Agricultural Trade Act of 1978

The Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-501) directed the establishment of trade offices in major centers of commerce throughout the world. The agricultural trade offices are operated by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to develop, maintain, and expand international markets for U.S. agricultural commodities and serve as centers for export sales promotion and contact points for importers seeking to buy U.S. farm products.

Agricultural Trade Act of 1978

Other short titles	Agricultural Export Trade Expansion Act
Long title	An Act to strengthen the economy of the United States through increased sales abroad of United States agricultural commodities.
Enacted by	the 95th United States Congress
Effective	October 21, 1978
Citations
Public law	95-501
Statutes at Large	92 Stat. 1685
Codification
Titles amended	7 U.S.C.: Agriculture
U.S.C. sections amended	7 U.S.C. ch. 43 § 1761
Legislative history
Introduced in the Senate as S. 3447 by Richard Stone (D-FL) on August 23, 1978 Committee consideration by Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Passed the Senate on September 8, 1978 (65-1) Passed the House on September 25, 1978 (325-62, in lieu of H.R. 10584) Reported by the joint conference committee on October 10, 1978; agreed to by the Senate on October 11, 1978 (agreed) and by the House on October 14, 1978 (356-4) Signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on October 21, 1978