory sense, commerce.6 7 require us production. distinction between necessity identity, differently phrased, normal sense special disposes contention. termed answer predetermined scope connection, production.7 8 Agriculture, includes more than elemental planting, growing harvesting crops. host incidental process. Whether particular type depends, measure. upon way organized society. determination cannot made abstract. less advanced societies function many types which, others, agricultural. fashioning tools, fertilizer, processing product, mention few examples, functions some societies, performed routine. Economic progress, characterized progressive division labor separation function. Tools tool manufacturer, specializes kind supplies them farmer. compost heap replaced factory fertilizers. Power electricity gasoline rather supplied farmer's mules. Wheat ground at mill. total economic become, development specialization, separate independent productive operated conjunction longer it. Thus, determined agriculture nor similarity done situations. carried separately activity. farmhand cares mules prepares fertilizer man power plant8 packer factory9 agriculture, even replaces previously farmers. manufacture functions, 9 absence detailed definition should compelled determine concerned present case—the diversion, wate purposes—is conducted treated independent, nonagricultural Fortunately, carefully considered substantial aid helping make determination. 10 contained 3(f) says: 11 'Sec. 3(f). 'Agriculture' farming branches among things cultivation tillage soil, dairying, cultivation, growing, horticultural (including 15(g) Agricultural Marketing amended), raising livestock, bees, furbearing animals, poultry, practices forestry lumbering operations) farmer incident operations, including preparation market, delivery market carriers transportation market.' 12 As readily seen distinct branches. primary meaning. Agriculture Certain specific etc., listed being included Second, broader illustrated. practices, themselves farm, incidently 'such' operations. 13 Dealing order clear, first, farming. farms raises Irrigation, strictly defined—that actual watering soil-may doubt called And seeing released ditches plants undoubtedly cultivating tilling soil. significant clear definite carries lands When desires he irrigate fields notifies company. Its then operate headgates, located forbidden operate,10 appropriate off land ditches. responsibility ceases when release headgates takes over uses it, laterals, sees fit, 14 then, soil commodity. contended, nevertheless use, definition, words 'production commodities' addition tillage, harvesting, etc. Since produce include, Act,' t argued commodities. thus distinguished exemptions, Congress provide named also occupations whose 15 If intended convey meaning using word should, course, give scope. do 'make fortress dictionary.'11 have, therefore, consistently pervert interpretation mechanically applying definitions unintended contexts. Lawson Suwanee Fruit S.S. Co., 1949, 336 198, 503; Atlantic Cleaners Dyers United States, 1932, 286 427, 52 607, 76 1204. case, legislative history confirms what natural reading language would indicate—the used artificial 3(j). Certainly, meant surplusage remainder wrought definition. hardly innocuously placed 'cultivation,' 'tillage,' 'growing,' 'harvesting.' need speculate congressional use crystal clear. added take care situation—the turpentine gum rosins involving tapping living trees. had indications since neither cultivated grown.12 amendment, 15(g), specifying Act.13 To insure inclusion 'including amended.'14 16 unnecessary decide whether, view history, given expanded sense. follows encompass said, term, 17 not, But, coming branch equally constitute practice exempted exempt. limited. Such farm.15 18 Congress. originally introduced, covered On floor Senate objected exclude threshing wheat hands, companies devoted solely job.16 situation 'or farm' companies, though enterprises, farm.17 face careful language, required limit limited, farm. 19 learly, Nor, think, 'by farmer.' already farming, perhaps too obvious contrary made. based one, owned whom serves. merely formal conduit agent, cooperatively common supply employ men are, 20 Even farmers, still fact, employed. difference hiring servants group employers creation business organization, officers, property, indebtedness, turn hires working Those real shareholders organization. They hired fired controlled paid organization corporate adds picture controlling. controlling set up entity integrated, unitary divorced operation self-contained forbidden, by-laws, interfere.18 profit immaterial. nonetheless employer. Of material provided cooperatives benefit honor provision. existing clearly shows result intended.19 21 conclude correctly agriculture.20 remains case. exempt, event, employee. erred doing disclaims—as Court—any reliance exemption. our discussion regard makes decision claim exemption, applicable stipulated clerical manual Borden Borella, 1945, 325 679, 65 3, 89 1865, 161 American Law Reports 1258. fours workers engaged, judgment Appeals, reversing remanding both 22 modified, affirmed. 23 Modified 24 FRANKFURTER, concurring. 25 Both employments covers exemptions cast duty making distinctions often bound nice appear arbitrary relation other. A situation, like presented presents problem construction may nearly equal reason resolved another. Except conflict Courts settlement Court, seem me very profitable bring individual cases adjudication. decided. nature N Immigration Nationality Decisions acquiesce commends majority my brethren. 26 JACKSON, dissenting. 27 works crops destined 'producing commerce' agree agriculture' exemptions. 28 admitted enterprise handling regulating captured, stored, transmitted, consumed state. reasoning brought this: deliver arid inseparable thereon goods, crops, 29 However, States Code KF62 213(a)(6), Annotated KF65 U5 exempts individuals logical producing according seems endowed esoteric duplicity apparent face. 206 207, §§ 206, irrigator crop production; half-dozen sections get 213(a), (6), converted disconnected enterprise. 30 paradox attributed agricuture 203(f), 'in sense' same thing statute, 203(j), 203(j). text show purpose comprehensive 'normal' operations certain nothing connected remained 'any operations.' Thus end line fence. 31 'performed farmer' hence, Certainly lost pool mutual, nonprofit whatever carry possible form liability project subsidiary main beyond means demands individuals. Only landowners become stockholders; users, charges met assessing proportion benefits. Employees different footing selling profit. 32 If, holds, see how could 'To be: question,' might reasonably support side. tells solution dilemma 'to be' 'not time. While unique contribution literature construction, regret great loss drama possibility overlooked Bard Avon. will probably now surprise proponents Shakespeare, suggested him. Statutes-at-Large 1060, 201—219, 201 219. 1948, 167 Federal Reporter, 2nd Series 911. 1061, Emphasis added. Kirschbaum Walling, 1942, 316 517, 525, 62 1116, 1120, 1121, 86 1638; Armour Wantock, 1944, 323 126, 165, 118; Roland Electric 1946, 326 657, 663, 66 413, 415, 416, 90 383. 'Necessary' understates indispensable prerequisite Cultivation began ceases. Under circumstances, immediacy connection petitioner's providing irrigation. fallacy notion nexus demonstrated authority well logic. Boutell 327 463, 631, 786; example, wer service trucks carrying 13(b)(1), carrier regulation Interstate Commerce Commission. carrier. divided Motor Carrier 49 301 et seq., suggestion opinions that, carrier, attention contention similar here. Dize Maddrix, Cir., 144 584, affirmed, 324 697, 895, 1296; local boxes fishermen ship fish covering fishing, manufacturer 'fishing' fishing. rejected summarily. Meeker Cooperative Light Association Phillips, 158 698. McComb Super-A Fertilizer Works, 165 824. Article VII, Company's By-Laws follows: 'All maintained exclusive stockholder person right interfere with, reconstruct, repair, change, alter, open manner whatsoever.' L. Hand, J., Cabell Markham, 148 737, 739, affirmed Markham Cabell, 404, 193, 165. S.Rep.No.230, 71st Cong., 2d Sess. (1930). 46 1550, 1141j(g), 1141j(g). originated 2354, That bill reported (S.Rep.No.230) passed. 72 Cong.Rec. 7016 come vote House. substance H.R. 16836, amendment oleomargarine tax laws, became law. 74 6688, 7196 (1931). 'production' House bills bill, 2475, 75th 1st Sess., passed, reference following way: '. . 'agriculture' further subdivision (g) *' 81 7659 (1937). faulty, referred retained first debated 82 1580, 1690 voted recommit bill. 1835. committee, completely redrafted omitted. H.R.Rep.No.2182, 3d (1938). passed form. conference, agreed version adopted, three stated exceptions. relevant here—the reinsertion obviously grammatically correct. committee report states change 'The H.R.Rep.No.2738, Page Although here, additional requirement processing, premises done. Bowie Gonzalez, 1941, 117 11. 'Mr. Tydings. vizualize performing service. refer threshing. He machine, hauls enters contracts thresh crops; point dealing commodity, necessarily farmer, ordinarily Borah. exact before took up. true; think drawn detail exemption.' 7653 comments Senator Bone, id. 7659. 7888 n. supra. debate Houses awareness cooperative associations At various times amendments offered, exempting cooperatives. 7947 (1937), 1783 All were, omitted finally Interpretative Bulletin issued Administrator, Regulations 780, 81—82 (Supp.1947). lacks relevance intention 1938, note precise involved discussed length 1946 stated, without objection, 92 2318 2319 (1946).

Classification Label: 6