A bill to provide market expansion and income protection for farmers, assure consumers an abundance of food and fiber at reasonable prices, and for other purposes.
Agriculture Act of 1985 - Title I: Dairy - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to set milk price support levels at 90 percent of the previous three year average. Provides for: (1) automatic price support revisions on April 1 and October 1 of 1986 through 1989; and (2) additional adjustments based on Government purchase levels.
Extends authority through 1989 for: (1) the dairy indemnity program; and (2) the program of dairy product transfers to the military and veterans' hospitals.
Amends specified milk marketing order provisions.
Title II: Wool and Mohair - Amends the National Wool Act of 1954 to extend the wool program through 1989.
Title III: Wheat - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to set loan and purchase levels for the 1986 through 1989 wheat crops at 75 percent of the preceding five year average, excluding high and low years. Limits annual adjustments to not more than ten percent.
Sets 1986 target prices at not less than 1985 levels. Sets target prices beginning in 1987 at 110 percent of the preceding five year average, excluding high and low years. Limts annual adjustments to not more than five percent.
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to require compliance with an acreage reduction or paid land diversion program as a condition of eligibility for program benefits. Requires the Secretary to implement an acreage reduction program if carryover stocks exceed four percent of annual world utilization.
Suspends specified marketing quota and producer certificate provisions.
Title IV: Feed Grains - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to set loan and purchase levels for the 1986 through 1989 corn crops at 75 percent of the preceding five year average, excluding high and low years. Limits annual adjustments to not more than ten percent. Sets loan and purchase levels for grain sorghum, barley, oats, and rye in relation to corn levels.
Sets 1986 target prices at not less than 1985 levels. Sets target prices beginning in 1987 at 110 percent of the preceding five year average, excluding high and low years. Limits annual adjustments to not more than five percent.
Authorizes the Secretary to require compliance with an acreage reduction or paid land diversion program as a condition of eligibility for program benefits. Requires the Secretary to implement an acreage reduction program if carryover stocks exceed four percent of annual world utilization.
Title V: Cotton - Suspends specified base acreage allotment and marketing quota provisions for the 1986 through 1989 upland cotton crops.
Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to set upland cotton loan rates at the lower of: (1) 85 percent of the average U.S. spot market price (weighted by market and month) for the preceding five years, excluding the high and low years; or (2) 90 percent of the average of comparable cotton prices, quoted C.I.F. northern Europe. Limits annual adjustments to not more than ten percent.
Sets 1986 target prices at not less than 1985 levels. Sets target prices beginning in 1987 at 110 percent of the same average market price used to determine loan rates. Limits annual adjustments to not more than five percent.
Directs the President to establish a special limited global import quota for upland cotton if average spot prices exceed specified levels.
Authorizes the Secretary to require compliance with an acreage reduction or paid land diversion program as a condition of eligibility for program benefits. Requires the Secretary to implement an acreage reduction program if upland cotton carryover stocks exceed normal supply by more than 15 percent.
Title VI: Rice - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to set loan and purchase levels for the 1986 through 1989 rice crops at 75 percent of the preceding five year average, excluding high and low years. Limits annual adjustments to not more than ten percent.
Sets 1986 target prices at not less than 1985 levels. Sets target prices beginning in 1987 at 110 percent of the preceding five year average, excluding high and low years. Limits annual adjustments to not more than five percent.
Authorizes the Secretary to require compliance with an acreage reduction or paid land diversion program as a condition of eligibility for program benefits. Requires the Secretary to implement an acreage reduction program if rice carryover stocks exceed normal supply by more than 15 percent.
Title VII: Peanuts - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to establish the national poundage quota for the 1986 through 1989 peanut crops at the level of the previous three-year average of domestic edible and seed use. Authorizes modifications of up to five percent.
Extends price support provisions for the 1986 through 1989 peanut crops. Permits changes in support levels based upon changes in the prices paid index.
Title VIII: Soybeans - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to set loan and purchase levels for the 1986 through 1989 soybean crops at 75 percent of the preceding five year average, excluding high and low years. Stipulates that such level may not be less than $5.02 per bushel. Limits annual support reductions to not more than ten percent or below $4.50 per bushel.
Title IX: Sugar - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to set loan levels for the 1986 through 1989 sugarcane crops at 18 cents per pound. Bases sugar beet support levels on sugarcane prices.
Title X: Miscellaneous - Subtitle A: Advance Diversion Payments - States that if the Secretary makes land diversion payments to assist in adjusting acreage for the 1986 through 1989 crops of wheat, feed grains, cotton, or rice, at least 50 percent of such payment shall be made available as soon as possible after program signup.
Subtitle B: Grain Reserves - Terminates the producer-owned reserve storage program.
Subtitle C: Miscellaneous Commodity Provisions - Limits annual deficiency payments to $50,000 per person for the 1986 through 1989 crop years.
Subtitle D: General Provisions - Extends the special grazing and hay program through 1989.
Title XI: Agricultural Export and Public Law 480 - Subtitle A: Export Provisions - Amends the Food for Peace Act of 1966 to extend authority through 1989 for the Agricultural Export Credit Revolving Fund. Exempts export sales financed or guaranteed by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) from cargo preference laws.
Amends the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 to exempt the special standby export subsidy program from cargo preference laws.
Directs the Secretary to use bonus commodities from CCC to offset the adverse effects of competing countries' subsidies and currency exchanges. Exempts such exports from cargo preference laws.
Subtitle B: Public Law 480 - Amends the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to increase minimum export tonnage levels. Exempts such exports from cargo preference laws.
Extends such programs through 1989.
Title XII: Resource Conservation - Subtitle A: Conservation Reserve - Directs the Secretary to establish a conservation reserve program to convert cropland and highly erodible land to less intensive use.
Subtitle B: Program Eligibility on Highly Erodible Land - Makes any person who cultivates crops on highly erodible land ineligible for price support and other agricultural loans and benefits.
Subtitle C: General Provisions - Authorizes appropriations.
Title XIII: Effective date - Makes the provisions of this Act effective upon enactment, unless otherwise so provided.
Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Voice Vote.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.
Committee on Agriculture requested executive comment from Agriculture Department.
Committee on Agriculture. Provisions of measure incorporated into measure S. 1714 ordered to be reported.
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