Section 1731 · Commodity determinations

After consulting with other agencies of the Federal Government affected and within policies established by the President for implementing this chapter, and after taking into consideration productive capacity, domestic requirements, farm and consumer price levels, commercial exports, and adequate carryover, the Secretary shall determine, prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the agricultural commodities and quantities thereof available for disposition under this chapter.

The Secretary may, during the fiscal year, modify a determination made under subsection (a) of this section if the Secretary provides to the Congress prior notice of that modification (including a statement of the reasons for the modification).

No commodity shall be available for disposition under this chapter if such disposition would reduce the domestic supply of such commodity below that needed to meet domestic requirements, adequate carryover, and anticipated exports for dollars as determined by the Secretary, unless the Secretary determines that some part of the supply should be used to carry out urgent humanitarian purposes under this chapter.

The Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, seek to maintain a stable level of available agricultural commodities under this chapter of the kind and type needed to provide food assistance to developing countries and should attempt to make such commodities available to the degree necessary to fulfill multi-year agreements entered into under this chapter.