§518c. Administration

(a) Time for payment of contract payments

Contract payments required to be made for a fiscal year shall be made by the Secretary as soon as practicable.

(b) Use of county committees to resolve disputes

Any dispute regarding the eligibility of a person to enter into a contract or to receive contract payments, and any dispute regarding the amount of a contract payment, may be appealed to the county committee established under section 590h of title 16 for the county or other area in which the farming operation of the person is located.

(c) Role of National Appeals Division

Any adverse determination of a county committee under subsection (b) may be appealed to the National Appeals Division established under subtitle H of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6991 et seq.).

(d) Use of financial institutions

The Secretary may use a financial institution to manage assets, make contract payments, and otherwise carry out this title.¹

(e) Payment to financial institutions

The Secretary shall permit a tobacco quota holder or producer of quota tobacco entitled to contract payments to assign to a financial institution the right to receive the contract payments. Upon receiving notification of the assignment, the Secretary shall make subsequent contract payments for the tobacco quota holder or producer of quota tobacco directly to the financial institution designated by the tobacco quota holder or producer of quota tobacco. The Secretary shall make information available to tobacco quota holders and producers of quota tobacco regarding their ability to elect to have the Secretary make payments directly to a financial institution under this subsection so that they may obtain a lump sum or other payment.

( Pub. L. 108–357, title VI, §624, Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1528 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, referred to in subsec. (c), is title II of Pub. L. 103–354, Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3209 . Subtitle H of the Act is classified principally to subchapter VIII (§6991 et seq.) of chapter 98 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

This title, referred to in subsec. (d), means title VI of Pub. L. 108–357, which enacted this chapter, amended sections 609, 1282, 1301, 1303, 1314h, 1361, 1371, 1373, 1375, 1378, 1379, 1428, 1433c–1, and 1441 of this title and section 714c of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, repealed sections 511r, 515 to 515k, 625, 1311 to 1314, 1314–1, 1314b, 1314b–1, 1314b–2, 1314c to 1314j, 1315, 1316, 1445, 1445–1, and 1445–2 of this title, enacted provisions set out as notes under sections 515 and 518 of this title, and repealed provisions set out as a note under section 1314c of this title. For complete classification of title VI to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 518 of this title and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section applicable to the 2005 and subsequent crops of tobacco, see section 643 of Pub. L. 108–357, set out as a note under section 518 of this title.

¹ See References in Text note below.