[House Report 115-352]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



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115th Congress     }                                  {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session       }                                  {       115-352
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                SOUTH CAROLINA PEANUT PARITY ACT OF 2017

                                _______
                                

October 19, 2017.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Conaway, from the Committee on Agriculture, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 2521]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Agriculture, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 2521) to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
of 2002 to include South Carolina as a part of the Virginia/
Carolina peanut producing region for purposes of appointment to 
the Peanut Standards Board, having considered the same, report 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill 
do pass.

                           Brief Explanation

    This legislation amends the Farm Security and Rural 
Investment Act of 2002 to include South Carolina as a part of 
the Virginia/Carolina peanut producing region for purposes of 
appointment to the Peanut Standards Board.

                    Purpose and Need for Legislation

    The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 
Farm Bill) requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a 
Peanut Standards Board (Board) for the purpose of advising the 
Secretary on quality and handling standards for domestically 
produced and imported peanuts. The Board is comprised of 18 
members equally divided between producers and industry 
representatives by region.
    The Secretary appoints members to the Board, but is 
required to select three producers from each of the three 
regions (Southeast, Southwest, and Virginia/Carolina). As it is 
currently written, only the states of Virginia and North 
Carolina are considered a part of the Virginia/Carolina region.
    H.R. 2521, the South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017 
would amend the 2002 Farm Bill to add South Carolina to the 
Virginia/Carolina region for purposes of appointments to the 
Peanut Standards Board. The bill would not change the number of 
position available on the board, nor would it impact the 
definitions of any of the other growing regions.

        H.R. 2521, The South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017


                           Section-by-Section

    Sec. 1 is the short title of the bill.
    Sec. 2 amends Section 1308 of the Farm Security and Rural 
Investment Act of 2002 to include South Carolina in the 
Virginia/Carolina peanut producing region for purposes of 
membership on the Peanut Standards Board.

                        Committee Consideration


                              I. HEARINGS

    No hearings were held by the Committee on H.R. 2521, South 
Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017.

                           II. FULL COMMITTEE

    The Committee on Agriculture met, pursuant to notice, with 
a quorum present, on October 4, 2017, to consider H.R. 2521, 
South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017.
    H.R. 2521 was placed before the Committee for 
consideration. Without objection, a first reading of the bill 
was waived and it was open for amendment at any point.
    Chairman Conaway and Mr. Peterson were recognized for 
statements. There being no amendments, Mr. Peterson was 
recognized to offer a motion that the bill H.R. 2521 be 
reported favorably to the House with recommendation that it do 
pass. The motion was subsequently approved by voice vote.
    At the conclusion of the meeting, Chairman Conaway advised 
Members that pursuant to the rules of the House of 
Representatives Members had until October 6, 2017, to file any 
supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views with 
the Committee.
    Without objection, staff was given permission to make any 
necessary clerical, technical or conforming changes to reflect 
the intent of the Committee. Chairman Conaway thanked all the 
Members and adjourned the meeting.

                            Committee Votes

    In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the House of 
Representatives, H.R. 2521 was reported by voice vote with a 
majority quorum present. There was no request for a recorded 
vote.

                      Committee Oversight Findings

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee on Agriculture's 
oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the 
body of this report.

           Budget Act Compliance (Sections 308, 402, and 423)

    The provisions of clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives and section 308(a)(1) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (relating to estimates of new 
budget authority, new spending authority, new credit authority, 
or increased or decreased revenues or tax expenditures) are not 
considered applicable. The estimate and comparison required to 
be prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
under clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives and sections 402 and 423 of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974 submitted to the Committee prior to the 
filing of this report are as follows:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                  Washington, DC, October 17, 2017.
Hon. K. Michael Conaway,
Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed revised cost estimate for H.R. 2521, the 
South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017. This estimate makes 
clear that implementing the bill would not affect the number of 
board members and would have no budgetary effect.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Tiffany 
Arthur.
            Sincerely,
                                                Keith Hall,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 2521--South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017

    H.R. 2521 would amend the Farm Security and Rural 
Investment Act of 2002 to include South Carolina as part of the 
Virginia-Carolina peanut producing region for purposes of 
appointing members to the Peanut Standards Board. That 18-
member Board advises the Secretary of Agriculture on quality 
and handling standards for domestically-produced and imported 
peanuts.
    Because the bill would not affect the number of board 
members or the duties of the board, CBO estimates that 
including South Carolina as a part of the Virginia-Carolina 
peanut producing region would have no effect on federal 
spending. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or 
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2521 would not increase 
net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four 
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
    H.R. 2521 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
    This revised cost estimate supersedes the cost estimate for 
H.R. 2521 that CBO transmitted on October 13, 2017, and makes 
clear that implementing the bill would not affect the number of 
board members or its responsibilities. In the previous cost 
estimate, CBO estimated an insignificant cost to implement the 
bill. CBO now estimates that implementing the bill would have 
no budgetary effect.
    The CBO staff contact for this cost estimate is Tiffany 
Arthur. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                    Performance Goals and Objectives

    H.R. 2521 does not authorize funding, therefore, clause 
3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives is inapplicable.

                        Committee Cost Estimate

    Pursuant to clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee report incorporates the 
cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional 
Budget Office pursuant to sections 402 and 423 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

                      Advisory Committee Statement

    No advisory committee within the meaning of section 5(b) of 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act was created by this 
legislation.

                Applicability to the Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 
104-1).

                       Federal Mandates Statement

    The Committee adopted as its own the estimate of Federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act (Public Law 104-4).

  Earmark Statement Required by Clause 9 of Rule XXI of the Rules of 
                        House of Representatives

    H.R. 2521 does not contain any congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in 
clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of the 
House Representatives.

                    Duplication of Federal Programs

    This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of 
the Federal Government known to be duplicative of another 
Federal program, a program that was included in any report from 
the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to 
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a 
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance.

                  Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings

    The Committee does not believe that the legislation directs 
an executive branch official to conduct any specific rule 
making proceedings within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 551.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italic, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

             FARM SECURITY AND RURAL INVESTMENT ACT OF 2002



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TITLE I--COMMODITY PROGRAMS

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Subtitle C--Peanuts

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SEC. 1308. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

  (a) Mandatory Inspection.--All peanuts marketed in the United 
States shall be officially inspected and graded by Federal or 
Federal-State inspectors.
  (b) Termination of Peanut Administrative Committee.--The 
Peanut Administrative Committee established under Marketing 
Agreement No. 146 issued pursuant to the Agricultural 
Adjustment Act (7 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), reenacted with 
amendments by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, 
is terminated.
  (c) Peanut Standards Board.--
          (1) Establishment and purpose.--The Secretary shall 
        establish a Peanut Standards Board for the purpose of 
        advising the Secretary regarding the establishment of 
        quality and handling standards for domestically 
        produced and imported peanuts.
          (2) Membership and appointment.--
                  (A) Total members.--The Board shall consist 
                of 18 members, with representation equally 
                divided between peanut producers and peanut 
                industry representatives.
                  (B) Appointment process for producers.--The 
                Secretary shall appoint--
                          (i) 3 producers from the Southeast 
                        (Alabama, Georgia, and Florida) peanut 
                        producing region;
                          (ii) 3 producers from the Southwest 
                        (Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico) 
                        peanut producing region; and
                          (iii) 3 producers from the Virginia/
                        Carolina ([Virginia and North Carolina] 
                        Virginia, North Carolina, and South 
                        Carolina) peanut producing region.
                  (C) Appointment process for industry 
                representatives.--The Secretary shall appoint 3 
                peanut industry representatives from each of 
                the 3 peanut producing regions in the United 
                States.
          (3) Terms.--
                  (A) In general.--A member of the Board shall 
                serve a 3-year term.
                  (B) Initial appointment.--In making the 
                initial appointments to the Board, the 
                Secretary shall stagger the terms of the 
                members so that--
                          (i) 1 producer member and peanut 
                        industry member from each peanut 
                        producing region serves a 1-year term;
                          (ii) 1 producer member and peanut 
                        industry member from each peanut 
                        producing region serves a 2-year term; 
                        and
                          (iii) 1 producer member and peanut 
                        industry member from each peanut 
                        producing region serves a 3-year term.
          (4) Consultation required.--The Secretary shall 
        consult with the Board in advance whenever the 
        Secretary establishes or changes, or considers the 
        establishment of or a change to, quality and handling 
        standards for peanuts.
          (5) Federal advisory committee act.--The Federal 
        Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply 
        to the Board.
  (d) Priority.--The Secretary shall make identifying and 
combating the presence of all quality concerns related to 
peanuts a priority in the development of quality and handling 
standards for peanuts and in the inspection of domestically 
produced and imported peanuts. The Secretary shall consult with 
appropriate Federal and State agencies to provide adequate 
safeguards against all quality concerns related to peanuts.
  (e) Consistent Standards.--Imported peanuts shall be subject 
to the same quality and handling standards as apply to 
domestically produced peanuts.
  (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--
          (1) In general.--In addition to other funds that are 
        available to carry out this section, there is 
        authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
        necessary to carry out this section.
          (2) Treatment of board expenses.--The expenses of the 
        Peanut Standards Board shall not be counted toward any 
        general limitation on the expenses of advisory 
        committees, panels, commissions, and task forces of the 
        Department of Agriculture, whether enacted before, on, 
        or after the date of enactment of this Act, unless the 
        limitation specifically refers to this paragraph and 
        specifically includes the Peanut Standards Board within 
        the general limitation.
  (g) Transition Rule.--
          (1) Temporary designation of peanut administrative 
        committee members.--Notwithstanding the appointment 
        process specified in subsection (c) for the Peanut 
        Standards Board, during the transition period, the 
        Secretary may designate persons serving as members of 
        the Peanut Administrative Committee on the day before 
        the date of enactment of this Act to serve as members 
        of the Peanut Standards Board for the purpose of 
        carrying out the duties of the Board described in this 
        section.
          (2) Funds.--The Secretary may transfer any funds 
        available to carry out the activities of the Peanut 
        Administrative Committee to the Peanut Standards Board 
        to carry out the duties of the Board described in this 
        section.
          (3) Transition period.--In paragraph (1), the term 
        ``transition period'' means the period beginning on the 
        date of enactment of this Act and ending on the earlier 
        of--
                  (A) the date the Secretary appoints the 
                members of the Peanut Standards Board pursuant 
                to subsection (c); or
                  (B) 180 days after the date of enactment of 
                this Act.
  (h) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect with the 
2002 crop of peanuts.

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