To prohibit the anticipated extreme reduction in the national marketing quotas for the 2004 crop of Flue-cured and Burley tobacco, which, if permitted to occur, would mean economic ruin for tobacco farmers and their families.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and maintain the national 2004 marketing quota for Flue-cured and Burley tobacco at 2003 levels.

Provides that: (1) A producer-owned cooperative marketing association may fully settle, without further cost to the association, a loan made for the 2004 crop of Flue-cured and Burley tobacco by forfeiting to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) the Flue-cured or Burley tobacco covered by the loan regardless of the condition of the tobacco; (2) any resultant CCC losses shall not be charged to the No Net Cost Tobacco Account; or affect certain related assessments; and (3) forfeited tobacco shall not be counted towards quotas, or sold for use in the United States.

[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3500 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3500

To prohibit the anticipated extreme reduction in the national marketing 
 quotas for the 2004 crop of Flue-cured and Burley tobacco, which, if 
 permitted to occur, would mean economic ruin for tobacco farmers and 
                            their families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 17, 2003

Mr. Jones of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. Goode) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To prohibit the anticipated extreme reduction in the national marketing 
 quotas for the 2004 crop of Flue-cured and Burley tobacco, which, if 
 permitted to occur, would mean economic ruin for tobacco farmers and 
                            their families.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL MARKETING QUOTA FOR 2004 CROP OF 
              FLUE-CURED AND BURLEY TOBACCO AT 2003 LEVEL.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the 2004 crop year, 
the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish and maintain the national 
marketing quota for Flue-cured and Burley tobacco at the 2003 level.

SEC. 2. FORFEITURES OF FLUE-CURED AND BURLEY
              TOBACCO.

    (a) In General.--This section shall apply notwithstanding sections 
106 through 106B of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1445 through 
1445-2).
    (b) Loan Forfeiture.--A producer-owned cooperative marketing 
association may fully settle, without further cost to the association, 
a loan made for the 2004 crop of Flue-cured and Burley tobacco by 
forfeiting to the Commodity Credit Corporation the Flue-cured or Burley 
tobacco covered by the loan regardless of the condition of the tobacco.
    (c) Treatment of CCC Losses.--Any losses to the Commodity Credit 
Corporation as a result of the forfeiture of tobacco under subsection 
(b)--
            (1) shall not be charged to the No Net Cost Tobacco 
        Account; and
            (2) shall not affect the amount of any assessment imposed 
        against Flue-cured or Burley tobacco under sections 106 through 
        106B of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1445 through 
        1445-2).
    (d) Treatment of Forfeited Tobacco.--Tobacco forfeited under 
subsection (b) shall not be--
            (1) counted for the purpose of determining the Flue-cured 
        or Burley tobacco quota for any year pursuant to section 319 of 
        the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1314e); or
            (2) sold for use in the United States, except that, 
        notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commodity 
        Credit Corporation, directly or through the use of United 
        States leaf dealers, may market the forfeited tobacco outside 
        the United States.
                                 <all>