Agricultural Trade Act

(Measure laid on table in House, S. 3447 passed in lieu)

Agricultural Trade Act - =Title I: Agricultural Counselor= - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1954 to establish the position of Agricultural Counselor or Agricultural Attache. Directs that an Agricultural Counselor be appointed in any country in which (1) other governments compete for agricultural markets; (2) the potential is great for long-term expansion of agricultural markets; or (3) competition for potential markets with other countries is intense.

Authorizes each Federal agency, upon the request of the Secretary of Agriculture, to make its services, personnel, and facilities available, in a reimbursable arrangement, to the officers or employees appointed or assigned under this title.

=Title II: Establishment of United States Agricultural Trade Offices= - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1954 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish abroad not less than 6 nor more than 16 United States Agricultural Trade Offices, for the purpose of developing, maintaining, and expanding international markets for United States agricultural commodities.

=Title III: Intermediate Commercial Credit= - Amends the Food for Peace Act of 1966 to require the Commodity Credit Corporation to finance, under its export credit sales program, export sales of agricultural commodities out of its own and private stocks on credit terms in excess of three years, but not more than ten years. Limits such credit to: (1) the sale to a foreign country of grain necessary to establish or maintain a reserve stock pursuant to such country's obligations under any international grain agreement; or (2) the sale of breeding livestock, including the cost of export freight.

=Title IV: Trade with Nonmarket Economy Countries= - Authorizes the Commodity Credit Corporation to extend credit, credit guarantees, and investment guarantees, not to exceed three years, directly or indirectly, to any eligible nonmarket economy country, on condition that such country: (1) purchases during the calendar year a quantity of any agricultural commodity which exceeds the average annual quantity of such commodity purchased by such country during the three-calendar-year period 1975 through 1977; and (2) give the Corporation reasonable assurances of repayment in accordance with the terms under which such credit is extended.

=Title V: Reorganization= - Abolishes the position of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs and Commodity Programs. Establishes in the Department of Agriculture the position of Under Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs and Commodity Programs, appointed by the President.

=Title VI: General Provisions= - Requires the Secretary to transmit to Congress annual reports on the activities and accomplishments of the Department, especially those of the United States Agricultural Trade Offices, in developing, maintaining, and expanding foreign markets for United States agricultural commodities.

Directs the Secretary to appoint an interagency task force within the Department to analyze the effectiveness of the export sales reporting provisions of the Agricultural Act of 1970, and to report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate committees of Congress.

Requires the Secretary, within six months after enactment, to report to Congress on the impact of this Act on American agriculture.