(a) Estimates of deficits
At any time allotments are in effect under this subpart, the Secretary, from time to time, shall determine whether (in view of then-current inventories of sugar, the estimated production of sugar and expected marketings, and other pertinent factors) any processor of sugarcane will be unable to market the sugar covered by the portion of the State cane sugar allotment allocated to the processor and whether any processor of sugar beets will be unable to market sugar covered by the portion of the beet sugar allotment allocated to the processor.
(b) Reassignment of deficits
(1) Cane sugarIf the Secretary determines that any sugarcane processor who has been allocated a share of a State cane sugar allotment will be unable to market the processor’s allocation of the State’s allotment for the crop year—
(A)
the Secretary first shall reassign the estimated quantity of the deficit to the allocations for other processors within that State, depending on the capacity of each other processor to fill the portion of the deficit to be assigned to it and taking into account the interests of producers served by the processors;
(B)
if after the reassignments the deficit cannot be completely eliminated, the Secretary shall reassign the estimated quantity of the deficit proportionately to the allotments for other cane sugar States, depending on the capacity of each other State to fill the portion of the deficit to be assigned to it, with the reassigned quantity to each State to be allocated among processors in that State in proportion to the allocations of the processors;
(C)
if after the reassignments the deficit cannot be completely eliminated, the Secretary shall reassign the estimated quantity of the deficit to the Commodity Credit Corporation and shall sell such quantity of sugar from inventories of the Corporation unless the Secretary determines that such sales would have a significant effect on the price of sugar; and
(D)
if after the reassignments and sales, the deficit cannot be completely eliminated, the Secretary shall reassign the remainder to imports of raw cane sugar.
(2) Beet sugarIf the Secretary determines that a sugar beet processor who has been allocated a share of the beet sugar allotment will be unable to market that allocation—
(A)
the Secretary first shall reassign the estimated quantity of the deficit to the allotments for other sugar beet processors, depending on the capacity of each other processor to fill the portion of the deficit to be assigned to it and taking into account the interests of producers served by the processors;
(B)
if after the reassignments the deficit cannot be completely eliminated, the Secretary shall reassign the estimated quantity of the deficit to the Commodity Credit Corporation and shall sell such quantity of sugar from inventories of the Corporation unless the Secretary determines that such sales would have a significant effect on the price of sugar; and
(C)
if after the reassignments and sales, the deficit cannot be completely eliminated, the Secretary shall reassign the remainder to imports of raw cane sugar.
(Feb. 16, 1938, ch. 30, title III, § 359e, as added Pub. L. 107–171, title I, § 1403, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 197; amended Pub. L. 110–234, title I, § 1403(e), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 986; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title I, § 1403(e), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1714.)