---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 2116"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "2116"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/2116"
units:
  - "Chapter 53 — Cotton Research and Promotion"
---

# §2116. Definitions


As used in this chapter:

- (a) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.
- (b) The term “person” means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or any other entity.
- (c) The term “cotton” means (1) all upland cotton harvested in the [United States](#e), and, except as used in [section 2106(e) of this title](/usc/7/2106.md?p=e), includes cottonseed of such cotton and the products derived from such cotton and its seed and (2) [imports](#h-2) of upland cotton including the upland cotton content of the products derived from upland cotton (other than industrial products as defined by the [Secretary](#a)). The term “cotton” shall not, however, include any entry of imported cotton by an [importer](#h-1) that has a value or weight less than any de minimis figure as established in accordance with regulations issued by the [Secretary](#a). Any de minimis figure as established under this paragraph shall be such as to minimize the burden in administering the assessment provision but still provide for the maximum participation of [imports](#h-2) of cotton in the assessment provisions of this chapter.
- (d) The term “handler” means any [person](#b) who handles [cotton](#c) or cottonseed or, for the purposes of sections [2102](/usc/7/2102.md), [2105(c)](/usc/7/2105.md?p=c), and [2112](/usc/7/2112.md) of this title, any [person](#b) who [imports](#h-2) [cotton](#c), including de minimis amounts of [cotton](#c) described in [subsection (c)](#c), in the manner specified in the order or in the rules and regulations issued thereunder.
- (e) The term “United States” means the 50 [States](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) of the United States of America.
- (f) **Cotton-producing State.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** The term “cotton-producing State” means any [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) in which the average annual production of [cotton](#c) during the five years 1960–1964 was twenty thousand bales or more, except that any [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) producing [cotton](#c) whose production during such period was less than such amount shall under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](#a) be combined with another [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) or [States](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) producing [cotton](#c) in such manner that such average annual production of such combination of [States](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) totaled twenty thousand bales or more.
  - (2) **Inclusions.—** The term “[cotton-producing State](#f-1)” includes—
    - (A) any combination of [States](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) described in [paragraph (1)](#f-1); and
    - (B) effective beginning with the 2008 crop of [cotton](#c), the [States](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) of Kansas, Virginia, and Florida.
- (g) The term “marketing” includes the sale of [cotton](#c) or the pledging of [cotton](#c) to the Commodity Credit Corporation as collateral for a price support loan.
- (h)
  - (1) The term “importer” means any [person](#b) who enters, or withdraws from warehouse, [cotton](#c) for consumption in the customs territory of the [United States](#e).
  - (2) The term “import” means any such entry.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–502, § 17, July 13, 1966, 80 Stat. 286; Pub. L. 101–624, title XIX, § 1997, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3913; Pub. L. 110–234, title XIV, § 14202, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1458; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title XIV, § 14202, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2220.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

### Amendments

2008—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 110–246, § 14202, inserted subsec. heading, designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. heading, substituted period at end for “, and the term ‘cotton-producing State’ shall include any such combination of States.”, and added par. (2).

1990—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1997(1), designated existing provisions as cl. (1) and added cl. (2).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1997(2), inserted “or, for the purposes of sections 2102, 2105(c), and 2112 of this title, any person who imports cotton, including de minimis amounts of cotton described in subsection (c),” after “cottonseed”.

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 101–624, § 1997(3), added subsec. (h).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Amendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of this title.