7 U.S.C. § 2301 : US Code - Section 2301: Congressional findings and declaration of policy

Search 7 U.S.C. § 2301 : US Code - Section 2301: Congressional findings and declaration of policy

Agricultural products are produced in the United States by many
individual farmers and ranchers scattered throughout the various
States of the Nation. Such products in fresh or processed form move
in large part in the channels of interstate and foreign commerce,
and such products which do not move in these channels directly
burden or affect interstate commerce. The efficient production and
marketing of agricultural products by farmers and ranchers is of
vital concern to their welfare and to the general economy of the
Nation. Because agricultural products are produced by numerous
individual farmers, the marketing and bargaining position of
individual farmers will be adversely affected unless they are free
to join together voluntarily in cooperative organizations as
authorized by law. Interference with this right is contrary to the
public interest and adversely affects the free and orderly flow of
goods in interstate and foreign commerce.
It is, therefore, declared to be the policy of Congress and the
purpose of this chapter to establish standards of fair practices
required of handlers in their dealings in agricultural products.