Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

7 U.S.C. § 602

Declaration of policy; establishment of price basing period; marketing standards; orderly supply flow; circumstances for continued regulation

It is declared to be the policy of Congress—
(1)
section 1301(a)(1) of this title Through the exercise of the powers conferred upon the Secretary of Agriculture under this chapter, to establish and maintain such orderly marketing conditions for agricultural commodities in interstate commerce as will establish, as the prices to farmers, parity prices as defined by .
(2)
To protect the interest of the consumer by (a) approaching the level of prices which it is declared to be the policy of Congress to establish in subsection (1) of this section by gradual correction of the current level at as rapid a rate as the Secretary of Agriculture deems to be in the public interest and feasible in view of the current consumptive demand in domestic and foreign markets, and (b) authorizing no action under this chapter which has for its purpose the maintenance of prices to farmers above the level which it is declared to be the policy of Congress to establish in subsection (1) of this section.
(3)
section 608c(6)(I) of this titlesection 608c(6)(H) of this title1
1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.
Through the exercise of the powers conferred upon the Secretary of Agriculture under this chapter, to establish and maintain such production research, marketing research, and development projects provided in , such container and pack requirements provided in   such minimum standards of quality and maturity and such grading and inspection requirements for agricultural commodities enumerated in section 608c (2) of this title, other than milk and its products, in interstate commerce as will effectuate such orderly marketing of such agricultural commodities as will be in the public interest.
(4)
section 608c(2) of this title Through the exercise of the powers conferred upon the Secretary of Agriculture under this chapter, to establish and maintain such orderly marketing conditions for any agricultural commodity enumerated in as will provide, in the interests of producers and consumers, an orderly flow of the supply thereof to market throughout its normal marketing season to avoid unreasonable fluctuations in supplies and prices.
(5)
Through the exercise of the power conferred upon the Secretary of Agriculture under this chapter, to continue for the remainder of any marketing season or marketing year, such regulation pursuant to any order as will tend to avoid a disruption of the orderly marketing of any commodity and be in the public interest, if the regulation of such commodity under such order has been initiated during such marketing season or marketing year on the basis of its need to effectuate the policy of this chapter.

May 12, 1933, ch. 2548 Stat. 32Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 64149 Stat. 750June 3, 1937, ch. 29650 Stat. 246Aug. 1, 1947, ch. 425, § 161 Stat. 707July 3, 1948, ch. 82762 Stat. 1257Aug. 28, 1954, ch. 104168 Stat. 906Pub. L. 87–128, title I, § 141(1)75 Stat. 303Pub. L. 89–330, § 1(a)79 Stat. 1270Pub. L. 91–292, § 1(1)84 Stat. 333(, title I, § 2, ; , §§ 1, 62, , 782; , §§ 1, 2(b), , 247; , ; , title III, § 302(a), ; , title IV, § 401(a), ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 91–292section 608c(6)(I) of this title1970—Subsec. (3). inserted authority to establish and maintain the production research, marketing research, and development projects provided in .

Pub. L. 89–330section 608c(6)(H) of this title1965—Subsec. (3). inserted “such container and pack requirements provided in ”.

Pub. L. 87–1281961—Subsec. (5). added subsec. (5).

1954—Subsec. (4). Act , added subsec. (4).

section 1301(a)(1) of this title1948—Subsec. (1). Act , made definition of “parity” conform to definition stated in .

1947—Subsec. (3). Act , added subsec. (3).

1937—Act , inserted “orderly marketing conditions for agricultural commodities in interstate commerce as will establish” before “as the prices to farmers”.

Act Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 1act Aug. 24, 1935, ch. 641, § 621935—Subsec. (1). , amended first sentence and , amended second and third sentences.

Subsec. (2). Act , amended subsec. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1948 Amendment

section 1301 of this titleAmendment by act , effective , see section 303 of act , set out as a note under .

Validity of Section Affirmed

Act June 3, 1937, ch. 296, § 150 Stat. 246section 601 of this title, , affirmed and validated, and reenacted without change the provisions of this section except for the amendment to subsec. (1) by section 2 of said act. See note set out under .