[CHAPTER 229-2D SESSION]

[S. 2038]

AN ACT

To enable the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct research on foot-and-mouth disease and other diseases of animals and to amend the Act of May 29, 1884 (23 Stat. 31), as amended, by adding another section.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act of May 29, 1884 (23 Stat. 31), as amended, is hereby amended by adding a new section 12 reading as follows:

"SEC. 12. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to establish research laboratories, including the acquisition of necessary land, buildings, or facilities, and also the making of research contracts under the authority contained in section 10 (a) of the Bankhead-Jones Act of 1935, as amended by the Research and Marketing Act of 1946, for research and study, in the United States or elsewhere, of foot-andmouth disease and other animal diseases which in the opinion of the Secretary constitute a threat to the livestock industry of the United States: Provided, That no live virus of foot-and-mouth disease may be introduced for any purpose into any part of the mainland of the United States except coastal islands separated therefrom by waters navigable for deep-water navigation and which shall not be connected with the mainland by any tunnel, and except further, that in the event of outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in this country the Secretary of Agriculture may, at his discretion, permit said virus to be brought into the United States under adequate safeguards. To carry out the provisions of this section, the Secretary is authorized to employ technical experts or scientists without regard to the Classification Act: Provided, That the number so employed shall not exceed five and that the maximum compensation for each shall not exceed $15,000 per annum. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as Congress may deem necessary; in addition, the Secretary is authorized to utilize, in carying out this section, funds otherwise available for the control or eradication of such diseases."

Approved April 24, 1948.

[CHAPTER 423-2D SESSION]

[S. 2256]

AN ACT

Relating to the meat-inspection service of the Department of Agriculture.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the cost of inspection rendered on and after July 1, 1948, under the requirements of laws relating to Federal inspection of meat and meat food products shall be borne by the United States except the cost of overtime pursuant to the Act of July 24, 1919 (7 U. S. C. 394). Approved June 5, 1948.

[CHAPTER 471-2D SESSION]

[S. 2137]

AN ACT

To provide for the protection of potato and tomato production from the golden nematode, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, to protect potato and tomato production in the United States from the destructive pest known as the golden nematode which subsists on the roots of potatoes and tomatoes, causes marked reduction in yield, persists in the soil for many years in an inactive state in the absence of preferred hosts, and becomes active and destructive when potatoes or tomatoes are again planted, it is the policy of the Government of the United States, independently or in cooperation with State and local governmental agencies, and other public and private organizations, associations, and individuals, to eradicate, suppress, control, and prevent the spread of, this pest.

SEC. 2. The Secretary of Agriculture either independently or in cooperation with public or private agencies is authorized to carry out operations or measures to eradicate, suppress, control, or prevent the spread of, the golden nematode.

SEC. 3. The activities contemplated by this Act include cooperation with States and other agencies in making inspections, applying suppressive measures, enforcing quarantines, enforcing restrictions on the planting of potatoes and tomatoes, destroying potatoes and tomatoes growing in soil found infested or exposed to infestation with the golden nematode, and compensating growers in areas infected, or exposed to infestation, with the golden nematode for not planting potatoes or tomatoes or for losses resulting from destruction for the purposes of this Act of potatoes or tomatoes.

SEC. 4. In the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture no part of any sums appropriated to carry out the purposes of this Act shall be expended with respect to any area infested with the golden nematode or exposed to such infestation until the appropriate cooperating agency or agencies have presented evidence satisfactory to the Secretary of Agriculture that they will provide funds, materials, means, and State and local authority necessary for the cooperating agency or agencies to carry out effectively that part of the cooperative program the Secretary of Agriculture may require from the cooperating agency or agencies.

SEC. 5. The Secretary of Agriculture shall not undertake any program involving mandatory restrictions on the planting of potatoes or tomatoes, or mandatory destruction of potatoes or tomatoes unless the State concerned shall have enacted legislation authorizing such restrictions or destruction.

SEC. 6. The amount of compensation to be paid by the Federal Government and any cooperating agency, and the method of computation thereof, shall be determined by the Secretary of Agriculture or the agent or agents designated by him, in cooperation with the responsible officials of the agency concerned and in a manner to assure that necessary records are preserved to show full compliance with the provisions of this Act and regulations promulgated in accordance therewith. No payment shall be made to any grower except after compliance in good faith with regulations concerning the golden nematode promulgated by the Secretary of Agriculture and the responsible official of the cooperating agency. The determination by the Secretary of Agriculture, or his authorized agent, of the amount of compensation to be provided by the Federal Government for any grower shall be final.

SEC. 7. To carry out the purposes of this Act the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to incur all necessary expenses, including the employment of persons in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, printing and binding, and the purchase of passenger-carrying vehicles. SEC. 8. The provisions of this Act are intended to supplement, and shall not be construed as limiting or repealing existing legislation. SEC. 9. This Act may be cited as the "Golden Nematode Act". Approved June 15, 1948.

[CHAPTER 551-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 6114]

AN ACT

To amend title I of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, as amended, so as to increase the interest rate on title I loans, to provide for the redemption of nondelinquent insured mortgages, to authorize advances for the preservation and protection of the insured loan security, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sections of title I of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, as amended, are hereby amended as follows:

SEC. 1. Amend subsection (b) (2) of section 3 to read:

"(2) provide for the payment of interest on the unpaid balance of the loan at the rate of 4 per centum per annum;" SEC. 2. Amend subsection (c) (4) of section 12 to read:

"(4) the mortgage instruments shall comply with section 3 (b), except that the base rate of interest shall be 3 per centum per annum;".

SEC. 3. Amend subsection (e) (1) of section 12 to read:

"The Secretary shall collect from the mortgagor for mortgage insurance an annual charge at the rate of 1 per centum of the outstanding principal obligation of the mortgage; the initial charge shall be collected simultaneously with the insurance of the mortgage and shall cover the period from the date of loan closing to the date of the first installment payable on the loan; the next and each succeeding charge shall be computed on the outstanding principal obligation remaining unpaid after the due date of each installment payable on the loan, and shall be payable on or before the next succeeding due date of an installment of principal and interest. If the principal obligation of the mortgage is paid in full in less than five years after the time when the mortgage was entered into, the Secretary may require payment by the mortgagor of the entire annual charge computed for the year then current, and an additional charge equal to the annual charge for such year. The Secretary may modify existing contracts so as to require future payments thereunder in accordance with the provisions of this section."

SEC. 4. Amend subsection (f) of section 12 by striking out subsections (2) and (3), and inserting in lieu thereof the following new subsections (2), (3), and (4).

"(2) If the mortgagor has failed to pay to the Secretary the full amount of any installment on or before the due date thereof, the Secretary shall pay promptly the unpaid amount of such installment of principal and interest to the mortgagee, less the amount of any previous prepayments except payments from proceeds from the voluntary or involuntary sale of any part of the mortgaged property or from royalties from leases under which the value of the security is depreciated.