§ 347a. — Disadvantaged agricultural areas.
[Laws in effect as of January 7, 2003]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 7, 2003 and December 19, 2003]
[CITE: 7USC347a]
TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
CHAPTER 13--AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGES
SUBCHAPTER IV--AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORK APPROPRIATION
Sec. 347a. Disadvantaged agricultural areas
(a) Congressional findings
The Congress finds that there exists special circumstances in
certain agricultural areas which cause such areas to be at a
disadvantage insofar as agricultural development is concerned, which
circumstances include the following: (1) There is concentration of farm
families on farms either too small or too unproductive or both; (2) such
farm operators because of limited productivity are unable to make
adjustments and investments required to establish profitable operations;
(3) the productive capacity of the existing farm unit does not permit
profitable employment of available labor; (4) because of limited
resources, many of these farm families are not able to make full use of
current extension programs designed for families operating economic
units nor are extension facilities adequate to provide the assistance
needed to produce desirable results.
(b) Appropriation
In order to further the purposes of section 342 of this title in
such areas and to encourage complementary development essential to the
welfare of such areas, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as the Congress from time to time shall determine to be necessary for
payments to the States on the basis of special needs in such areas as
determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.
(c) Assistance
In determining that the area has such special need, the Secretary
shall find that it has a substantial number of disadvantaged farms or
farm families for one or more of the reasons heretofore enumerated. The
Secretary shall make provisions for the assistance to be extended to
include one or more of the following: (1) Intensive on-the-farm
educational assistance to the farm family in appraising and resolving
its problems; (2) assistance and counseling to local groups in
appraising resources for capability of improvement in agriculture or
introduction of industry designed to supplement farm income; (3)
cooperation with other agencies and groups in furnishing all possible
information as to existing employment opportunities, particularly to
farm families having under-employed workers; and (4) in cases where the
farm family, after analysis of its opportunities and existing resources,
finds it advisable to seek a new farming venture, the providing of
information, advice, and counsel in connection with making such change.
(d) Allocation of funds
No more than 10 per centum of the sums available under this section
shall be allotted to any one State. The Secretary shall use project
proposals and plans of work submitted by the State Extension directors
as a basis for determining the allocation of funds appropriated pursuant
to this section.
(e) Appropriation as additional; limitation on amount
Sums appropriated pursuant to this section shall be in addition to,
and not in substitution for, appropriations otherwise available under
this subchapter. The amounts authorized to be appropriated pursuant to
this section shall not exceed a sum in any year equal to 10 per centum
of sums otherwise appropriated pursuant to this subchapter.
(May 8, 1914, ch. 79, Sec. 8, as added Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 798,
Sec. 1(a), 69 Stat. 683; amended Pub. L. 87-749, Sec. 1(h), Oct. 5,
1962, 76 Stat. 745.)
Prior Provisions
A prior section 8 of act May 8, 1914, was renumbered section 9 and
is classified to section 348 of this title.
Amendments
1962--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 87-749 struck out ``, Alaska, Hawaii, and
Puerto Rico'' before ``on the basis of''.
