7 USC 8791(b): Information provided by an agricultural producer or owner of agricultural land in order to participate in a USDA program, and concerning agricultural operations, farming or conservation practices or the land itself
About This Project
This project uses data compiled by the Sunshine in Government initiative, a coalition of journalism and transparency groups. SGI compiled data from federal agency annual FOIA reports to track how often b(3) exemptions were used. SGI also standardized the exemptions since some agencies used slightly different citations of the same laws. In some cases, agencies listed general laws without specifying a section under which information was withheld. This project does not include information from agencies that use no b(3) exemptions in 2008 or 2009. ProPublica compiled information about FOIA denials.
| Department | Claims |
|---|---|
| Dept. of Agriculture | 599.0 |
TITLE 7 -- AGRICULTURE
CHAPTER 113 - AGRICULTURAL COMMODITY SUPPORT PROGRAMS
SUBCHAPTER V - ADMINISTRATION
Sec. 8791. Information gathering
(a) Geospatial systems
The Secretary shall ensure that all the geospatial data of the
agencies of the Department of Agriculture are portable and
standardized.
(b) Limitation on disclosures
(1) Definition of agricultural operation
In this subsection, the term "agricultural operation" includes
the production and marketing of agricultural commodities and
livestock.
(2) Prohibition
Except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4), the Secretary,
any officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture, or any
contractor or cooperator of the Department, shall not disclose -
(A) information provided by an agricultural producer or owner
of agricultural land concerning the agricultural operation,
farming or conservation practices, or the land itself, in order
to participate in programs of the Department; or
(B) geospatial information otherwise maintained by the
Secretary about agricultural land or operations for which
information described in subparagraph (A) is provided.
(3) Authorized disclosures
(A) Limited release of information
If the Secretary determines that the information described in
paragraph (2) will not be subsequently disclosed except in
accordance with paragraph (4), the Secretary may release or
disclose the information to a person or Federal, State, local,
or tribal agency working in cooperation with the Secretary in
any Department program -
(i) when providing technical or financial assistance with
respect to the agricultural operation, agricultural land, or
farming or conservation practices; or
(ii) when responding to a disease or pest threat to
agricultural operations, if the Secretary determines that a
threat to agricultural operations exists and the disclosure
of information to a person or cooperating government entity
is necessary to assist the Secretary in responding to the
disease or pest threat as authorized by law.
(4) Exceptions
Nothing in this subsection affects -
(A) the disclosure of payment information (including payment
information and the names and addresses of recipients of
payments) under any Department program that is otherwise
authorized by law;
(B) the disclosure of information described in paragraph (2)
if the information has been transformed into a statistical or
aggregate form without naming any -
(i) individual owner, operator, or producer; or
(ii) specific data gathering site; or
(C) the disclosure of information described in paragraph (2)
pursuant to the consent of the agricultural producer or owner
of agricultural land.
(5) Condition of other programs
The participation of the agricultural producer or owner of
agricultural land in, or receipt of any benefit under, any
program administered by the Secretary may not be conditioned on
the consent of the agricultural producer or owner of agricultural
land under paragraph (4)(C).
(6) Waiver of privilege or protection
The disclosure of information under paragraph (2) shall not
constitute a waiver of any applicable privilege or protection
under Federal law, including trade secret protection.
(Pub. L. 110-234, title I, Sec. 1619, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1022;
Pub. L. 110-246, Sec. 4(a), title I, Sec. 1619, June 18, 2008, 122
Stat. 1664, 1750.)
CODIFICATION
Pub. L. 110-234 and Pub. L. 110-246 enacted identical sections.
Pub. L. 110-234 was repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110-246.