Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 95.djvu/1252

 95 STAT. 1226

16 USC 590h.

PUBLIC LAW 97-98—DEC. 22, 1981

production is needed to provide an adequate supply of such commodities, is not likely to increase the cost of the price support program, and will not affect farm income adversely. In determining the amount of land to be devoted to conservation uses under an acreage limitation or set-aside program with respect to land that has been farmed under summer fallow practices, as defined by the Secretary, the Secretary shall consider the effects of soil erosion and such other factors as the Secretary considers appropriate. "(5) The Secretary may make land diversion payments to producers of wheat, whether or not an acreage limitation or set-aside program for wheat is in effect, if the Secretary determines that such land diversion payments are necessary to assist in adjusting the total national acreage of wheat to desirable goals. Such land diversion payments shall be made to producers who, to the extent prescribed by the Secretary, devote to approved conservation uses an acreage of cropland on the farm in accordance with land diversion contracts entered into by the Secretary with such producers. The amounts payable to producers under land diversion contracts may be determined through the submission of bids for such contracts by producers in such manner as the Secretary may prescribe or through such other means as the Secretary determines appropriate. In determining the acceptability of contract offers, the Secretary shall take into consideration the extent of the diversion to be undertaken by the producers and the productivity of the acreage diverted. The Secretary shall limit the total acreage to be diverted under agreements in any county or local community so as not to affect adversely the economy of the county or local community. "(6) Any reduced acreage, set-aside acreage, and additional diverted acreage may be devoted to wildlife food plots or wildlife habitat in conformity with standards established by the Secretary in consultation with wildlife agencies. The Secretary may pay an appropriate share of the cost of practices designed to carry out the purposes of the foregoing sentence. The Secretary may provide for an additional payment on such acreage in an amount determined by the Secretary to be appropriate in relation to the benefit to the general public if the producer agrees to permit, without other compensation, access to all or such portion of the farm, as the Secretary may prescribe, by the general public, for hunting, trapping, fishing, and hiking, subject to applicable State and Federal regulations. (7) An operator of a farm desiring to participate in the program conducted under this subsection shall execute an agreement with the Secretary providing for such participation not later than such date as the Secretary may prescribe. The Secretary may, by mutual agreement with the producers on the farm, terminate or modify any such agreement if the Secretary determines such action necessary because of an emergency created by drought or other disaster or to prevent or alleviate a shortage in the supply of agricultural commodities. "(f) If the failure of a producer to comply fully with the terms and conditions of the program conducted under this section precludes the making of loans, purchases, and payments, the Secretary may, nevertheless, make such loans, purchases, and payments in such amounts as the Secretary determines to be equitable in relation to the seriousness of the failure. The Secretary may authorize the county and State committees established under section SOt)) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act to waive or modify deadlines and other program requirements in cases in which lateness or failure to meet such other requirements does not affect adversely the operation of the program.

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