7 U.S.C. § 1344 — Apportionment of national acreage allot-

Page 644 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 1344 1973, 87 Stat. 233, provided that this section is inappli- cable to 1971 through 1977 crops of upland cotton. § 1344. Apportionment of national acreage allot- ments (a) Basis Whenever a national marketing quota is pro- claimed under section 1342 of this title, the Sec- retary shall determine and proclaim a national acreage allotment for the crop of cotton to be produced in the next calendar year. The na- tional acreage allotment for cotton shall be that acreage, based upon the national average yield per acre of cotton for the four years imme- diately preceding the calendar year in which the national marketing quota is proclaimed, re- quired to make available from such crop an amount of cotton equal to the national mar- keting quota. (b) Apportionment among States for year 1953 and subsequent years; adjustment; national acreage reserve The national acreage allotment for cotton for 1953 and subsequent years shall be apportioned to the States on the basis of the acreage planted to cotton (including the acreage regarded as having been planted to cotton under the provi- sions of Public Law 12, Seventy-ninth Congress) during the five calendar years immediately pre- ceding the calendar year in which the national marketing quota is proclaimed, with adjust- ments for abnormal weather conditions during such period: Provided, That there is established a national acreage reserve consisting of three hundred and ten thousand acres which shall be in addition to the national acreage allotment; and such reserve shall be apportioned to the States on the basis of their needs for additional acreage for establishing minimum farm allot- ments under subsection (f)(1), as determined by the Secretary without regard to State and coun- ty acreage reserves (except that the amount ap- portioned to Nevada shall be one thousand acres). For the 1960 and succeeding crops of cot- ton, the needs of States (other than Nevada) for such additional acreage for such purpose may be estimated by the Secretary, after taking into consideration such needs as determined or esti- mated for the preceding crop of cotton and the size of the national acreage allotment for such crop. The additional acreage so apportioned to the State shall be apportioned to the counties on the basis of the needs of the counties for such additional acreage for such purpose, and added to the county acreage allotment for apportion- ment to farms pursuant to subsection (f) of this section (except that no part of such additional acreage shall be used to increase the county re- serve above 15 per centum of the county allot- ment determined without regard to such addi- tional acreage). Additional acreage apportioned to a State for any year under the foregoing pro- viso shall not be taken into account in estab- lishing future State acreage allotments. Needs for additional acreage under the foregoing provi- sions and under the last proviso in subsection (e) shall be determined or estimated as though al- lotments were first computed without regard to subsection (f)(1). (c) Apportionment among States for years 1950 and 1951; computation and adjustment The national acreage allotments for cotton for the years 1950 and 1951 shall be apportioned to the States on the basis of a national acreage al- lotment base of twenty-two million five hundred thousand acres, computed and adjusted as fol- lows: (1) The average of the planted acreages (in- cluding acreage regarded as planted under the provisions of Public Law 12, Seventy-ninth Congress) in the States for the years 1945, 1946, 1947, and 1948 shall constitute the national base; except that in the case of any State hav- ing a 1948 planted cotton acreage of over one million acres and less than 50 per centum of the 1943 allotment, the average of the acreage planted (or regarded as planted under Public Law 12, Seventy-ninth Congress) for the years 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, and 1948 shall constitute the base for such State and shall be included in computing the national base; to this is to be added (A) the estimated additional acreage for each State required for small-farm allotments under subsection (f)(1) of this section; (B) the acreage required as a result of the State ad- justment provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection; (C) the additional acreage required to determine a total national allotment base of twenty-two million five hundred thousand acres, which additional acreage shall be dis- tributed on a proportionate basis among States receiving no adjustment under para- graph (2) of this subsection. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of para- graph (1) of this subsection, the acreage allot- ment base for 1950 and 1951 for any State (on the basis of a national acreage allotment base of twenty-two million five hundred thousand acres) shall not be less than the larger of (1) 95 per centum of the average acreage actually planted to cotton in the State during the years 1947 and 1948, or (2) 85 per centum of the acreage planted to cotton in the State in 1948. (3) If the national acreage allotment for 1950 or 1951 is more or less than twenty-two million five hundred thousand acres, horizontal ad- justments shall be made percentagewise by States so as to reflect the ratio of the national acreage allotment for 1950 and 1951 to twenty- two million five hundred thousand acres. (d) Apportionment for year 1952; adjustment The national acreage allotment for cotton for 1952 shall be apportioned to States on the basis of the acreage planted to cotton (including the acreage regarded as having been planted to cot- ton under the provisions of Public Law 12, Sev- enty-ninth Congress) during the years 1946, 1947, 1948, and 1950, with adjustments for abnormal weather conditions during such period. (e) Apportionment among counties; reservation of acreage; additional acreage for estab- lishing minimum farm allotments The State acreage allotment for cotton shall be apportioned to counties on the same basis as to years and conditions as is applicable to the State under subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this section: Provided, That the State committee may reserve not to exceed 10 per centum of its Page 645 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 1344 State acreage allotment (15 per centum if the State’s 1948 planted acreage was in excess of one million acres and less than half its 1943 allot- ment) which shall be used to make adjustments in county allotments for trends in acreage, for counties adversely affected by abnormal condi- tions affecting plantings, or for small or new farms, or to correct inequities in farm allot- ments and to prevent hardship: Provided further, That if the additional acreage allocated to a State under the proviso in subsection (b) is less than the requirements as determined or esti- mated by the Secretary for establishing min- imum farm allotments for the State under sub- section (f)(1), the acreage reserved under this subsection shall not be less than the smaller of (1) the remaining acreage so determined or esti- mated to be required for establishing minimum farm allotments or (2) 3 per centum of the State acreage allotment; and the acreage which is re- quired to be reserved under this proviso shall be allocated to counties on the basis of their needs for additional acreage for establishing minimum farm allotments under subsection (f)(1), and added to the county acreage allotment for ap- portionment to farms pursuant to subsection (f) of this section (except that no part of such addi- tional acreage shall be used to increase the county reserve above 15 per centum of the coun- ty allotment determined without regard to such additional acreages). (f) Apportionment among farms The county acreage allotment, less not to ex- ceed the percentage provided for in paragraph 3 of this subsection, shall be apportioned to farms on which cotton has been planted (or regarded as having been planted under the provisions of Public Law 12, Seventy-ninth Congress) in any one of the three years immediately preceding the year for which such allotment is determined on the following basis: (1) Insofar as such acreage is available, there shall be allotted the smaller of the following: (A) ten acres; or (B) the acreage allotment es- tablished for the farm for the 1958 crop. (2) The remainder shall be allotted to farms other than farms to which an allotment has been made under paragraph (1)(B) of this sub- section so that the allotment to each farm under this paragraph together with the amount of the allotment to such farm under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection shall be a prescribed percentage (which percentage shall be the same for all such farms in the county or administrative area) of the acreage, during the preceding year, on the farm which is tilled an- nually or in regular rotation, excluding from such acreages the acres devoted to the produc- tion of sugarcane for sugar; sugar beets for sugar; wheat, tobacco, or rice for market; pea- nuts picked and threshed; wheat or rice for feeding to livestock for market; or lands de- termined to be devoted primarily to orchards or vineyards, and nonirrigated lands in irri- gated areas: Provided, however, That if a farm would be allotted under this paragraph an acreage together with the amount of the allot- ment to such farm under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection in excess of the largest acreage planted (and regarded as planted under Public Law 12, Seventy-ninth Congress) to cotton during any of the preceding three years, the acreage allotment for such farm shall not ex- ceed such largest acreage so planted (and re- garded as planted under Public Law 12, Sev- enty-ninth Congress) in any such year. (3) The county committee may reserve not in excess of 15 per centum of the county allot- ment (15 per centum if the State’s 1948 planted cotton acreage was in excess of one million acres and less than half its 1943 allotment) which, in addition to the acreage made avail- able under the proviso in subsection (e), shall be used for (A) establishing allotments for farms on which cotton was not planted (or re- garded as planted under Public Law 12, Sev- enty-ninth Congress) during any of the three calendar years immediately preceding the year for which the allotment is made, on the basis of land, labor, and equipment available for the production of cotton, crop-rotation practices, and the soil and other physical fa- cilities affecting the production of cotton; and (B) making adjustments of the farm acreage allotments established under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection so as to establish al- lotments which are fair and reasonable in rela- tion to the factors set forth in this paragraph and abnormal conditions of production on such farms, or in making adjustments in farm acreage allotments to correct inequities and to prevent hardship: Provided, That not less than 20 per centum of the acreage reserved under this subsection shall, to the extent re- quired, be allotted, upon such basis as the Sec- retary deems fair and reasonable to farms (other than farms to which an allotment has been made under paragraph (1)(B) of this sub- section), if any, to which an allotment of not exceeding fifteen acres may be made under other provisions of this subsection. (4) Any part of the acreage allotted for 1950 to individual farms in any county under the provisions of this section which will not be planted to cotton and which is voluntarily sur- rendered to the county committee shall be de- ducted from the allotments to such farms and may be reapportioned by the county com- mittee to other farms in the same county re- ceiving allotments to the extent necessary to provide such farms with the allotments au- thorized under paragraph (5) of this sub- section. If any acreage remains after providing such allotments, it may be apportioned in amounts determined by the county committee to be fair and reasonable to other farms in the same county receiving allotments which the county committee determines are inadequate and not representative in view of their past production of cotton and to new farms in such county. No allotment shall be made, or in- creased, by reason of this paragraph to an acreage in excess of 40 per centum of the acre- age on the farm which is tilled annually or in regular rotation, as determined under regula- tions prescribed by the Secretary. Any trans- fer of allotment under this paragraph shall not operate to reduce the allotment for any subse- quent year for the farm from which acreage is transferred, except in accordance with para- graph (1)(B) and the proviso in paragraph (2) of Page 646 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 1344 1 So in original. Probably should be ‘‘subsection’’. this subsection: Provided, That any part of any farm acreage allotment may be permanently released in writing to the county committee by the owner and operator of the farm and may be reapportioned in the manner set forth above. In any subsequent year, unless here- after otherwise provided by law, acreage sur- rendered under this paragraph and reallocated pursuant to applications filed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (5) of this section 1 shall be credited to the State and county in determining acreage allotments. (5) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and without reducing any farm acreage al- lotment determined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this subsection, each farm acre- age allotment for 1950 shall be increased by such amount as may be necessary to provide an allotment equal to the larger of 65 per cen- tum of the average acreage planted to cotton (or regarded as planted to cotton under the provisions of Public Law 12, Seventy-ninth Congress) on the farm in 1946, 1947, and 1948, or 45 per centum of the highest acreage planted to cotton (or regarded as planted to cotton under Public Law 12, Seventy-ninth Congress) on the farm in any one of such three years; but no such allotment shall be increased by reason of this provision to an acreage in excess of 40 per centum of the acreage on the farm which is tilled annually or in regular rotation, as de- termined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary. An increase in any 1950 farm acre- age allotment shall be made pursuant to this paragraph only upon application in writing by the owner or operator of the farm within such reasonable period of time (in no event less than fifteen days) as may be prescribed by the Secretary. The additional acreage required to be allotted to farms under this paragraph shall be in addition to the county, State, and na- tional acreage allotments and the production from such acreage shall be in addition to the national marketing quota. The additional acreage authorized by this paragraph shall not be taken into account in establishing future State, county, and farm acreage allotments. (6) Notwithstanding the provisions of para- graph (2) of the subsection, if the county com- mittee recommends such action and the Sec- retary determines that such action will result in a more equitable distribution of the county allotment among farms in the county, the re- mainder of the county acreage allotment (after making allotments as provided in para- graph (1) of this subsection) shall be allotted to farms other than farms to which an allot- ment has been made under paragraph (1)(B) of this subsection so that the allotment to each farm under this paragraph together with the amount of the allotment of such farm under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection shall be a prescribed percentage (which percentage shall be the same for all such farms in the county) of the average acreage planted to cotton on the farm during the three years immediately preceding the year for which such allotment is determined, adjusted as may be necessary for abnormal conditions affecting plantings dur- ing such three-year period: Provided, That the county committee may in its discretion limit any farm acreage allotment established under the provisions of this paragraph for any year to an acreage not in excess of 50 per centum of the cropland on the farm, as determined pur- suant to the provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection: Provided further, That any part of the county acreage allotment not apportioned under this paragraph by reason of the initial application of such 50 per centum limitation shall be added to the county acreage reserve under paragraph (3) of this subsection and shall be available for the purposes specified therein. If the county acreage allotment is ap- portioned among the farms of the county in accordance with the provisions of this para- graph, the acreage reserved under paragraph (3) of this subsection may be used to make ad- justments so as to establish allotments which are fair and reasonable to farms receiving al- lotments under this paragraph in relation to the factors set forth in paragraph (3) of this subsection. (7)(A) In the event that any farm acreage al- lotment is less than that prescribed by para- graph (1) of this subsection, such acreage al- lotment shall be increased to the acreage pre- scribed by said paragraph (1). The additional acreage required to be allotted to farms under this paragraph shall be in addition to the county, State, and national acreage allot- ments and the production from such acreage shall be in addition to the national marketing quota. (B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law— (i) the acreage by which any farm acreage allotment for 1959 or any subsequent crop es- tablished under paragraph (1) of this sub- section exceeds the acreage which would have been allotted to such farm if its allot- ment had been computed on the basis of the same percentage factor applied to other farms in the county under paragraph (2), (6), or (8) of this subsection shall not be taken into account in establishing the acreage al- lotment for such farm for any crop for which acreage is allotted to such farm under para- graph (2), (6), or (8) of this subsection; and acreage shall be allotted under paragraph (2), (6), or (8) of this subsection to farms which did not receive 1958 crop allotments in excess of ten acres if and only if the Sec- retary determines (after considering the al- lotments to other farms in the county for such crop compared with their 1958 allot- ments and other relevant factors) that eq- uity and justice require the allotment of ad- ditional acreage to such farm under para- graph (2), (6), or (8) of this subsection, (ii) the acreage by which any county acre- age allotment for 1959 or any subsequent crop is increased from the national or State reserve on the basis of its needs for addi- tional acreage for establishing minimum farm allotments shall not be taken into ac- count in establishing future county acreage allotments, and (iii) the additional acreage allotted pursu- ant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph (7) Page 647 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 1344 shall not be taken into account in estab- lishing future State, county, or farm acreage allotments. (8) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of paragraphs (2) and (6) of this subsection, the Secretary shall, if allotments were in effect the preceding year, provide for the county acreage allotment for the 1959 and succeeding crops of cotton, less the acreage reserved under paragraph (3) of this subsection, to be apportioned to farms on which cotton has been planted in any one of the three years imme- diately preceding the year for which such al- lotment is determined, on the basis of the farm acreage allotment for the year imme- diately preceding the year for which such ap- portionment is made, adjusted as may be nec- essary (i) for any change in the acreage of cropland available for the production of cot- ton, or (ii) to meet the requirements of any provision (other than those contained in para- graphs (2) and (6)) with respect to the counting of acreage for history purposes: Provided, That, beginning with allotments established for the 1961 crop of cotton, if the acreage actu- ally planted (or regarded as planted under the Soil Bank Act, the environmental quality in- centives program established under sub- chapter A of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 [16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.], and the release and reappor- tionment provisions of subsection (m) (2) of this section) to cotton on the farm in the pre- ceding year was less than 75 per centum of the farm allotment for such year or, in the case of a farm which qualified for price support on the crop produced in such year under section 1444(b) of this title, 75 per centum of the farm domestic allotment established under section 1350 of this title for such year, whichever is smaller, in lieu of using such allotment as the farm base as provided in this paragraph, the base shall be the average of (1) the cotton acreage for the farm for the preceding year as determined for purposes of this proviso and (2) the allotment established for the farm pursu- ant to the provisions of this subsection for such preceding year; and the 1958 allotment used for establishing the minimum farm allot- ment under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be adjusted to the average acreage so de- termined. The base for a farm shall not be ad- justed as provided in this paragraph if the county committee determines that failure to plant at least 75 per centum of the farm allot- ment was due to conditions beyond the control of producers on the farm. The Secretary shall establish limitations to prevent allocations of allotment to farms not affected by the fore- going proviso, which would be excessive on the basis of the cropland, past cotton acreage, al- lotments for other commodities, and good soil conservation practices on such farms. (g) Law and conditions governing establishment of acreage allotments and yields Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section— (1) State, county, and farm acreage allot- ments and yields for cotton shall be estab- lished in conformity with section 1344a of this title. (2) In apportioning the county allotment among the farms within the county, the Sec- retary, through the local committees, shall take into consideration different conditions within separate administrative areas within a county if any exist, including types, kinds, and productivity of the soil so as to prevent discrimination among the administrative areas of the county. (h) Repealed. Feb. 16, 1938, ch. 30, title III, § 378(d), as added Aug. 28, 1958, Pub. L. 85–835, title V, § 501, 72 Stat. 996 (i) Excess planting; old and new farm allotment Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any acreage planted to cotton in excess of the farm acreage allotment shall not be taken into account in establishing State, county, and farm acreage allotments. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, beginning with the 1960 crop the planting of cotton on a farm in any of the immediately preceding three years that allotments were in effect but no allotment was established for such farm for any year of such three-year period shall not make the farm eligible for an allotment as an old farm under subsection (f) of this section: Provided, however, That by reason of such planting the farm need not be considered as ineligible for a new farm al- lotment under subsection (f)(3) of this section. (j) Availability of records for inspection Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, State and county committees shall make available for inspection by owners or oper- ators of farms receiving cotton acreage allot- ments all records pertaining to cotton acreage allotments and marketing quotas. (k) Minimum allotments to States Notwithstanding any other provision of this section except subsection (g)(1), there shall be allotted to each State for which an allotment is made under this section not less than the small- er of (A) four thousand acres or (B) the highest acreage planted to cotton in any one of the three calendar years immediately preceding the year for which the allotment is made. (l) Administration of law governing war crops Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary, in administering the provisions of Public Law 12, Seventy-ninth Congress, as it relates to war crops, shall carry out the provi- sions of such Act in the following manner: (i) A survey shall be conducted of every farm which had a 1942 cotton acreage allotment, and of such other farms as the Secretary con- siders necessary in the administration of Pub- lic Law 12. This survey shall obtain for each farm the most accurate information possible on (a) the total acreage in cultivation, and (b) the acreage of individual crops planted on each farm in the years 1941, 1945, 1946, and 1947. (ii) An eligible farm for war-crop credit shall be a farm on which (a) the cotton acreage on the farm in 1945, 1946, or 1947, was reduced below the cotton acreage planted on the farm in 1941; (b) the war-crop acreage on the farm in 1945, 1946, or 1947, was increased above the war- crop acreage on the farm in 1941; and (c) the farm had a cotton acreage allotment in 1942. Page 648 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 1344 (iii) A farm shall be regarded as having planted cotton (in addition to the actual acre- age planted to cotton) to the extent of the lesser of (a) the reduction in cotton acreage for each of the years 1945, 1946, and 1947, below the acreage planted to cotton in 1941, or (b) the increase in war crops for each of the years 1945, 1946, and 1947, above that planted to such war crops in 1941. However, the county com- mittee may be given the discretion to adjust such war-crop credit when the county com- mittee determines that the reduction in cot- ton acreage was not related to an increase in war crops, but the adjustment shall be made only after consultation with the producer. (iv) The Secretary, using the best informa- tion obtainable, and working with and through the State and county committees, shall use whatever means necessary to make an accu- rate determination of the credits due each in- dividual farm, under Public Law 12. (v) The total of the war-crop credits due the individual farms in each county shall be cred- ited to the county and the total of the war- crop credits due all of the counties in a State shall be credited to the State. (vi) The acreage credited to States, counties, and farms for the years 1945, 1946, or 1947, be- cause of war crops, shall be taken into full ac- count in the determination and distribution of cotton acreage allotments on a national, State, county, and farm basis. (m) Acreage allotments, 1954; increases; appor- tionments; limitations; unallotted farm acre- age; reapportionment of surrendered acre- age; extra long staple cotton; reserve acreage Notwithstanding any other provision of law— (1) The national acreage allotment estab- lished under subsection (a) of this section for the 1954 crop of cotton shall be increased to twenty-one million acres and apportioned to the States in the same manner in which the national acreage allotment heretofore estab- lished for 1954 was apportioned to the States. In addition to such increased national acreage allotment, and in order to provide equitable adjustments in 1954 farm acreage allotments, (A) three hundred and fifteen thousand addi- tional acres shall be prorated as follows: one- half to the States of Arizona, California, and New Mexico, and one-half to the other States (excluding those which receive a minimum al- lotment under subsection (k) of this section), the proration of each half being made to the States participating therein on the basis of their respective shares of the increased na- tional acreage allotment, and (B) such addi- tional acreage shall be added as may be re- quired to provide each State a total allotment under subsection (b) of this section and the provisions of this paragraph of not less than 66 per centum of the acreage planted to cotton in the State in 1952. The additional acreage made available to States under clause (B) of the pre- ceding sentence shall not be taken into ac- count in establishing future State acreage al- lotments. The additional acreage made avail- able to States under the provisions of this paragraph shall be apportioned to counties on the basis of their respective shares of the State acreage allotment heretofore appor- tioned pursuant to subsection (e) of this sec- tion, and the additional acreage shall be ap- portioned to farms pursuant to the provisions of subsection (f) of this section: Provided, That, if the county committee determines that such action will result in a more equi- table distribution of the additional county al- lotment among farms in the county, the addi- tional acreage shall be apportioned by the county committee to farms so as to provide each farm with an allotment equal to the larg- er of 65 per centum of the average acreage planted to cotton on the farm in 1951, 1952, and 1953 (as determined by the county committee in establishing allotments under subsection (f) of this section) or 40 per centum of the highest acreage planted to cotton on the farm in any one of such three years as so determined: Pro- vided, That the State committee in each State shall limit such increase based on the system of farming, soil, crop-rotation practices, and other physical factors affecting production in such State, to an acreage not in excess of 50 per centum of the cropland on the farm, as de- termined under regulations heretofore pre- scribed by the Secretary. If the additional acreage is insufficient to meet the total of the farm increases so computed, such farm in- creases shall be reduced pro rata to the addi- tional acreage available to the county; if the additional acreage available to the county is in excess of the total of the farm increases so computed the acreage remaining after making such increases shall be allotted to farms pur- suant to the provisions of subsection (f)(3). Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, if the State committee deter- mines that such action will result in a more equitable distribution of the additional acre- age made available to the State under this paragraph it shall apportion such additional allotment directly to farms so as to provide each farm with an allotment equal to the larg- er of 65 per centum of the average acreage planted to cotton on the farm in 1951, 1952, and 1953 (as determined by the county committee in establishing allotments under subsection (f) of this section) or 40 per centum of the highest acreage planted to cotton on the farm in any one of such three years as so determined: Pro- vided, That the State committee in each State shall limit such increase based on the system of farming, soil, crop-rotation practices, and other physical factors affecting production in such State, to an acreage not in excess of 50 per centum of the cropland on the farm, as de- termined under regulations heretofore pre- scribed by the Secretary: Provided, That if the State total of the farm increases so computed exceeds the additional acreage made available to the State under this paragraph, such farm increases shall be reduced pro rata to the addi- tional acreage available to the State. Any acreage unallotted to farms because of the limitations contained in the preceding sen- tence shall be apportioned by the State com- mittee to counties on the basis of past acre- ages planted to cotton and shall be used by county committees for adjustments in farm allotments on the basis of one or more of the Page 649 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 1344 following: The past acreage of cotton on the farm, the percentage of cropland heretofore determined under subsection (f)(2) of this sec- tion, and the factors enumerated in subsection (f)(3) of this section. Before apportioning such unallotted acreage to counties as provided in the foregoing sentence, the State committee may, if it determines that such action is re- quired to provide equitable allotments within the State, apportion such unallotted acreage directly to farms to the extent required to provide each farm with the minimum allot- ment described in subsection (f)(1) of this sec- tion. Any part of the county allotment here- tofore established for the 1954 crop which was not apportioned to farms because of the limi- tation contained in the proviso in subsection (f)(2) of this section shall be available to the State committee and used as provided above for apportionment of unallotted acreage to farms. The provisions of this subsection, ex- cept paragraph (2) of this subsection, shall not apply to extra long staple cotton covered by section 1347 of this title. (2) Any part of any farm cotton acreage al- lotment on which cotton will not be planted and which is voluntarily surrendered to the county committee shall be deducted from the allotment to such farm and may be reappor- tioned by the county committee to other farms in the same county receiving allotments in amounts determined by the county com- mittee to be fair and reasonable on the basis of past acreage of cotton land, labor, equip- ment available for the production of cotton, crop rotation practices, and soil and other physical facilities affecting the production of cotton. If all of the allotted acreage volun- tarily surrendered is not needed in the county, the county committee may surrender the ex- cess acreage to the State committee to be used for the same purposes as the State acre- age reserve under subsection (e) of this sec- tion. Any allotment released under this provi- sion shall be regarded for the purposes of es- tablishing future allotments as having been planted on the farm and in the county where the release was made rather than on the farm and in the county to which the allotment was transferred, except that this shall not operate to make the farm from which the allotment was transferred eligible for an allotment as having cotton planted thereon during the three-year base period: Provided, That not- withstanding any other provisions of law, any part of any farm acreage allotment may be permanently released in writing to the county committee by the owner and operator of the farm, and reapportioned as provided herein. Acreage released under this paragraph shall be credited to the State in determining future al- lotments. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply also to extra long staple cotton covered by section 1347 of this title. (3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or other provision of law, the acreage allotted to any State for 1954 under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section and the provisions of paragraph (1) of this sub- section which is less than one hundred thou- sand acres but more than thirty thousand acres shall be increased by an acreage equal to 15 per centum of the acreage allotted to it prior to January 30, 1954. Such acreage shall be used by the State committee as a reserve to make equitable adjustments in 1954 farm acre- age allotments on the basis of land, labor, equipment available for the production of cot- ton, crop-rotation practices, past acreages of cotton, soil, and other physical factors affect- ing the production of cotton. (n) Transfer of farm cotton acreage allotments in case of natural disasters; eligibility for allot- ment Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if the Secretary determines for any year that because of a natural disaster a portion of the farm cotton acreage allotments in a coun- ty cannot be timely planted or replanted in such year, he may authorize for such year the trans- fer of all or a part of the cotton acreage allot- ment for any farm in the county so affected to another farm in the county or in an adjoining county on which one or more of the producers on the farm from which the transfer is to be made will be engaged in the production of cotton and will share in the proceeds thereof, in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may pre- scribe. Any farm allotment transferred under this paragraph shall be deemed to be released acreage for purposes of acreage history credits under subsections (f)(8) and (m)(2) of this sec- tion, and section 1377 of this title: Provided, That, notwithstanding the provisions of sub- section (m)(2) of this section, the transfer of any farm allotment under this subsection for any year shall operate to make the farm from which the allotment was transferred eligible for an al- lotment as having cotton planted thereon dur- ing the three-year base period. (Feb. 16, 1938, ch. 30, title III, § 344, 52 Stat. 57; Apr. 7, 1938, ch. 107, § 9, 52 Stat. 203; May 31, 1938, ch. 292, § 1, 52 Stat. 586; Mar. 13, 1939, ch. 9, 53 Stat. 512; June 22, 1939, ch. 238, §§ 1–3, 53 Stat. 853; Feb. 6, 1942, ch. 44, § 3, 56 Stat. 52; Aug. 29, 1949, ch. 518, § 1, 63 Stat. 670; Oct. 31, 1949, ch. 792, title IV, § 419, 63 Stat. 1062; Mar. 31, 1950, ch. 81, § 1, 64 Stat. 40; Jan. 30, 1954, ch. 2, §§ 1–3, 68 Stat. 4–6; Aug. 28, 1954, ch. 1041, title III, § 310, 68 Stat. 904; May 28, 1956, ch. 327, title III, § 303(a)–(d), 70 Stat. 203; Pub. L. 85–456, June 11, 1958, 72 Stat. 186; Pub. L. 85–835, title I, §§ 103(4), 104(a)–(d), 105–107, Aug. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 990–992; Feb. 16, 1938, ch. 30, title III, § 378(d), as added Pub. L. 85–835, title V, § 501, Aug. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 996; Pub. L. 86–172, § 2, Aug. 18, 1959, 73 Stat. 393; Pub. L. 87–37, May 20, 1961, 75 Stat. 84; Pub. L. 87–446, Apr. 27, 1962, 76 Stat. 64; Pub. L. 88–12, Apr. 26, 1963, 77 Stat. 13; Pub. L. 88–297, title I, § 106(3), (8), Apr. 11, 1964, 78 Stat. 177; Pub. L. 104–127, title III, § 336(b)(2)(A), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1006; Pub. L. 115–334, title II, § 2301(d)(2)(A), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4554.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT Public Law 12, Seventy-ninth Congress, referred to in subsecs. (b), (c), (d), (f), (l), is act Feb. 28, 1945, ch. 15, 59 Stat. 9, which related to Emergency Farm Acreage Allotments. See note below. For complete classifica- tion of this Act to the Code, see Tables. Page 650 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 1344 The Soil Bank Act, referred to in subsec. (f)(8), is act May 28, 1956, ch. 327, 70 Stat. 188, which was classified to subchapters I to III of chapter 45 (§ 1801 et seq.) of this title and was repealed by Pub. L. 89–321, title VI, § 601, Nov. 3, 1965, 79 Stat. 1206. For complete classifica- tion of this Act to the Code prior to its repeal, see Ta- bles. The Food Security Act of 1985, referred to in subsec. (f)(8), is Pub. L. 99–198, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1354. Sub- chapter A of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Act is classified generally to subpart A (§ 3839aa et seq.) of part IV of subchapter IV of chapter 58 of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1985 Amendment note set out under section 1281 of this title and Tables. Section 1347 of this title, referred to in subsec. (m)(1), (2), was repealed by Pub. L. 98–88, § 2, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 494. AMENDMENTS 2018—Subsec. (f)(8). Pub. L. 115–334 inserted ‘‘sub- chapter A of’’ before ‘‘chapter 4’’. 1996—Subsec. (f)(8). Pub. L. 104–127 substituted ‘‘envi- ronmental quality incentives program established under chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985’’ for ‘‘Great Plains program’’. 1964—Subsec. (f)(8). Pub. L. 88–297, § 106(3), inserted ‘‘or, in the case of a farm which qualified for price sup- port on the crop produced in such year under section 1444(b) of this title, 75 per centum of the farm domestic allotment established under section 1350 of this title for such year, whichever is smaller’’ after ‘‘75 per centum of the farm allotment for such year’’ to protect the farm base of any farm participating in the domestic al- lotment choice program if the acreage planted on the farm was at least 75 per centum of the farm domestic allotment. Subsec. (n). Pub. L. 88–297, § 106(8), extended the trans- fer provisions to natural disasters occurring in any year instead of only during 1963. 1963—Subsec. (n). Pub. L. 88–12 substituted ‘‘portion of the 1963’’ for ‘‘substantial portion of the 1962’’, and inserted proviso ‘‘that notwithstanding subsection (m)(2) of this section, transfers under this subsection for 1963 makes the farm from which the allotment was transferred eligible for an allotment as having cotton during the three-year period’’. 1962—Subsec. (n). Pub. L. 87–466 substituted ‘‘1962’’ for ‘‘1961’’. 1961—Subsec. (n). Pub. L. 87–37 substituted ‘‘1961’’ for ‘‘1958’’, and ‘‘Any farm allotment transferred under this paragraph shall be deemed to be released acreage for purposes of acreage history credits under subsections (f)(8) and (m)(2) of this section, and section 1377 of this title’’ for ‘‘Acreage history credits for transferred acre- age shall be governed by the provisions of subsection (m)(2) of this section pertaining to the release and re- apportionment of acreage allotments. No transfer here- under shall be made to a farm covered by a 1958 acreage reserve contract for cotton.’’ 1959—Subsec. (f)(8). Pub. L. 86–172, § 2(1), inserted pro- viso for determination of base beginning with allot- ments established for the 1961 crop of cotton, and in- serted provisions prohibiting the adjustment of the base for a farm where the county committee deter- mines that failure to plant at least 75 per centum of the farm allotment was due to conditions beyond control of producers on the farm, and requiring the Secretary to establish limitations to prevent allocations of allot- ment to farms not affected by proviso. Subsec. (g)(3). Pub. L. 86–172, § 2(2), repealed par. (3) which provided that for any farm on which the acreage planted to cotton in any year was less than the farm acreage allotment for such year by not more than the larger of 10 per centum of the allotment or one acre, an acreage equal to the farm acreage allotment should be deemed to be the acreage planted to cotton on such farm, and the additional acreage added to the cotton acreage history for the farm should be added to the cot- ton acreage history for the county and State. Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 86–172, § 2(3), inserted provisions respecting eligibility for old and new farm allotment. Subsec. (m)(2). Pub. L. 86–172, § 2(4), struck out ‘‘; but no such acreage shall be surrendered to the State com- mittee so long as any farmer receiving a cotton acreage allotment in such county desires additional cotton acreage’’ after ‘‘subsection (e) of this section’’ and sub- stituted ‘‘Any allotment released under this provision shall be regarded for the purpose of establishing future allotments as having been planted on the farm and in the county where the release was made rather than on the farm and in the county to which the allotment was transferred’’ for ‘‘Any allotment transferred under this provision shall be regarded for the purposes of sub- section (f) of this section as having been planted on the farm from which transferred rather than on the farm to which transferred’’ and ‘‘Acreage released under this paragraph shall be credited to the State in determining future allotments’’ for ‘‘Acreage surrendered, reappor- tioned under this paragraph, and planted shall be cred- ited to the State and county in determining future acreage allotments’’. 1958—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 85–835, § 103(4), substituted ‘‘four’’ for ‘‘five’’ in second sentence. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 85–835, § 104(a), established a na- tional acreage reserve of 310,000 acres in addition to the national acreage allotment, provided that apportion- ments of additional acreage shall not be taken into ac- count in establishing future State allotments, and in- serted provisions for determination of needs for addi- tional acreage. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 85–835, § 104(b), inserted proviso relating to additional acreage allocated to a State. Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 85–835, § 104(c), substituted ‘‘(A) ten acres; or (B) the acreage allotment established for the farm for the 1958 crop’’ for ‘‘(A) four acres; or (B) the highest number of acres planted to cotton in any year of such three-year period’’. Subsec. (f)(6). Pub. L. 85–835, § 104(d), substituted ‘‘provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection’’ for ‘‘foregoing provisions of this subsection except para- graph (3) of this subsection’’, ‘‘remainder of the county acreage allotment (after making allotments as pro- vided in paragraph (1) of this subsection) shall be allot- ted’’ for ‘‘county acreage allotment, less the acreage reserved under paragraph (3) of this subsection, shall be apportioned’’, and inserted provisions requiring the al- lotments to be a prescribed percentage of the average acreage planted to cotton on the farm during the three years immediately preceding the year for which such allotment is determined. Subsec. (f)(7). Pub. L. 85–835, § 105, added par. (7). Subsec. (f)(8). Pub. L. 85–835, § 106, added par. (8). Subsec. (h). Act Feb. 16, 1938, § 378(d), as added by Pub. L. 85–835, § 501, repealed subsec. (h) which related to ap- portionment by county committee and reallocation of flood lands. Subsec. (m)(2). Pub. L. 85–835, § 107, provided that any cotton acreage which is surrendered shall be retained in the county and not surrendered to the State com- mittee so long as any farmer in the county desires ad- ditional cotton acreage. Subsec. (n). Pub. L. 85–456 added subsec. (n). 1956—Subsec. (b). Act May 28, 1956, § 303(a), tempo- rarily inserted ‘‘Provided, That there is hereby estab- lished a national acreage reserve consisting of one hun- dred thousand acres which shall be in addition to the national acreage allotment; and such reserve shall be apportioned to the States on the basis of their needs for additional acreage for establishing minimum farm al- lotments under subsection (f)(1) of this section, as de- termined by the Secretary without regard to State and county acreage reserves (except that the amount appor- tioned to Nevada shall be one thousand acres), and the additional acreage so apportioned to the State shall be apportioned to the counties on the same basis and added to the county acreage allotment for apportion- ment to farms pursuant to subsection (f) of this section (except that no part of such additional acreage shall be used to increase the county reserve above 15 per cen- Page 651 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 1344 tum of the county allotment determined without re- gard to such additional acreage). Additional acreage apportioned to a State for any year under the foregoing proviso shall not be taken into account in establishing future State acreage allotments. Needs for additional acreage under the foregoing proviso and under the last proviso in subsection (e) of this section shall be deter- mined as though allotments were first computed with- out regard to subsection (f)(1) of this section.’’ See Ef- fective and Termination Dates of 1956 Amendment note below. Subsec. (e). Act May 28, 1956, § 303(b), temporarily in- serted ‘‘Provided further, That if the additional acreage allocated to a State under the proviso in subsection (b) of this section is less than the requirements as deter- mined by the Secretary for establishing minimum farm allotments for the State under subsection (f)(1) of this section, the acreage reserved by the State committee under this subsection shall not be less than the smaller of (1) the remaining acreage so determined to be re- quired for establishing minimum farm allotments or (2) 3 per centum of the State acreage allotment; and the acreage which the State committee is required to re- serve under this proviso shall be allocated to counties on the basis of their needs for additional acreage for es- tablishing minimum farm allotments under subsection (f)(1) of this section, and added to the county acreage allotment for apportionment to farms pursuant to sub- section (f) of this section (except that no part of such additional acreage shall be used to increase the county reserve above 15 per centum of the county allotment determined without regard to such additional acre- ages).’’ See Effective and Termination Dates of 1956 Amendment note below. Subsec. (f)(1). Act May 28, 1956, § 303(c), temporarily inserted ‘‘Insofar as such acreage is available,’’, sub- stituted ‘‘four acres’’ for ‘‘five acres’’, and struck out ‘‘(or regarded as planted under Public Law 12, Seventy- ninth Congress)’’ after ‘‘planted’’. See Effective and Termination Dates of 1956 Amendment note below. Subsec. (f)(6). Act May 28, 1956, § 303(d), temporarily substituted ‘‘provisions of paragraph (2) of this sub- section’’ for ‘‘foregoing provisions of this subsection ex- cept paragraph (3) of this subsection’’ and ‘‘the remain- der of the county acreage allotment (after making al- lotments as provided in paragraph (1) of this sub- section) shall be allotted to farms other than farms to which an allotment has been made under paragraph (1)(B) of this subsection so that the allotment to each farm under this paragraph together with the amount of the allotment of such farm under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection shall be a prescribed percentage (which percentage shall be the same for all such farms in the county) of the average acreage planted to cotton on the farm during the three years immediately preceding the year for which such allotment is determined,’’ for ‘‘the county acreage allotment, less the acreage reserved under paragraph (3) of this subsection, shall be appor- tioned to farms on which cotton has been planted in any one of the three years immediately preceding the year for which such allotment is determined, on the basis of the acreage planted to cotton on the farm dur- ing such three-year period,’’ and struck out ‘‘(A) appor- tion such county allotment by first establishing min- imum allotments in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection and by allotting the remaining acreage to farms other than those receiving an allotment under paragraph (1)(B) in accordance with the foregoing pro- visions of this paragraph and (B)’’ after ‘‘committee may in its discretion’’. See Effective and Termination Dates of 1956 Amendment note below. 1954—Subsec. (e). Act Jan. 30, 1954, § 3(a), inserted at end ‘‘or to correct inequities in farm allotments and to prevent hardship’’. Subsec. (f)(3). Act Jan. 30, 1954, § 3(b), inserted ‘‘, or in making adjustments in farm acreage allotments to cor- rect inequities and to prevent hardship’’. Subsec. (f)(6). Act Aug. 28, 1954, § 310(a), inserted pro- viso to first sentence. Act Jan. 30, 1954, § 3(c), added par. (6). Subsec. (h). Act Jan. 30, 1954, § 2, inserted sentence re- lating to reallocation of flood lands. Subsec. (m). Act Jan. 30, 1954, § 1, added subsec. (m). Subsec. (m)(2). Act Aug. 28, 1954, § 310(b), struck out ‘‘1954 or 1955’’ wherever appearing. 1950—Subsec. (f)(4), (5). Act Mar. 31, 1950, added pars. (4) and (5). 1949—Subsec. (f)(3). Act Oct. 31, 1949, increased re- serve percentage of county allotment from 10 to 15 in first sentence and decreased percentage of acreage re- served from 30 to 20 in proviso. Act Aug. 29, 1949, amended section generally to pro- vide for a national acreage base to be used in appor- tioning to the States the actual national acreage allot- ment, and to make the national acreage allotment base and the outlined division among the States such as will complement the minimum national marketing quota provisions and thus permit a gradual reduction of any excessive carryover. 1942—Subsec. (j). Act Feb. 6, 1942, added subsec. (j). 1939—Subsec. (e)(1). Act June 22, 1939, § 1, substituted ‘‘For 1938, 1939, and any subsequent year’’ for ‘‘For 1938 and 1939’’. Subsec. (g). Act June 22, 1939, § 2, substituted ‘‘For 1938, 1939, and each subsequent year’’ for ‘‘For each of the years 1938 and 1939’’. Subsec. (h). Act June 22, 1939, § 3, substituted ‘‘for 1938, 1939, and each subsequent year’’ for ‘‘For each of the years 1938 and 1939’’. Act Mar. 13, 1939, substituted ‘‘for any crop year’’ for ‘‘for the crop year 1938’’ and struck out ‘‘for 1938’’ from first proviso. 1938—Subsec. (b). Act Apr. 7, 1938, § 9(a), amended sec- ond sentence. Subsec. (d)(3). Act Apr. 7, 1938, § 9(b), inserted ‘‘sugar- cane for sugar,’’ after ‘‘excluding from such acreage the acres devoted to the production of’’ in second sentence, and ‘‘wheat or rice’’ after ‘‘rice for market or,’’. Subsec. (e). Act Apr. 7, 1938, § 9(c), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). Subsec. (g). Act Apr. 7, 1938, § 9(d), added subsec. (g). Subsec. (h). Act May 31, 1938, among other changes, inserted ‘‘and for the crop year 1938 any part of the acreage allotted to individual farms in the State which it is determined, in accordance with regulations pre- scribed by the Secretary, will not be planted to cotton in the year for which the allotment is made, shall be deducted from the allotments to such farms and may be apportioned, in amounts determined by the Secretary to be fair and reasonable, preference being given to farms in the same county receiving allotments which the Secretary determines are inadequate and not rep- resentative in view of the past production of cotton and the acreage diverted from the production of cotton on such farms under the agricultural conservation pro- gram in the immediately preceding year: Provided, That any such transfer of allotment for 1938 shall not affect apportionment for any subsequent year’’ after ‘‘Secretary’’. Act Apr. 7, 1938, § 9(d), added subsec. (h). Subsec. (i). Act Apr. 7, 1938, § 9(d), added subsec. (i). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1958 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 85–835, title I, § 104(e), Aug. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 991, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this sec- tion [amending this section] shall be effective begin- ning with the 1959 crop.’’ Pub. L. 85–835, title I, § 105, Aug. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 991, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective beginning with the 1959 crop. EFFECTIVE AND TERMINATION DATES OF 1956 AMENDMENT Act May 28, 1956, ch. 327, title III, § 303(e), 70 Stat. 204, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall be effective only with re- spect to 1957 and 1958 crops. For the 1956 crop, an acre- Page 652 TITLE 7—AGRICULTURE § 1344a age in each State equal to the acreage allotted in such State which the Secretary determines will not be planted, placed in the acreage reserve or conservation reserve, or considered as planted under section 377 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended [7 U.S.C. 1377], may be apportioned by the Secretary among farms in such State having allotments of less than the smaller of the following: (1) four acres, or (2) the highest number of acres planted to cotton in any of the years 1953, 1954, and 1955.’’ EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1954 AMENDMENT Act Jan. 30, 1954, ch. 2, § 3, 68 Stat. 6, provided that the amendments made by section 3 are effective begin- ning with the 1955 crop. SAVINGS PROVISION Transfer or reassignment of allotment as remaining in effect and ineligibility of displaced farm owner for additional allotment notwithstanding repeal of subsec. (h), see note set out under section 1378 of this title. INAPPLICABILITY OF SECTION Section inapplicable to 1984 and subsequent crops of extra long staple cotton, see section 3 of Pub. L. 98–88, set out as a note under section 1342 of this title. Section inapplicable to 2014 through 2018 crops of cov- ered commodities, cotton, and sugar and inapplicable to milk during period beginning Feb. 7, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2018, see section 9092(a)(1) of this title. Section inapplicable to 2008 through 2012 crops of cov- ered commodities, peanuts, and sugar and inapplicable to milk during period beginning June 18, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2012, see section 8782(a)(1) of this title. Section inapplicable to 2002 through 2007 crops of cov- ered commodities, peanuts, and sugar and inapplicable to milk during period beginning May 13, 2002, through Dec. 31, 2007, see section 7992(a)(1) of this title. Section inapplicable to 1996 through 2001 crops of loan commodities, peanuts, and sugar and inapplicable to milk during period beginning Apr. 4, 1996, and ending Dec. 31, 2002, see section 7301(a)(1)(A) of this title. Section inapplicable to 1991 through 1995 crops of up- land cotton, see section 502 of Pub. L. 101–624, set out as a note under section 1342 of this title. Section inapplicable to 1986 through 1990 crops of up- land cotton, see section 502 of Pub. L. 99–198, set out as a note under section 1342 of this title. Section inapplicable to 1982 through 1985 crops of up- land cotton, see section 501 of Pub. L. 97–98, set out as a note under section 1342 of this title. Section inapplicable to 1978 through 1981 crops of up- land cotton, see section 601 of Pub. L. 95–113, set out as a note under section 1342 of this title. Pub. L. 91–524, title VI, § 601(1), Nov. 30, 1970, 84 Stat. 1371, as amended by Pub. L. 93–86, § 1(19)(A), Aug. 10, 1973, 87 Stat. 233, provided that this section is inappli- cable to 1971 through 1977 crops of upland cotton. EMERGENCY FARM ACREAGE ALLOTMENT Act Feb. 28, 1945, ch. 15, 59 Stat. 9, provided for farm acreage allotment during national emergency pro- claimed by the President on Sept. 8, 1939, and May 27, 1941, and which emergencies terminated on July 25, 1947, by the provisions of Joint Res. July 25, 1947, ch. 327, § 3, 61 Stat. 451. COUNTY COMMITTEE ALLOTMENT Act Mar. 13, 1939, ch. 9, 53 Stat. 512, in addition to amending former subsec. (h), contained the following: ‘‘Provided, That hereafter such allotment of acreage in counties shall be to such farms as the County Com- mittee of such county may designate. In making such designation the County Committee shall consider only the character and adaptability of the soil and other physical facilities affecting the production of cotton and the need of operator for an additional allotment to meet the requirement of the families engaging in the production of cotton on the farm in such year.’’ § 1344a. Exclusion of 1949 acreage in computa- tion of future allotments Notwithstanding the provisions of title III of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended [7 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.], or of any other law, State, county, and farm acreage allotments and yields for cotton for any year after 1949 shall be computed without regard to yields or to the acreage planted to cotton in 1949. (Mar. 29, 1949, ch. 38, 63 Stat. 17.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT The Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, referred to in text, is act Feb. 16, 1938, ch. 30, 52 Stat. 31. Title III of the Act is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 1301 et seq.) of this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1281 of this title and Tables. CODIFICATION Section was not enacted as part of the Agriculture Adjustment Act of 1938 which comprises this chapter. § 1344b. Sale, lease, or transfer of cotton acreage allotments (a) Authority for calendar years 1966 through 1970; transfer periods Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary, if he determines that it will not impair the effective operation of the program involved, (1) may permit the owner and operator of any farm for which a cotton acreage allot- ment is established to sell or lease all or any part or the right to all or any part of such allot- ment (excluding that part of the allotment which the Secretary determines was apportioned to the farm from the national acreage reserve) to any other owner or operator of a farm for transfer to such farm; (2) may permit the owner of a farm to transfer all or any part of such al- lotment to any other farm owned or controlled by him; Provided, That the authority granted under this section may be exercised for the cal- endar years 1966 through 1970, but all transfers hereunder shall be for such period of years as the parties thereto may agree. (b) Requisite conditions for transfer of acreage allotments Transfers under this section shall be subject to the following conditions: (i) no allotment shall be transferred to a farm in another State or to a person for use in another State; (ii) no farm al- lotment may be sold or leased for transfer to a farm in another county unless the producers of cotton in the county from which transfer is being made have voted in a referendum within three years of the date of such transfer, by a two-thirds majority of the producers partici- pating in such referendum, to permit the trans- fer of allotments to farms outside the county, which referendum, insofar as practicable, shall be held in conjunction with the marketing quota referendum for the commodity; (iii) no transfer of an allotment from a farm subject to a mort- gage or other lien shall be permitted unless the transfer is agreed to by the lienholder; (iv) no sale of a farm allotment shall be permitted if any sale of cotton allotment to the same farm