Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act

(LATEST SUMMARY)

Agriculture Act - Limits to $20,000 the payments for commodities for persons under the Agriculture Act.

Requires a hearing on a proposed amendment to a milk order if requested by one-third of the producers. Revises the criteria for determining minimum prices under marketing orders and support prices to include assuring a level of farm income adequate to maintain productive capacity sufficient to meet anticipated future needs. Provides, under the Agricultural Adjustment Act, for a hearing on proposed amendments of milk marketing orders.

Makes the suspension of the butterfat support program and addition of the new price support criteria permanent.

Extends the dairy product pesticide idemnity program to cover cows and to other environmental pollutants contaminating cows or milk.

Authorizes the President to restrict dairy imports to persons to whom a license has been issued by the Secretary of Agriculture. Prohibits dairy import licenses from being sold or transferred. Extends the wool program under the Agriculture Act for 4 years. Expands the market promotion authority of the National Wool Act of 1954 to cover information on product quality, production management, and marketing improvement, and to provide for overseas promotion of U.S. mohair and goats.

Extends the wheat set-aside program under the Agriculture Act for 4 years. Provides for a program for the 1974 crops of wheat under which: (1) marketing certificates would not be issued to producers or, effective January 1, 1974, required to be purchased by processors; (2) if the higher of the level or average market price received by farmers during the first five months of the marketing year should be less than an "established" price of $2.05 per bushel, adjusted for 1975 and subsequent years to reflect changes in production costs, a government payment would be made to producers on each farm equal to the difference between such higher loan or average price and such established price multiplied by the projected yield of the farm acreage allotment; (3) the Secretary could permit guar, castor beans, or other crop to be counted as wheat for the purpose of preserving the farm wheat acreage allotment; and (4) the national acreage allotment would be calculated to cover both domestic consumption and exports, but would be apportioned among States, counties, and farms in the same manner as now provided for the national domestic allotment. Permits the Secretary to make payments to assist in carrying out practices on set-aside acres for pest and erosion control and the promotion of wildlife habitat.

Makes the provision requiring that the projected yield not be less than the producer's proven yield inapplicable to wheat. Provides for release without penalty of wheat stored to avoid penalty..

Provides for a set-aside program for the 1974 through 1977 crops of feed grains. States that if the higher of the loan level or average market price received by farmers during the first five months of the marketing year should be less than an "established" price of $1.38 per bushel adjusted for 1975 and subsequent years to reflect changes in production costs, a government payment would be made to producers on each farm equal to a calculated amount.

Authorizes the Secretary to permit guar, castor beans, or other crop to be counted as feed grains for the purpose of preserving the farm acreage allotment.

Calculates the national acreage allotment to cover both domestic consumption and exports, and provides that such allotment would be distributed among States, counties, and farms in essentially the same manner as now provided for the farm feed grain bases.

Permits the Secretary to make payments to assist in carrying out practices on set-aside acres for pest and erosion control and the promotion of wildlife habitat.

Provides for a set-aside program for the 1974 through 1977 crops of cotton. Provides that if the higher of the loan or the average spot market price during the first five months of the marketing year should be less than an "established" price of 38 cents per pound, adjusted for 1975 and subsequent years to reflect changes in production costs, a government payment would be made to producers on each farm equal to the difference between such higher loan or average price and such established price multiplied by the projected yeild of the farm acreage allotment. States that, in the case of farmers prevented from conserving crop, such payment would not be less than one-third of such established price.

Authorizes the Secretary to permit guar, castor beans, sesame, crambe, or any crop to be counted as cotton for the purpose of preserving the farm acreage allotment.

Ends the $10 million annual authorization for cotton promotion and research by Cotton, Inc.

Provides for a cotton insect pest eradication program with producers paying up to one-half the cost and receiving indemnities where special measures result in a loss of production. Provides for cooperation with Mexico in such program.

Provides that no agricultural commodities shall be sold under title I or title III or donated under title II of this Act to North Vietnam, unless by an Act of Congress enacted subsequent to July 1, 1973, assistance to North Vietnam is specifically authorized.

Extends the beekeeper indemnity program. Requires applications for export subsidies to specify the kind, class, and quantity of the agricultural commodity, and the regional geographic destination.

Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to report to the Congress on actions taken to implement the recommendations made in the Comptroller General's report on the Russian Wheat sale.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish, maintain and dispose of inventories of wheat, feed grains and soybeans to alleviate distress caused by a natural disaster.

Provides for an adequate supply of agriculture products in an emergency by allowing adjustments in the maximum price that can be charged.

Permits the Secretary, under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, the Great Plains Act and the Water Bank Act, to enter into contracts with owners of land who have such control as the Secretary determines is needed on farms, ranches, and other lands covered thereby.

Authorizes the Secretary to make available to owners conservation materials. Provides cost-sharing incentives to farmers when a multi-year contract is entered into on set-aside acreage.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to appoint an advisory board in each State to advise the State committee of the types of conservation measures needed to effectuate the purposes of this Act. Requires the establishment of a national advisory board to develop conservation and wildlife management programs.

Provides for a pilot forestry incentives program for nonindustrial forest lands.

Authorizes appropriations necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

Provides for the protection of agricultural workers from pesticide chemicals.

Maintains eligibility for food stamps of persons receiving public assistance under title XVI of the Security Act if they satisfy income and resources criteria.

States that, for food stamp program purposes, the term "able-bodied adult person" shall not include any narcotics addict or alcoholic who regularly participates in any treatment or rehabilitation program.

Permits food stamps to be used to purchase meals at places especially preparing meals for elderly persons.

Prohibits strikers from receiving food stamps unless they were previously eligible to receive such stamps.

Requires, under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, grants of up to 50 percent of the cost to be made to assist rural fire departments to acquire needed equipment.