12 U.S.C. § 1141 — Declaration of policy; effective merchandising of agricultural commodities; speculation; cooperative marketing; surpluses; administration of chapter

**(a)** It is declared to be the policy of Congress to promote the effective merchandising of agricultural commodities in interstate and foreign commerce so that the industry of agriculture will be placed on a basis of economic equality with other industries, and to that end to protect, control, and stabilize the currents of interstate and foreign commerce in the marketing of agricultural commodities and their food products— (1) by minimizing speculation. (2) by preventing inefficient and wasteful methods of distribution. (3) by encouraging the organization of producers into effective associations or corporations under their own control for greater unity of effort in marketing and by promoting the establishment and financing of a farm marketing system of producer-owned and producer-controlled cooperative associations and other agencies. (4) by aiding in preventing and controlling surpluses in any agricultural commodity, through orderly production and distribution, so as to maintain advantageous domestic markets and prevent such surpluses from causing undue and excessive fluctuations or depressions in prices for the commodity. **(b)** There shall be considered as a surplus for the purposes of this chapter any seasonal or year’s total surplus, produced in the United States and either local or national in extent, that is in excess of the requirements for the orderly distribution of the agricultural commodity or is in excess of the domestic requirements for such commodity. **(c)** The Farm Credit Administration shall execute the powers vested in it by this chapter only in such manner as will, in the judgment of the administration, aid to the fullest practicable extent in carrying out the policy above declared.