Public Law 87–5

That section 105 of the Agricultural Act of 1949, as amended, is amended by adding the following new subsection:

“(a)“(a)

Notwithstanding any other provision of law—

“(1)“(1)

The level of price support for the 1961 crop of corn shall be established by the Secretary at such level not less than 65 per centum of the parity price therefor as the Secretary may determine. Price support for corn and grain sorghums shall be made available on not to exceed the normal production of the 1961 acreage of corn and grain sorghums of each eligible farm based on its average yield per acre for the 1959 and 1960 crop acreage.

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“(2)“(2)

The Secretary shall require as a condition of eligibility for price support on the 1961 crop of corn, grain sorghums, and any other feed grain which he may designate that the producer shall participate in the special agricultural conservation program for 1961 for corn and grain sorghums to the extent prescribed by the Secretary.”

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Sec. 2.

Section 16 of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment

49 Stat. 1151; 70 Stat. 1115.

16 USC 590p.

Act, as amended, is amended by adding the following new subsection:

“(c)“(c)

Notwithstanding any other provision of law—

“(1)“(1)

The Secretary shall formulate and carry out a special agricultural conservation program for 1961, without regard to provisions which would be applicable to the regular agricultural conservation program, under which, subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines, conservation payments in amounts determined by the Secretary to be fair and reasonable shall be made to producers who divert acreage from the production of corn and grain sorghums to an approved conservation use and increase their average acreage devoted in 1959 and 1960 to designated soil conserving crops or practices by an equal amount: Provided, however, That any producer may elect in lieu of such payment to devote such diverted acreage to castor beans, safflower, sunflower, or sesame, if designated by the Secretary. Such special agricultural conservation program shall require the producer to take such measures as the Secretary may deem appropriate to keep such diverted acreage free from insects, weeds, and rodents. The acreage eligible for payments in cash or in an equivalent amount in kind under such conservation program shall be an acreage equivalent to 20 per centum of the average acreage on the farm planted to corn and grain sorghums in the crop years 1959 and 1960 or up to twenty acres, whichever is greater. Such payments in cash or in kind at the basic county support rate may be made on an amount of corn and grain sorghums not in excess of 50 per centum of the normal production of the acreage diverted from corn and grain sorghums on the farm based on its average yield per acre for the 1959 and 1960 crop acreage. Payments in kind only may be made by the Secretary for the diversion of up to an additional 20 per centum of such corn and grain sorghum acreage. Payments in kind on such additional acreage may be made at the basic county support rate on an amount of corn and grain sorghums not in excess of 60 per centum of the normal production of the acreage diverted from corn and grain sorghums on the farm based on its average yield per acre for the 1959 and 1960 crop acreage. The Secretary may make such adjustments in acreage and yields for the 1959 and 1960 crop years as he determines necessary to correct for abnormal factors affecting production, and to give due consideration to tillable acreage, crop rotation practices, type of soil, and topography. The Secretary may make not to exceed 50 per centum of any payments to producers in advance of determination of performance.

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“(2)“(2)

There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such amounts as may be necessary to enable the Secretary to carry out this section 16(c). Obligations may be incurred in advance of appropriations therefor and the Commodity Credit Corporation is authorized to advance from its capital funds such sums as may be necessary to pay administrative expenses in connection with such program during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1961, and to pay such costs as may be included in carrying out section 3 of the Act which added this subsection to this Act.

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“(3)“(3)

The Secretary shall provide by regulations for the sharing of payments under this subsection among producers on the farm on a fair and equitable basis and in keeping with existing contracts.”

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Sec. 3.

Payments in kind shall be made through the issuance of negotiable

Payment by certificates.

certificates which the Commodity Credit Corporation shall redeem for feed grains and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commodity Credit Corporation shall, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, assist the producer in the marketing of such certificates at such time and in such manner as the Secretary determines will best effectuate the purposes of the 1961 Feed Grain Program authorized by this Act. In the case of any certificate not presented for redemption within 30 days of the date of its issuance, reasonable costs of storage and other carrying charges, as determined by the Secretary, for the period beginning 30 days after its issuance and ending with the date of its presentation for redemption shall be deducted from the value of the certificate.

Sec. 4.

Not later than 90 days after the effective date of this Act the

Report to Congress.

Secretary shall submit to the Congress a detailed report, including estimates where final figures are not available, setting forth but not limited to the number and percent of cooperators under this Act, the acreage retired from production by States, the cash payments made, the quantity and kind of feed grains made available under the payment-in-kind provisions of the Act and the value thereof, the overall cost of the program, the estimated savings compared with the program in effect before this Act became effective, and such other information as will indicate the progress, cost, and reduction of surpluses under this Act.