Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 91.djvu/958

 91 STAT. 924

PUBLIC LAW 95-113—SEPT. 29, 1977 PROGRAM ACREAGES AND PAY^IENT YIELDS; SET-ASIDE PROGRAM

Ante, p. 921. Proclamation.

Revision.

Adjustment.

Program allocation factor

Payment yield.

SEC. 402. Effective only for the 1978 through 1981 crops of wheat, the Agricultural Act of 1949, as amended, is amended by adding subsections (d) through (i) to section 107A to read as follows: "(d)(1) The Secretary shall pr(x;laim a national program acreage for each of the 1978 through 1981 crops of wheat. The proclamation shall be made not later than August 15 of each calendar year for the crop harvested in the next succeeding calendar year, except that in the case of the 1978 crop the proclamation shall be made as soon as practicable after enactment of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977. The Secretary may revise the national program acreage first proclaimed for any crop year for the purpose of determining the allocation factor under paragraph (2) of this subsection if the Secretary determine? it necessary based upon the latest information, and the Secretary shall proclaim such revised national program acreage as soon as it is made. The national program acreage for wheat shall be the number of harvested acres the Secretary determines (on the basis of the weighted national average of the farm program payment yields for the crop for which the determination is made) will produce the quantity (less imports) that the Secretary estimates will be utilized domestically and for export during the marketing year for such crop. If the Secretary determines that carryover stocks of wheat are excessive or an increase in stocks is needed to assure desirable carryover, the Secretary may adjust the national program acreage by the amount the Secretary determines will accomplish the desired increase or decrease in carryover stocks. "(2) The Secretary shall determine a program allocation factor for each crop of wheat. The allocation factor for wheat shall be determined by dividing the national program acreage for the crop by the number of acres which the Secretary estimates will be harvested for such crop: Provided, That in no event shall the allocation factor for any crop of wheat be more than 100 per centum nor less than 80 per centum. "(3) The individual farm program acreage for each crop of wheat shall be determined by multiplying the allocation factor by the acreage of wheat planted for harvest on the farms for which individual farm program acreages are required to be determined: Provided, That the wheat acreage eligible for payments shall not be further reduced by application of the allocation factor if the producers reduce the acreage of wheat planted for harvest on the farm from the previous year by at least the percentage recommended by the Secretary in the proclamation of the national program acreage made not later than August 15 prior to the year in which the crop is harvested, or in the case of the 1978 crop, the proclamation first made after enactment of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977. The Secretary shall provide fair and equitable treatment for producers on farms on which the acreage of wheat planted for harvest is less than for the preceding year, but the reduction is insufficient to exempt the farm from the application of the allocation factor. In establishing the allocation factor for wheat, the Secretary is authorized to make such adjustment as the Secretary deems necessary to take into account the extent of exemption of farms under the foregoing provisions of this paragraph. "(e) The farm program payment yield for each crop of wheat shall be the yield established for the farm for the previous crop year, adjusted by the Secretary to provide a fair and equitable yield. If no

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