Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: 7 USC 178c.

Function: Mitigation

Law Description: This allows the Secretary of Agriculture to encourage research relative to the culture and extraction of latex from Parthenium or other hydrocarbon-containing plants. This research would be to, among other things, increase the drought tolerance of these plants. This appears to have last been amended by PL 102-237, Title X, sec. 1005(1), Dec 13,1991, 105 Stat. 1894.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-(ARS, NRCS)

Customers Served: Producers of plants that produce latex.

How is this law related to drought? The research will, at some point in time, result in latex producing plants that will better withstand drought.

Law Limitations: This is authorizing legislation. There is a need for appropriations to accomplish the legislative purpose.

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1301

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938-Loans, Parity Payments, Consumer Safeguards, Marketing Quotas, and Marketing Certificates--Part A--Definitions, Loans, Parity Payments and Consumer Safeguards 7 USC Sec. 1301. Definitions

Function: Mitigation

Law Description: In (b)(8)(A) the term "adjusted for abnormal weather conditions" is used for the trends in yields for wheat production. It is specifically not allowed for cotton.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA

Customers Served: Wheat farmers

How is this law related to drought? The yield figures used for the calculation of long term yields are to be adjusted for any year and area that the Secretary of Agriculture determines that drought has impacted.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: The case of cotton and the calculation of yield trend as a result of "abnormal weather conditions" may be interpreted that drought yield reductions can't be exempted from the 5 years of data needed to formulate the Cotton "National average yield."

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1301

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35; SubChap II; Part A; Sec 1301

Function: Response

Law Description: In applying the "Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938" the Secretary of Agriculture may, if drought or other "uncontrollable natural cause …occurs, recalculate the "normal yield." If the drought year yield is less than 75% of the "normal yield" the Secretary can just drop that year's yield out of the five to ten year yields used. This applies to Section 1301.(b)(13)(A)or (B) for peanuts, and the construction for Section 1301.(b)(13)(D) or (E) was that if the yield is less than 75% of "normal" for rice or wheat, then substitute 75% "normal" into the calculations for the "normal" yield.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Cash grain farmers

How is this law related to drought? The calculation of the "normal" yield establishes what the farmers will be paid by the Federal Government if a drought occurs.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7UCS1306

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35; SubChap II; Part A; Sec 1306

Function: Response

Law Description: This section allows using projected yields rather than actual yields for years when drought caused crop failure. It only applied to the years 1974 to 1977.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Wheat farmers

How is this law related to drought? Projected yields if drought didn’t occur will be more than the actual yields during a drought year.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1313

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35; SubChap II; Part B; SubPart I; Sec. 1313.

Function: Response

Law Description: The Secretary of Agriculture is directed to consider the effects of drought in previous year(s) when establishing the current year's tobacco market quota for a farm.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Tobacco Farmers

How is this law related to drought? If the quota is increased as a result of lowered yields caused by drought, then the farmer can sell more tobacco in a later year.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1314i

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35; SubChap II; Part B; SubPart I; Sec. 1314i

Function: Response

Law Description: If drought causes pool inventories of Burley or Flue-cured tobacco to be depleted, the Secretary of Agriculture may reduce the minimum amount of domestic tobacco that cigarette manufacturers are required to utilize below 75%.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Cigarette manufacturers.

How is this law related to drought? Because domestic cigarette companies are required to utilize at least 75% Burley or Flue-cured tobacco in their product, when drought curtails supply, price rises and this act allows the companies to purchase foreign tobacco and thus not be subject to extremely high prices.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1331

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35; SubChap II; Part B; SubPart iii; Sec. 1331.

Function: Response

Law Description: While this section talks about the need to avoid either undersupply or oversupply of wheat because of the effect on interstate commerce, etc., there are a series of amendments that stretch back into the 1970's saying it doesn't apply to the current five years that the farm bill encompasses.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Wheat & other grain farmers.

How is this law related to drought? Doesn't really apply, even though the word drought is H11in the code. It is a "sense of the Congress" piece of code that currently doesn't apply, and hasn't applied for quite a few years because every farm bill writes it out for the five years that the farm bill applies for.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1341

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35; SubChap II; Part B; SubPart iv; Sec. 1341.

Function: Response

Law Description: While this section discusses the need to avoid either undersupply or oversupply of cotton because of the effect on interstate commerce, etc., there is a note that says it doesn't apply to the current five years (1996-2002) for "crops of loan commodities, peanuts, and sugar."

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Cotton farmers

How is this law related to drought? Doesn't really apply, even though the word drought is in the code. It is a "sense of the Congress" piece of code that currently doesn't apply, and hasn't applied for quite a few years because every farm bill writes it out for the five years that the farm bill applies for.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1350

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35; SubChap II; Part B; SubPart iv; Sec. 1350.

Function: Response

Law Description: In the event of drought, section 1350(e)(2) allows the Secretary of Agriculture to consider acres not planted to cotton because of the drought to have been planted to cotton. In 1350.(h) the Secretary of Agriculture may find that if a portion of the farm base acreage that is affected by drought can be utilized by other farms in the county, then those acres may be transferred to those farms.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Cotton farmers

How is this law related to drought? In the event of drought, this code prevents the acreage of cotton from shrinking because of the acres that aren't in the base acreage of the county, etc.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1358-1

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35; SubChap II; Part B; SubPart vi; Sec. 1358-1.

Function: Response

Law Description: In the event of drought, section 1358-1(b)(4)(A) allows the Secretary of Agriculture to consider the farm's poundage quota of peanuts not produced because of drought, then the farm poundage quota shall be considered to have been produced. In 1358-1.(b)(8)(A) the Secretary of Agriculture also may find that the farm quota poundage not harvested and marketed because of drought, ... beyond the control of the producer, may be transferred to the quota loan pool ...

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Peanut farmers

How is this law related to drought? In the event of drought, this code prevents the acreage of peanuts from shrinking because of the acres that aren't in the base acreage of the county, etc.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1359ff

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35; SubChap II; Part B; SubPart vii; Sec. 1359-ff.

Function: Response

Law Description: In the event of drought, section 1359-ff(b)(4)(B) directs the Secretary of Agriculture to add the farm's sugarcane acreage not able to be harvested because of drought when determining the farm's acreage base.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Sugarcane producers

How is this law related to drought? In the event of drought, this code prevents the acreage of sugarcane from shrinking because of the acres that aren't in the base acreage of the county, etc.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1379c

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938-Loans, Parity Payments, Consumer Safeguards, Marketing Quotas, and Marketing Certificates--Wheat Marketing Allocation 7 USC Sec. 1379c. Marketing Certificates

Function: Mitigation

Law Description: The Secretary (of Agriculture) shall provide for the issuance of wheat marketing certificates for each marketing year for which a wheat marketing allocation program is in effect for the purpose of enabling producers on any farm with respect to which certificates are issued to receive, in addition to the other proceeds from the sale of wheat, an amount equal to the value of such certificates.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Wheat farmers

How is this law related to drought? No data

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1379-c

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35; SubChap II; Part D Sec. 1379-c.

Function: Response

Law Description: In the event of drought, section 1379c.(a) directs the Secretary of Agriculture to consider an acreage of wheat not planted because of drought, ... shall be deemed to be an actual acreage of wheat planted for harvest for purposes of this subsection provided such acreage is not subsequently planted to any crop for which there are marketing quotas or voluntary adjustment programs in effect.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Wheat farmers

How is this law related to drought? In the event of drought, this code prevents the acreage of wheat from shrinking because of the acres that aren't in the base acreage of the county, etc.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1427

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: USC Title 7; Chap 35A; SubChap I; Sec. 1427.

Function: Response

Law Description: Sec. 1427 (e)(1) provides, Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the Corporation [Commodity Credit Corporation], on such terms and conditions as the Secretary may consider in the public interest, may -- (A) make available any farm commodity or product thereof owned or controlled by the Corporation for use in relieving distress -- (i) ... (ii) in connection with any major disaster determined by the President to warrant assistance by the Federal Government under the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.); and (B) donate or sell commodities in accordance with subchapter V [7 USC 1471a.] of this chapter. Public Law 98-180, 97 Stat. 1151, authorized the Secretary to provide damaged corn to livestock producers beginning in late 1983. Public Law 100-387,Title I, Sec. 101(b)(4), Aug. 11, 1998, 102 Stat. 932 repealed the section allowing the use of damaged corn to feed livestock and poultry if the shortage was caused by drought. There is a note that this section is inapplicable to 1996 through 2002 crops of loan commodities, peanuts, and sugar and inapplicable to milk during period beginning Apr. 4, 1996 and ending Dec. 31, 2002 …

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Livestock and poultry farmers

How is this law related to drought? If desired, the Congress could pass legislation to empower this piece of code, so that during a drought, the Secretary of Agriculture could move commodities that are in storage out to either provide for free, or could sell at a reduced price to people who are suffering from severe drought.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: This section of code, when active, allowed farmers to utilize a source of feed which normally was unavailable, and which reduced the animal feeders' costs of operation when feed would have been expensive.

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1441-2

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: 7 USC Sec. 1441-2.

Function: Response

Law Description: If an emergency is created by drought, the Secretary of Agriculture, using Sec. 1441-2(e)(7)(B), may modify or terminate any participation agreements with rice farmers.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Rice farmers

How is this law related to drought? Rice farmers suffering from a severe drought can be released from their participation agreements by the Secretary of Agriculture. This will give them more freedom to acquire income to make it through the drought.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1444

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: 7 USC Sec. 1444.

Function: Response

Law Description: Sec. 1444 (d)(3) provides, the Secretary of Agriculture can find that 1966-1970 acreage is not planted to upland cotton because of drought . As long as the acreage isn't planted to some other crop that has a market quota or agriculture program, then the cotton acreage is treated as if it were planted. Sec. 1444 (e) is the program for the [1971-1977] cotton crop. In (2) the Secretary may find that if drought, or other disaster prevents planting any portion of the allotment, the rate of payment for such portion shall be the larger of (A) the foregoing rate, or (B) one-third of the established price. If the Secretary determines that, because of such a disaster or condition, the total quantity of cotton which the producers are able to harvest on any farm is less than 66\2/3\ percent of the farm base acreage allotment times the average yield established for the farm, the rate of payment for the deficiency in production below 100 percent shall be the larger of (A) the foregoing rate, or (B) one-third of the established price. Paragraph (e)(2) provides special conditions for small farms. The payment rate with respect to any producer who (i) is on a small farm (that is, a farm on which the base acreage allotment is ten acres or less, or on which the yield used in making payments times the farm base acreage allotment is five thousand pounds or less, and for which the base acreage allotment has not been reduced under section 1350(f) of this title, (ii) resides on such farm, and (iii) derives his principal income from cotton produced on such farm, shall be increased by 30 per centum; but, notwithstanding paragraph (3), such increase shall be made only with respect to his share of cotton actually harvested on such farm within the quantity specified in paragraph (3). Paragraph (e)(3) provides, if the acreage not planted is determined by the Secretary, to be due to drought, then it shall be considered to be planted. The second reference to drought provides that the actual yields shall be adjusted by the Secretary for abnormal yields in any year caused by drought, flood, or other natural disaster. Paragraph (h)(4, 5, & 6) establishes a program for extra long staple cotton beginning with the 1984 crop. Paragraph (4) provides, the farm program payment yield for each crop of extra long staple cotton shall be determined on the basis of the actual yields per harvested acre on the farm for the preceding three years, except that the actual yields shall be adjusted by the Secretary for abnormal yields in any year caused by drought, flood, or other natural disaster, or any other condition beyond the control of the producers. If the Secretary finds that there is an imbalance of supply and demand for the long staple cotton, he can impose restrictions on the program. The following applies to how the Secretary may determine acreage, etc for the restriction. "The acreage base for any farm for the purpose of determining any reduction required to be made for any year as a result of a limitation under this subparagraph shall be the average acreage planted on which the determination is made. Paragraph (h)(4, 5, & 6) provides, for the purpose of the preceding sentence, acreage planted to extra long staple cotton for harvest shall include any acreage which the producers were prevented from planting to extra long staple cotton or other nonconserving crops in lieu of extra long staple cotton because of drought, flood, or other natural disaster or other condition beyond the control of the producers. Paragraph (h)(6), provides E29that if a farmer desires to participate in a program for extra long staple cotton will execute an agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary may, by mutual agreement with the producers on the farm, terminate, or modify any such agreement if the Secretary determines such action necessary because of an emergency created by drought, or other disaster ... .

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Cotton farmers, Long staple cotton producers

How is this law related to drought? Treating drought acreage as planted will reduce farmers' costs and won't cut their long-term program acres. A small cotton farmer, suffering from drought, will be paid 130% of what his actual cotton harvest would have brought. Acreage not planted because of drought, will be treated as if it had been planted and thus will not reduce the farmer's program acreage. Drought is a condition that allows the Secretary of Agriculture to either reduce the terms that farmers have to meet or even can forgo the terms and thus reduce the farmer's production costs. Depending upon the market forces acting upon the supply of long staple cotton, the Secretary of Agriculture can adjust the yield used in the program if drought has caused a reduction in the yield. In the event of severe drought, the Secretary of Agriculture can modify or drop the terms of the program agreement with the long staple cotton producer.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1463

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: 7 USC Sec. 1463.

Function: Response

Law Description: Sec. 1463 defines crop acreage bases and (c)(2) describes that the crop acreage base is considered to have been planted when producers can't plant because of drought.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Farmers, who are able to grow agricultural program crops.

How is this law related to drought? This code also allows the agriculture programs to assume that acreage not planted because of drought, is planted. This will mean that the rolling average acres for the program will not decline.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1471a

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: 7 USC Sec. 1471a.

Function: Response

Law Description: 7 USC 1471a provides, (a) the Secretary of Agriculture can determine that a livestock emergency exists in the state or county because of drought, or other cause, and can then provide emergency livestock feed assistance.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Livestock farmers

How is this law related to drought? The Secretary can provide emergency feed when a drought emergency occurs.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1471b

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: 7 USC Sec. 1471b.

Function: Response

Law Description: Either the Governor or the county committee (established under 16 USC 590h., where it provides that the Secretary will establish a committee of no less than 3 and no more than 5 producers who receive benefits from the program) may determine that a livestock emergency exists in the State or county and they may submit a request to the Secretary of Agriculture for emergency livestock feed assistance. If the Secretary agrees with their finding, then he can proceed as is detailed in 7 USC 1471a. In 7 USC 1471b(b) the Secretary may make his own determination and proceed as in 7 USC 1471a.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Livestock farmers

How is this law related to drought? This is an alternate way for livestock farmers to receive benefits when a drought emergency exists.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1471c

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: 7 USC Sec. 1471c.

Function: Response

Law Description: 7 USC 1471c provides, (a) Qualifying livestock producers (1) If the Secretary [of Agriculture] determines that a livestock emergency exists in a State, county, or area, qualifying livestock producers located in such State, county, or area, or in a contiguous county as provided for in [7 USC 1471a(b)] of this title, shall be eligible (under application procedures established by the Secretary [of Agriculture] for emergency feed assistance under this subchapter in accordance with this subsection. (2) For the purposes of this subsection, a ``qualifying livestock producer'' is a livestock producer who has suffered a substantial loss in feed normally produced on the farm for such producer's livestock as a result of the livestock emergency and, as a result, does not have sufficient feed that has adequate nutritive value and is suitable for each of such producer's particular types of livestock (as of the date of the request, or initiation of consideration, for a determination of a livestock emergency under section 1471b of this title) for the estimated duration of the emergency. 7 USC 1471c provides, (3) Each qualifying livestock producer shall be eligible for emergency feed assistance under the programs specified in section 1471d(a) of this title that is made available where the producer is located in quantities sufficient to meet such feed deficiency with respect to the producer's livestock normally fed with feed produced by the producer. 7 USC 1471c. (b) availability of additional assistance Each livestock producer in such State, county, or area, or in a contiguous county as provided for in section 1471a(b) of this title, regardless of whether the producer qualifies for assistance under subsection (a) of this section, shall be eligible for emergency assistance under the programs specified in section 1471e of this title that are made available where the producer is located.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Livestock producers in counties that have drought or that are in counties bordering on the drought counties.

How is this law related to drought? This allows the secretary to extend the livestock benefits of agriculture programs into counties that are not totally within a drought area. I f some farms are over the line, in another county, they too can be pulled into the programs by this section.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1471d

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: Price Support of Agricultural Commodities -- Emergency Livestock Feed Assistance Act of 1988 7 USC Sec. 1471d. Assistance programs.

Function: Response

Law Description: Available Programs --In accordance with section 1471c(a) of this title, the Secretary shall make one or more of the following assistance programs available to qualifying livestock producers in a State, county or area, if the Secretary determines that the livestock emergency in such State, county or area requires the implementation of such program: (1) The donation of feed grain owned by the Commodity Credit Corporation to producers who are financially unable to purchase feed under paragraph (2) or to participate in any other program authorized under this subsection.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Livestock producers

How is this law related to drought? Allows Secretary (of Agriculture) to create assistance programs for qualifying livestock producers.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1471e

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: Price Support of Agricultural Commodities -- Emergency Livestock Feed Assistance Act of 1988 7 USC Sec. 1471e. Assistance programs

Function: Response

Law Description: Determination by Secretary (of Agriculture)--In addition to the assistance provided under section 1471d of this title, if the Secretary determines that the livestock emergency also requires the implementation of one or more of the assistance programs described in subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall implement such programs.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Livestock producers

How is this law related to drought? Allows Secretary (of Agriculture) to create assistance programs for qualifying livestock producers.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1508

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: Crop Insurance

Function: Response

Law Description: 7 USC 1508 (a) provides, crop Insurance may operate if the losses are caused by drought. The insurance may not cover losses other than "in the field." (appears to mean that the insurance can not be used to cover losses that might occur while in storage.) Several exclusions are listed in (a)(3). They are logical for an insurance program, i.e. won't cover losses through neglect or malfeasance, won't cover losses from poor farming practices, and if it is customary to reseed and this is not done, the Secretary of Agriculture won't cover the loss.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA

Customers Served: Crop producers

How is this law related to drought? This appears to give the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to utilize crop insurance on eligible crops if they are damaged by drought. There may be other sections of code that need to be examined relative to crop insurance.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: The code doesn't provide funding nor even authorization to obtain funding through a funding measure.

U.S. Code Number: 7 USC 1519

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: Crop Insurance

Function: Response

Law Description: Section 1519.(a) provides, the Secretary of Agriculture is able to "establish a noninsured crop disaster assistance program" equivalent to that available in sec. 1508 of Chap 36. In Sec. 1519(h)(3) the producer who is able to receive drought loss payments from two or more different programs is required to choose and only take from one.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA

Customers Served: Crop producers

How is this law related to drought? This gives the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to establish a noninsured crop insurance program. One of the obvious problems is, this doesn't authorize or provide funding for such a program. There may be other sections of code that need to be examined relative to crop insurance .

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: The code doesn't provide funding nor even authorization to obtain funding through a funding measure.

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1838

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: Soil Bank Program

Function: Response, Mitigation

Law Description: Appears to be only for years 1965 - 1970.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-FSA

Customers Served: Land owners

How is this law related to drought? No data

Law Limitations: This program doesn't exist anymore.

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1929a

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: Rural Development Insurance Fund

Function: Response

Law Description: This section allows loan guarantees for rural entities, cooperatives, or Indian tribes in order to alleviate distress caused by the drought of 1988 or 89.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-RMA

Customers Served: Rural people

How is this law related to drought? This program guaranteed loans to relieve distress caused by drought in '88 & '89.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data

U.S. Code Number: 7USC1964

Chapter: Department of Agriculture

Law Title/Statute: Ag Credit Emergency Loans

Function: Response.

Law Description: This subchapter is for emergency loans. The Community Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1977 (CEDRA77) is PL 95-31, dated May 23, 1977, 91 Stat. 169. In 1964, (e) the Secretary of Agriculture may use this if a political subdivision has a population of fewer than 10,000, but if the population is over 10,000, they would be eligible for a grant under the CEDRA77 as long as CEDRA77 is or has been in effect.

Agencies (Primary agency listed first): USDA-RDA

Customers Served: Rural communities

How is this law related to drought? A drought may qualify the local community for an emergency loan.

Law Limitations: No data

Unmet needs at federal, state, local, and tribal levels (includes changes from customer or "provider" perspective: No data