§475. Cotton crop reports

The Secretary of Agriculture shall cause to be issued as of the first of each month during the cotton growing and harvesting season from August to January inclusive, reports describing the condition and progress of the crop and stating the probable number of bales which will be ginned, these reports to be issued simultaneously with the cotton ginning reports of the Bureau of the Census relating to the same dates, the two reports to be issued from the same place at 3 o'clock postmeridian on or before the 12th day of the month to which the respective reports relate. No such report shall be approved and released by the Secretary of Agriculture until it shall have been passed upon by a cotton crop reporting board consisting of five members or more to be designated by him. Not less than three members of the board shall be supervisory field statisticians of the Department of Agriculture who are located in different sections of the cotton-growing States, are experienced in estimating cotton production, and have first-hand knowledge of the condition of the cotton crop based upon recent field observations. A majority of the members of the board shall be familiar with the methods and practices of producing cotton.

(May 3, 1924, ch. 149, §1, 43 Stat. 115 ; Mar. 3, 1927, ch. 337, §5, 44 Stat. 1373 ; Aug. 8, 1946, ch. 909, 60 Stat. 940 ; May 29, 1958, Pub. L. 85–430, §2, 72 Stat. 149 ; June 30, 1972, Pub. L. 92–331, §1, 86 Stat. 400 .)

Codification

Section was not enacted as part of the Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act which enacted sections 471 to 474 of this title and amended sections 475 and 476 of this title.

Section was formerly classified to section 413 of this title.

Amendments

1972-Pub. L. 92–331 substituted "January" for "December", substituted provisions requiring the two reports to be issued from the same place at 3 o'clock postmeridian on or before the 12th day of the month to which the respective reports relate for provisions requiring the two reports to be issued from the same place at 11 o'clock antemeridian on the 8th day following that on which the respective reports relate, struck out provisions setting forth the date of release in the event the original release date falls on a Sunday, legal holiday, or other nonworkday in the Department of Agriculture at Washington, and struck out reference to cotton-crop reporting committee.

1958-Pub. L. 85–430 struck out provisions which required Secretary of Agriculture to discontinue making his reports based upon farmers' intention to plant cotton.

1946-Act Aug. 8, 1946, provided for issuing of releases on next succeeding workday following any day which pursuant to an Executive order or statute is a nonworkday in addition to same provision relating to Sundays and legal holidays.

1927-Act Mar. 3, 1927, provided for monthly instead of semimonthly publication of cotton crop reports.

Transfer of Functions

Functions of all other officers of Department of Commerce and functions of all agencies and employees of such Department, with a few exceptions, transferred to Secretary of Commerce, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or performance of any of his functions, by any of such officers, agencies, and employees, by 1950 Reorg. Plan No. 5, §§1, 2, 64 Stat. 1263, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Bureau of the Census, referred to in this section, is a bureau of Department of Commerce.