Collapse to view only § 714. Creation and purpose of Corporation

§ 714. Creation and purpose of Corporation

For the purpose of stabilizing, supporting, and protecting farm income and prices, of assisting in the maintenance of balanced and adequate supplies of agricultural commodities, products thereof, foods, feeds, and fibers (hereinafter collectively referred to as “agricultural commodities”), and of facilitating the orderly distribution of agricultural commodities, there is created a body corporate to be known as Commodity Credit Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the “Corporation”), which shall be an agency and instrumentality of the United States, within the Department of Agriculture, subject to the general supervision and direction of the Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the “Secretary”).

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 2, 62 Stat. 1070; June 7, 1949, ch. 175, § 1, 63 Stat. 154.)
§ 714a. Location of offices

The Corporation may establish offices in such place or places as it may deem necessary or desirable in the conduct of its business.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 3, 62 Stat. 1070.)
§ 714b. General powers of Corporation
The Corporation—
(a) Shall have succession in its corporate name.
(b) May adopt, alter, and use a corporate seal, which shall be judicially noticed.
(c) May sue and be sued, but no attachment, injunction, garnishment, or other similar process, mesne or final, shall be issued against the Corporation or its property. The district courts of the United States, including the district courts of any Territory or possession, shall have exclusive original jurisdiction, without regard to the amount in controversy, of all suits brought by or against the Corporation: Provided, That the Corporation may intervene in any court in any suit, action, or proceeding in which it has an interest. Any suit against the Corporation shall be brought in the District of Columbia, or in the district wherein the plaintiff resides or is engaged in business. No suit by or against the Corporation shall be allowed unless (1) it shall have been brought within six years after the right accrued on which suit is brought, or (2) in the event that the person bringing such suit shall have been under legal disability or beyond the seas at the time the right accrued, the suit shall have been brought within three years after the disability shall have ceased or within six years after the right accrued on which suit is brought, whichever period is longer. The defendant in any suit by or against the Corporation may plead, by way of set-off or counterclaim, any cause of action, whether arising out of the same transaction or not, which would otherwise be barred by such limitation if the claim upon which the defendant’s cause of action is based had not been barred prior to the date that the plaintiff’s cause of action arose: Provided, That the defendant shall not be awarded a judgment on any such set-off or counterclaim for any amount in excess of the amount of the plaintiff’s claim established in the suit. All suits against the Corporation shall be tried by the court without a jury. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the Federal Tort Claims Act (Public Law 601, Seventy-ninth Congres 1
1 So in original. Should be “Congress)”.
shall be applicable to the Corporation. Any suit by or against the United States as the real party in interest based upon any claim by or against the Corporation shall be subject to the provisions of subsection (c) to the same extent as though such suit were by or against the Corporation, except that (1) any such suit against the United States based upon any claim of the type enumerated in section 1491 of title 28, may be brought in the United States Court of Federal Claims, and (2) no such suit against the United States may be brought in a district court unless such suit might, without regard to the provisions of this subchapter, be brought in such court.
(d) May adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws, rules, and regulations governing the manner in which its business may be conducted and the powers vested in it may be exercised.
(e) Shall have all the rights, privileges, and immunities of the United States with respect to the right to priority of payment with respect to debts due from insolvent, deceased, or bankrupt debtors. The Corporation may assert such rights, privileges, and immunities in any suit, action, or proceeding.
(f) Shall be entitled to the use of the United States mails in the same manner and upon the same conditions as the executive departments of the Federal Government.
(g) May enter into and carry out such contracts or agreements as are necessary in the conduct of its business, except that obligations under all such contracts or agreements (other than reimbursable agreements under section 714i of this title) for equipment or services relating to automated data processing, information technologies, or related items (including telecommunications equipment and computer hardware and software) may not exceed $170,000,000 in fiscal year 1996 and not more than $188,000,000 in the 6-fiscal year period beginning on October 1, 1996, unless additional amounts for such contracts and agreements are provided in advance in appropriation Acts. State and local regulatory laws or rules shall not be applicable with respect to contracts or agreements of the Corporation or the parties thereto to the extent that such contracts or agreements provide that such laws or rules shall not be applicable, or to the extent that such laws or rules are inconsistent with such contracts or agreements.
(h) May contract for the use, in accordance with the usual customs of trade and commerce, of plants and facilities for the physical handling, storage, processing, servicing, and transportation of the agricultural commodities subject to its control. The Corporation shall not have power to acquire real property or any interest therein except that it may (a) rent or lease office space necessary for the conduct of its business and (b) acquire real property or any interest therein for the purpose of providing storage adequate to carry out effectively and efficiently any of the Corporation’s programs, or of securing or discharging obligations owing to the Corporation, or of otherwise protecting the financial interests of the Corporation:
(i) May borrow money subject to any provision of law applicable to the Corporation: Provided, That the total of all money borrowed by the Corporation, other than trust deposits and advances received on sales, shall not at any time exceed in the aggregate $30,000,000,000. The Corporation shall at all times reserve a sufficient amount of its authorized borrowing power which, together with other funds available to the Corporation, will enable it to purchase, in accordance with its contracts with lending agencies, notes, or other obligations evidencing loans made by such agencies under the Corporation’s programs.
(j) Shall determine the character of and the necessity for its obligations and expenditures and the manner in which they shall be incurred, allowed, and paid.
(k) Shall have authority to make final and conclusive settlement and adjustment of any claims by or against the Corporation or the accounts of its fiscal officers.
(l) May make such loans and advances of its funds as are necessary in the conduct of its business.
(m) Shall have such powers as may be necessary or appropriate for the exercise of the powers specifically vested in the Corporation, and all such incidental powers as are customary in corporations generally; but any research financed by the Corporation shall relate to the conservation or disposal of commodities owned or controlled by the Corporation and shall be conducted in collaboration with research agencies of the Department of Agriculture. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the Corporation may, in the exercise of its power to remove and dispose of surplus agricultural commodities, export, or cause to be exported, not to exceed such amounts of commodities owned by the Corporation as will enable the Corporation to finance research and development of external combustion engines using fuel other than that derived from petroleum and petroleum products. The total value of commodities exported annually for the purposes of the research authorized by the preceding sentence may not exceed $30,000,000.
(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 4, 62 Stat. 1070; June 7, 1949, ch. 175, §§ 2, 5, 63 Stat. 154, 156; Aug. 10, 1949, ch. 412, § 12(a), 63 Stat. 591; June 28, 1950, ch. 381, § 2, 64 Stat. 261; Mar. 20, 1954, ch. 102, § 2, 68 Stat. 30; Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1172, § 2, 68 Stat. 1047; Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 782, § 2, 69 Stat. 634; Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 815, § 1(a), 70 Stat. 783; Pub. L. 89–758, Nov. 5, 1966, 80 Stat. 1307; Pub. L. 95–113, title XI, § 1104, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 954; Pub. L. 95–279, title III, § 301(a), May 15, 1978, 92 Stat. 242; Pub. L. 96–41, § 3(b), July 30, 1979, 93 Stat. 325; Pub. L. 96–234, § 3, Apr. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 333; Pub. L. 97–35, title I, § 151, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 370; Pub. L. 97–98, title XV, § 1520(a), title XVI, § 1606, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1335, 1347; Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 161(1), Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 49; Pub. L. 99–198, title XI, § 1167(b), title XVII, § 1761, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1503, 1651; Pub. L. 99–260, § 11, Mar. 20, 1986, 100 Stat. 52; Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(k) [title I, § 101], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–322, 1329–336; Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, § 902(b)(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4516; Pub. L. 104–127, title I, § 161(b)(1), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 934; Pub. L. 105–185, title V, § 521(a), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 580; Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(a) [title VII, § 756], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681, 2681–34.)
§ 714c. Specific powers of Corporation
In the fulfillment of its purposes and in carrying out its annual budget programs submitted to and approved by the Congress pursuant to chapter 91 of title 31, the Corporation is authorized to use its general powers only to—
(a) Support the prices of agricultural commodities (other than tobacco) through loans, purchases, payments, and other operations.
(b) Make available materials and facilities required in connection with the production and marketing of agricultural commodities (other than tobacco).
(c) Procure agricultural commodities (other than tobacco) for sale to other Government agencies, foreign governments, and domestic, foreign, or international relief or rehabilitation agencies, and to meet domestic requirements.
(d) Remove and dispose of or aid in the removal or disposition of surplus agricultural commodities (other than tobacco).
(e) Increase the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities (other than tobacco) by expanding or aiding in the expansion of domestic markets or by developing or aiding in the development of new and additional markets, marketing facilities, and uses for such commodities.
(f) Export or cause to be exported, or aid in the development of foreign markets for, agricultural commodities (other than tobacco) (including fish and fish products, without regard to whether such fish are harvested in aquacultural operations).
(g) Carry out conservation or environmental programs authorized by law.
(h) Carry out such other operations as the Congress may specifically authorize or provide for.

In the Corporation’s purchasing and selling operations with respect to agricultural commodities (other than tobacco) (except sales to other Government agencies), and in the warehousing, transporting, processing, or handling of agricultural commodities (other than tobacco), the Corporation shall, to the maximum extent practicable consistent with the fulfillment of the Corporation’s purposes and the effective and efficient conduct of its business, utilize the usual and customary channels, facilities, and arrangements of trade and commerce (including, at the option of the Corporation, the use of private sector entities).

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 5, 62 Stat. 1072; Pub. L. 98–623, title IV, § 405(a), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3409; Pub. L. 104–127, title III, § 381(a), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1016; Pub. L. 107–171, title I, § 1609, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 218; Pub. L. 108–357, title VI, § 612(d), Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1524.)
§ 714d. Laws applicable to Corporation

The Federal statutes applicable to Commodity Credit Corporation, a Delaware corporation, shall be applicable to the Corporation. Commodity Credit Corporation, a Delaware corporation, shall cease to be an agency of the United States as provided in section 713(a) of this title.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 6, 62 Stat. 1072.)
§ 714e. Capital stock; amount; interest

The Corporation shall have a capital stock of $100,000,000 which shall be subscribed by the United States. Such subscription shall be deemed to be fully paid by the transfer of assets to the Corporation pursuant to section 714n of this title. The Corporation shall pay interest to the United States Treasury on the amount of its capital stock, and on the amount of the obligations of the Corporation purchased by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to the Act of March 8, 1938 (U.S.C., title 15, sec. 713a–4), as amended, at such rates as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury to be appropriate in view of the terms for which such amounts are made available to the Corporation.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 7, 62 Stat. 1072.)
§ 714f. Use of funds

The Corporation is authorized to use in the conduct of its business all its funds and other assets, including capital and net earnings therefrom, and all funds and other assets which have been or may hereafter be transferred or allocated to, borrowed by, or otherwise acquired by it.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 8, 62 Stat. 1072.)
§ 714g. Board of Directors
(a) Composition; appointment, tenure and compensation; quorum; duties
(b) Advisory board; composition, tenure and compensation; meetings; duties
(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 9, 62 Stat. 1072; June 7, 1949, ch. 175, § 3, 63 Stat. 155; Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782, title XI, § 1106(a), 63 Stat. 972; Pub. L. 94–561, § 4, Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2643; Pub. L. 112–166, § 2(a)(3), Aug. 10, 2012, 126 Stat. 1283.)
§ 714h. Officers and employees; appointment; duties

The Secretary shall appoint such officers and employees as may be necessary for the conduct of the business of the Corporation, define their authority and duties, delegate to them such of the powers vested in the Corporation as he may determine. With the exception of experts, appointments shall be made pursuant to the civil-service laws and chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 10, 62 Stat. 1073; June 7, 1949, ch. 175, § 4, 63 Stat. 156; Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782, title XI, § 1106(a), 63 Stat. 972; Pub. L. 92–310, title II, § 224(b), June 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 206.)
§ 714i. Cooperation with other governmental agencies

The Corporation may, with the consent of the agency concerned, accept and utilize, on a compensated or uncompensated basis, the officers, employees, services, facilities, and information of any agency of the Federal Government, including any bureau, office, administration, or other agency of the Department of Agriculture, and of any State, the District of Columbia, any Territory or possession, or any political subdivision thereof. The Corporation may allot to any bureau, office, administration, or other agency of the Department of Agriculture or transfer to such other agencies as it may request to assist it in the conduct of its business any of the funds available to it for administrative expenses. The personnel and facilities of the Corporation may, with the consent of the Corporation, be utilized on a reimbursable basis by any agency of the Federal Government, including any bureau, office, administration, or other agency of the Department of Agriculture, in the performance of any part or all of the functions of such agency. After September 30, 1996, the total amount of all allotments and fund transfers from the Corporation under this section (including allotments and transfers for automated data processing or information resource management activities but excluding any amounts used to provide technical assistance under title X of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 or an amendment made by that title) for a fiscal year may not exceed the total amount of the allotments and transfers made under this section in fiscal year 1995.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 11, 62 Stat. 1073; Pub. L. 104–127, title I, § 161(b)(2), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 934; Pub. L. 115–334, title X, § 10112, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4908.)
§ 714j. Utilization of associations and trade facilities

The Corporation may, in the conduct of its business, utilize on a contract or fee basis, committees or associations of producers, producer-owned and producer-controlled cooperative associations, and trade facilities.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 12, 62 Stat. 1073.)
§ 714k. Records; annual report

The Corporation shall at all times maintain complete and accurate books of account and shall file annually with the Secretary of Agriculture a complete report as to the business of the Corporation, a copy of which shall be forwarded by the Secretary of Agriculture to the President for transmission to the Congress. In addition to the annual report, the Corporation shall submit to Congress on a quarterly basis an itemized report of all expenditures over $10,000 made under section 714c or 714i of this title during the period covered by the report, including expenditures in the form of allotments or fund transfers to other agencies and departments of the Federal Government.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 13, 62 Stat. 1073; Pub. L. 104–127, title I, § 161(b)(3), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 934.)
§ 714l. Interest of Members of Congress

The provisions of section 6306(a) of title 41 shall apply to all contracts or agreements of the Corporation, except contracts or agreements of a kind which the Corporation may enter into with farmers participating in a program of the Corporation.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 14, 62 Stat. 1074.)
§ 714m. Crimes and offenses
(a) False statements; overvaluation of securities
(b) Embezzlement, etc.; false entries; fraudulent issue of obligations of Corporation
(c) Larceny; conversion of property
(d) Conspiracy to commit offense
(e) General statutes applicable
(f) Use of words “Commodity Credit Corporation”
(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 15, 62 Stat. 1074; June 7, 1949, ch. 175, § 6, 63 Stat. 157; Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 815, § 2, 70 Stat. 783.)
§ 714n. Transfer of assets of Commodity Credit Corporation, a Delaware corporation

The assets, funds, property, and records of Commodity Credit Corporation, a Delaware corporation, are transferred to the Corporation. The rights, privileges, and powers, and the duties and liabilities of Commodity Credit Corporation, a Delaware corporation, in respect to any contract, agreement, loan, account, or other obligation shall become the rights, privileges, and powers, and the duties and liabilities, respectively, of the Corporation. The enforceable claims of or against Commodity Credit Corporation, a Delaware corporation, shall become the claims of or against, and may be enforced by or against, the Corporation: Provided, That nothing in this subchapter shall limit or extend any period of limitation otherwise applicable to such claims against the Corporation.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 16, 62 Stat. 1075.)
§ 714o. Dissolution of Delaware corporation

The Secretary of Agriculture, representing the United States as the sole owner of the capital stock of Commodity Credit Corporation, a Delaware corporation, is authorized and directed to institute or cause to be instituted such proceedings as are required for the dissolution of said Corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware. The costs of such dissolution of said Corporation shall be borne by the Corporation.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 17, 62 Stat. 1075.)
§ 714p. Release of innocent purchasers of converted goods

A buyer in the ordinary course of business of fungible goods sold and physically delivered by a warehouseman or other dealer who was regularly engaged in the business of buying and selling such goods shall take or be deemed to have taken such goods free of any claim, existing or hereafter arising, by Commodity Credit Corporation, based on the want of authority in the seller to sell such goods, provided the buyer purchased such goods for value in good faith and did not know or have reason to know of any defect in the seller’s authority to sell such goods. To be entitled to relief under this section a buyer must assert as an affirmative defense and establish by a preponderance of the evidence the facts necessary to entitle him to such relief.

(June 29, 1948, ch. 704, § 19, as added May 23, 1955, ch. 46, 69 Stat. 65.)