14

AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

these amendments out so that each member of this committee might
have a copy. We are distributing copies now for our discussion in
connection with section 4.
I believe, if my memory runs correctly, we had gotten down to
and had read yesterday, paragraph D, on the first page of this typewritten
 document, which we have distributed.
(The material referred to is as follows:)

SUGGESTED AMENDMENT TO COMMODITY ADVISORY COUNCILS ON PAGE 5, SECTION 4,
H. R. 7940
1. Strike out the word ‘‘commodity”’ line 18, making the title read “advisory
councils.”
2. Amend section 4 to make it read as follows:
“Sec. 4. (a) The board is hereby authorized and directed to create an advisory
council of seven members, fairly representative of the producers in each Federal
land-bank district. Members of each council shall be selected annually at a
convention called to meet at such time and place as the board designates by
proper notice sent to the farm organizations and cooperative associations in the
district eligible to participate in such convention. Members of each council
shall serve without salary, but may be paid by the board a per diem compensa~
tion not exceeding $20 for attending meetings of the council and for time devoted
to other business of the council and authorized by the board. _ Each council
member shall be paid by the board his necessary traveling expenses to and from
meetings of the council and his expenses incurred for subsistence, or per diem
allowance in lieu thereof, within the limitations prescribed by law, while engaged
upon the business of the council. Each advisory council shall be designated by
the number of Federal land-bank district it représents.
““(b) Each advisory council shall meet as soon as practicable after its selection
at a time and place designated by the board and select a chairman and secretary.
“(¢) Each advisory council shall meet thereafter at least twice in each year
at a time and place designated by the chairman, or upon call of a majority of
its members at a time and place designated in the call, notice of such call being
sent by registered mail at least ten days before the date of the meeting.
““(d) Each advisory council shall have power, by itself or through its officers,
(1) to confer directly with the board, to call for information from it, or to make
oral or written representations to it, concerning matters within the jurisdiction
of the board and relating to the agricultural commodities produced in the district,
 including the amount and method of collection of the equalization fee,
and (2) to cooperate with the board in advising the producers through their
organizations or otherwise in the development of suitable programs of planting
or breeding in order to secure the maximum benefits under this act.”
3. Amend section 7, on page 9, so that it will conform to the changes made in
section 4, and will read as follows:
“Sec. 7. (a) When the advisory councils in districts which in the aggregate
represent more than 50 per cent of any commodity, or when a substantial number
of cooperative associations or other organizations of producers of the commodity
in such districts favor the full cooperation of the board in the marketing of the
surplus of the commodity; and whenever the board finds—
“First. That there is or may be during the ensuing year a surplus above the
requirements for the orderly marketing of any agricultural commodity or above
the domestic requirements for such commodity.
“Second. That the durability, the conditions of preparation, processing, and
preserving, and the methods of marketing of the commodity are such that the
commodity is adapted to marketing as authorized by this section ’
Mr. Gray. The third point of amendment which we desire to call
fo your attention in regard to section 4 will be to amend section 7 on
page 9 of the bill as printed.
Mr. Apkins (interposing). Mr. Gray, before you leave that entirely
[ want to ask you just one question.
As the bill stands now, 1t provides, as I remember, the advisory
councils shall be commodity councils, selected from men representing
the various commodities