US Code

Public Law 119-83 (04/13/2026)

7 U.S.C. § 7937

Special marketing loan provisions for upland cotton

(a)

Pub. L. 109–171, title I, § 1103(a)(1)120 Stat. 5 Repealed. , ,

(b)

Special import quota

(1)

Establishment

(A)

In general

The President shall carry out an import quota program during the period beginning on , through , as provided in this subsection.

(B)

Program requirements

332Except as provided in subparagraph (C), whenever the Secretary determines and announces that for any consecutive 4-week period, the Friday through Thursday average price quotation for the lowest-priced United States growth, as quoted for Middling (M) 1⁄-inch cotton, delivered C.I.F. Northern Europe exceeds the Northern Europe price by more than 1.25 cents per pound, there shall immediately be in effect a special import quota.

(C)

Tight domestic supply

332During any month for which the Secretary estimates the season-ending United States upland cotton stocks-to-use ratio, as determined under subparagraph (D), to be below 16 percent, the Secretary, in making the determination under subparagraph (B), shall not adjust the Friday through Thursday average price quotation for the lowest-priced United States growth, as quoted for Middling (M) 1⁄-inch cotton, delivered C.I.F. Northern Europe.

(D)

Season-ending United States stocks-to-use ratio

For the purposes of making estimates under subparagraph (C), the Secretary shall, on a monthly basis, estimate and report the season-ending United States upland cotton stocks-to-use ratio, excluding projected raw cotton imports but including the quantity of raw cotton that has been imported into the United States during the marketing year.

(E)

Delayed application of threshold

Through , the Secretary shall make the calculation under subparagraph (B) without regard to the 1.25 cent threshold provided under that subparagraph.

(2)

Quantity

The quota shall be equal to one week’s consumption of upland cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate of the most recent three months for which data are available.

(3)

Application

The quota shall apply to upland cotton purchased not later than 90 days after the date of the Secretary’s announcement under paragraph (1) and entered into the United States not later than 180 days after the date.

(4)

Overlap

A special quota period may be established that overlaps any existing quota period if required by paragraph (1), except that a special quota period may not be established under this subsection if a quota period has been established under subsection (c).

(5)

Preferential tariff treatment

The quantity under a special import quota shall be considered to be an in-quota quantity for purposes of—
(A)
section 2703(d) of title 19 ;
(B)
section 3203 of title 19 ;
(C)
section 2463(d) of title 19 ; and
(D)
General Note 3(a)(iv) to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
(6)

Definition

In this subsection, the term “special import quota” means a quantity of imports that is not subject to the over-quota tariff rate of a tariff-rate quota.

(7)

Limitation

The quantity of cotton entered into the United States during any marketing year under the special import quota established under this subsection may not exceed the equivalent of 5 week’s consumption of upland cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate of the 3 months immediately preceding the first special import quota established in any marketing year.

(c)

Limited global import quota for upland cotton

(1)

In general

The President shall carry out an import quota program that provides that whenever the Secretary determines and announces that the average price of the base quality of upland cotton, as determined by the Secretary, in the designated spot markets for a month exceeded 130 percent of the average price of such quality of cotton in the markets for the preceding 36 months, notwithstanding any other provision of law, there shall immediately be in effect a limited global import quota subject to the following conditions:
(A)

Quantity

The quantity of the quota shall be equal to 21 days of domestic mill consumption of upland cotton at the seasonally adjusted average rate of the most recent 3 months for which data are available.

(B)

Quantity if prior quota

If a quota has been established under this subsection during the preceding 12 months, the quantity of the quota next established under this subsection shall be the smaller of 21 days of domestic mill consumption calculated under subparagraph (A) or the quantity required to increase the supply to 130 percent of the demand.

(C)

Preferential tariff treatment

The quantity under a limited global import quota shall be considered to be an in-quota quantity for purposes of—
(i)
section 2703(d) of title 19 ;
(ii)
section 3203 of title 19 ;
(iii)
section 2463(d) of title 19 ; and
(iv)
General Note 3(a)(iv) to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
(D)

Definitions

In this subsection:
(i)

Supply

The term “supply” means, using the latest official data of the Bureau of the Census, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of the Treasury—
(I)
the carry-over of upland cotton at the beginning of the marketing year (adjusted to 480-pound bales) in which the quota is established;
(II)
production of the current crop; and
(III)
imports to the latest date available during the marketing year.
(ii)

Demand

The term “demand” means—
(I)
the average seasonally adjusted annual rate of domestic mill consumption during the most recent 3 months for which data are available; and
(II)
the larger of—
(aa)
average exports of upland cotton during the preceding 6 marketing years; or
(bb)
cumulative exports of upland cotton plus outstanding export sales for the marketing year in which the quota is established.
(iii)

Limited global import quota

The term “limited global import quota” means a quantity of imports that is not subject to the over-quota tariff rate of a tariff-rate quota.

(E)

Quota entry period

When a quota is established under this subsection, cotton may be entered under the quota during the 90-day period beginning on the date the quota is established by the Secretary.

(2)

No overlap

Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a quota period may not be established that overlaps an existing quota period or a special quota period established under subsection (b).

Pub. L. 107–171, title I, § 1207116 Stat. 161 Pub. L. 109–171, title I, § 1103(a)120 Stat. 5 (, , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1202 of Title 19The Harmonized Tariff Schedule, referred to in subsecs. (b)(5)(D) and (c)(1)(C)(iv), is not set out in the Code. See Publication of Harmonized Tariff Schedule note set out under , Customs Duties.

Amendments

Pub. L. 109–171, § 1103(a)(1)2006—Subsec. (a). , struck out subsec. (a), which related to cotton user marketing certificates.

Pub. L. 109–171, § 1103(a)(2)(A)Subsec. (b)(1)(B). , struck out “, adjusted for the value of any certificate issued under subsection (a) of this section,” after “C.I.F. Northern Europe”.

Pub. L. 109–171, § 1103(a)(2)(B)Subsec. (b)(1)(C). , struck out “, for the value of any certificates issued under subsection (a) of this section” before period at end.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2006 Amendment

Pub. L. 109–171, title I, § 1103(b)120 Stat. 5

“The amendments made by this section [amending this section] take effect on .”
, , , provided that: