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(f) To provide insurance or reinsurance for production of agricultural commodities in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in the same manner as provided in this section for production of agricultural commodities in the United States.

(g) To offer specific risk protection programs including, but not limited to, prevented planting, wildlife depradation, tree damage and disease, and insect infestation programs under such terms and conditions as the Board may determine: Provided, That no program may be undertaken if insurance for the specific risk involved is generally available from private companies.

(h) To include appreciation (including interest charges) as an insurable cost of production in calculating premiums and indemnities in connection with insurance on yields of timber and forests.

(i) To conduct research, surveys, pilot programs, and investigations relating to crop insurance and agriculture-related risks and losses including, but not limited to, insurance on losses involving reduced forage on rangeland caused by drought and by insect infestation, livestock poisoning and disease, destruction of bees due to the use of pesticides, and other unique problems of special risk related to, but not limited to, fruits, nuts, vegetables, aquacultural species, forest industry needs (including appreciation), and other agricultural products as determined by the Board: Provided, That no such programs may be undertaken if insurance protection against such risks is generally available from private companies. Beginning in the 1981 crop year and ending after the 1985 crop year, the Corporation shall also conduct a pilot program of individual risk underwriting of crop insurance in not less than twenty-five counties. Under this pilot program, to the extent that appropriate yield data are available, the Corporation shall make available to producers in such counties crop insurance under this title based on personalized rates and with guarantees determined from the producer's actual yield history. After the completion of any pilot program under this subsection, the Corporation shall evaluate the pilot program and submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, a report of the operations of the pilot program, including its evaluation of the pilot program and its recommendations with respect to implementing the program on a national basis.

ACQUISTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC RAW MATERIALS

Act of June 7, 1939, ch. 190, 53 Stat. 812, 50 U.S.C. 98a-h, 100.

AN ACT To provide for the common defense by acquiring stocks of strategic and critical materials essential to the needs of industry for the manufacture of supplies for the armed forces and the civilian population in time of a national emergency, and to encourage, as far as possible, the further development of strategic and critical materials within the United States for common defense

SEC. 7. *

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(b) The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized and directed to make scientific, technologic, and economic investigations of the feasibility of developing domestic sources of supplies of any agricultural material or for using agricultural commodities for the manufacture of any material determined pursuant to section 2 of this Act to be strategic and critical or substitutes therefor.

150 U.S.C. 98(f) (b). Amended by the Act of July 23, 1946, ch. 590, 60 Stat. 599, which substituted provision relating to agricultural investigations for former provisions related to appropriations for carrying out the work of subsec. (a).

HOUSING ACT OF 1949

Act of July 15, 1949, ch. 338, 63 Stat. 435

AN ACT To establish a national housing objective and the policy to be followed in the attainment thereof, to provide Federal aid to assist slum-clearance projects and low-rent public housing projects initiated by local agencies, to provide for financial assistance by the Secretary of Agriculture for farm housing, and for other purposes

SEC. 506.1 (a) In connection with financial assistance authorized in this title, the Secretary shall require that all new buildings and repairs financed under this title shall be substantially constructed and in accordance with such building plans and specifications as may be required by the Secretary. Buildings and repairs constructed with funds advanced pursuant to this title shall be supervised and inspected, as required by the Secretary. In addition to the financial assistance authorized in this title, the Secretary is authorized to furnish, through such agencies as he may determine, to any person, including a person eligible for financial assistance under this title, without charge or at such charges as the Secretary may determine, technical services such as building plans, specifications, construction supervision and inspection, and advice and information regarding farm dwellings and other buildings.3

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(b) The Secretary is further authorized and directed to conduct research, technical studies, and demonstrations relating to the mission and programs of the Farmers Home Administration and the national housing goals defined in section 2 of this Act. In connection with such activities, the Secretary shall seek to promote the construction of adequate farm and other rural housing, with particular attention to the housing needs of the elderly, handicapped, migrant and seasonal farmworkers, Indians and other identifiable groups with special needs. The Secretary shall conduct such activities for the purposes of stimulating construction and improving the architectural design and utility of dwellings and buildings.

(c) The Secretary is further authorized to carry out a program of research, study, and analysis of farm housing in the United States to develop data and information on

(1) the adequacy of existing farm housing;

(2) the nature and extent of current and prospective needs for farm housing, including needs for financing and for improved de

142 U.S.C. 1476.

2 The Act of August 22, 1974. Public Law 93-383. sec. 506, 88 Stat. 694, substituted "as required by the Secretary" for "as may be required by the Secretary, by competent employees of the Secretary".

Amended by the Act of June 30, 1961, Public Law 87-70, 75 Stat. 188.

Amended by the Act of June 30, 1961, Public Law 87-70, 75 Stat. 188. by adding three new subsections (b), (c), and (d), and by redesignating former subsection (b) as subsection (e). Further amended by the Act of October 31, 1978, Public Law 95-557, sec. 502, 92 Stat. 2111, by substituting a new subsection (b).

sign, utility, and comfort, and the best methods of satisfying such needs;

(3) problems faced by farmers and other persons eligible under section 501 in purchasing, constructing, improving, altering, repairing, and replacing farm housing;

(4) the interrelation of farm housing problems and the problems of housing in urban and suburban areas; and

(5) any other matters bearing upon the provision of adequate farm housing.

(d) In order to carry out this section, the Secretary shall establish a research capacity within the Farmers Home Administration which shall have authority to undertake, or to contract with any public or private body to undertake, research authorized by this section.

(e) The Secretary of Agriculture shall prepare and submit to the President and to the Congress estimates of national rural housing needs and reports with respect to the progress being made toward meeting such needs, and correlate and recommend proposals for such executive action or legislation necessary or desirable for the furtherance of the national housing objective and policy established by this Act with respect to rural housing, together with such other reports or information as may be required of the Secretary by the President or the Congress.

(f) (1) The Secretary shall conduct a study of housing which is available for migrant and settled farmworkers. In conducting such study, the Secretary shall—

(A) determine the location, number, quality, and condition of housing units which are available to such farmworkers and the cost assessed such farmworkers for occupying such unit;

(B) recommend legislative, administrative, and other action (including the need for new authority for such action) which may be taken for the purpose of improving both the availability and the condition of such housing units; and

(C) determine the possible roles which individual farmworkers, farmworker associations, individual farmers, farmer associations, and public and private nonprofit agencies can perform in improving the housing conditions of farmworkers.

(2) The Secretary shall transmit the results of the study described in paragraph (1) to each House of the Congress within one year after the date of the enactment of this subsection.

Added by Public Law 87-70, sec. 805. 75 Stat. 188, amended by Public Law 93-383, sec. 506(a). 88 Stat. 694, and later amended by Public Law 95-128, sec. 510, 91 Stat. 1142. to provide research anthority within the Farmers Home Administration and delete requirements regarding preference for the undertaking of research.

•Redesignated by the Act of June 30. 1961, Public Law 87-70. 75 Stat. 188, and amended by the Act of Angust 22. 1974, Public Law 93-383, 88 Stat. 694, by substituting "rural housing" for "farm housing".

Added by the Act of October 31, 1978, Public Law 95-557, sec. 502, 92 Stat. 2111.

BIOMASS ENERGY AND ALCOHOL FUELS ACT OF 1980

Energy Security Act, title II, Public Law 96-294, 94 Stat. 705

SUBTITLE C-RURAL, AGRICULTURAL, AND FORESTRY BIOMASS ENERGY

MODEL DEMONSTRATION BIOMASS ENERGY FACILITIES

SEC. 251. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish not more than ten model demonstration biomass energy facilities for purposes of exhibiting the most advanced technology available for producing biomass energy. Such facilities and information regarding the operation of such facilities shall be available for public inspection, and, to the extent practicable, such facilities shall be established in various regions in the United States. Such facilities may be established in cooperation with appropriate departments or agencies of the States, or appropriate departments, agencies, or other instrumentalities of the United States.

(b) For purposes of carrying out subsection (a), there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984.

BIOMASS ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS

SEC. 252. Section 1419 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3154) is amended-1

(1) by striking out "colleges and universities" the first place it appears and inserting in lieu thereof "colleges, universities, and Government corporations";

(2) by striking out "(2) alcohol made from agricultural commodities and forest products as a substitute for alcohol made from petroleum products," and inserting in lieu thereof the following new paragraph: "(2) alcohol and other forms of biomass energy as substitutes for petroleum or natural gas,";

(3) by inserting after the first sentence thereof the following: "The authority to conduct research under paragraph (2) does not include authority to conduct research with respect to technology demonstrations of integrated systems for commercialization of technologies for applications other than agricultural or uniquely rural applications. The Secretary may make grants under this subsection to such colleges, universities, and Government corporations for the purpose of conducting research relating to the development of the most economical and commercially feasible means of collecting and transporting wastes, residues, and by

1 See page 64.

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