§2266. Congressional reaffirmation of policy to foster and encourage family farms

(a) Congress reaffirms the historical policy of the United States to foster and encourage the family farm system of agriculture in this country. Congress believes that the maintenance of the family farm system of agriculture is essential to the social well-being of the Nation and the competitive production of adequate supplies of food and fiber. Congress further believes that any significant expansion of nonfamily owned large-scale corporate farming enterprises will be detrimental to the national welfare. It is neither the policy nor the intent of Congress that agricultural and agriculture-related programs be administered exclusively for family farm operations, but it is the policy and the express intent of Congress that no such program be administered in a manner that will place the family farm operation at an unfair economic disadvantage.

(b) Omitted

( Pub. L. 95–113, title I, §102, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 918 ; Pub. L. 97–98, title XVI, §1608, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1347 ; Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, §1441, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1560 .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Subsection (b), which required the Secretary of Agriculture to submit an annual report to Congress on trends in family farm operations and comprehensive national and State-by-State data on nonfamily farm operations in the United States, terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance. See, also, page 44 of House Document No. 103–7.

Amendments

1985-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–198 designated first and second sentences as pars. (1) and (2), respectively, and amended par. (2), as so designated, generally. Prior to redesignation and amendment, second sentence read as follows: "The Secretary shall also include in each such report (1) information on how existing agricultural and agriculture-related programs are being administered to enhance and strengthen the family farm system of agriculture in the United States, (2) an assessment of how tax, credit, and other Federal laws may encourage the growth of nonfamily farm operations and investment in agriculture by nonfamily farm interests, both foreign and domestic, and (3) such other information as the Secretary deems appropriate or determines would aid Congress in protecting, preserving, and strengthening the family farm system of agriculture in the United States."

1981-Pub. L. 97–98 substantially reenacted existing provisions, and inserted reference to tax and credit laws, and investment in agriculture by nonfamily farm interests, foreign and domestic.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–98 effective Dec. 22, 1981, see section 1801 of Pub. L. 97–98, set out as an Effective Date note under section 4301 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1977, see section 1901 of Pub. L. 95–113, set out as an Effective Date of 1977 Amendment note under section 1307 of this title.

Study of Impact of Prohibitions on Payments to Certain Corporations Under Wheat, Feed Grains, Cotton, and Rice Programs; Report by January 1, 1979

Pub. L. 95–113, title I, §103, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 919 , provided that in furtherance of the policy stated in section 102 of this Act [this section], the Secretary of Agriculture was to conduct a study and report to Congress no later than January 1, 1979, on the impact on participation in the wheat, feed grain, cotton, and rice programs and the production of such commodities in carrying out a statutory provision such as that included in the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977, as passed by the Senate on May 24, 1977 [see Short Title of 1977 Amendment note set out under section 1281 of this title], prohibiting the making of payments to certain corporations and other entities under such programs, which study was to assess the impact of extending the prohibition against making commodity program payments to tenants on land owned by such corporations and other entities which would be excluded from payments under such a provision, and was to utilize the information on commodity program payments compiled by the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service in determining payment eligibility under section 101 of the Agricultural Act of 1970, as amended [section 1307 of this title], and section 101 of this Act [section 1308 of this title]. The Secretary was authorized to collect such other information as necessary to determine the impact of such a statutory provision and to identify the number and characteristics of producers that would be affected by such a provision.