Once a common feature of price support programs, this supply control mechanism ended with the quota buyouts for peanuts in 2002 and tobacco in 2004.
The marketing quota, which must be approved by at least two-thirds of the eligible producers voting in a referendum, is intended to ensure an adequate and normal supply of the commodity, and also ensure that production and supplies are not excessive.
Quotas have been suspended for wheat, feed grains, and cotton since the 1960s.
Authority for standby marketing allotments for domestically-produced sugar and crystalline fructose was mandated by the 1990 farm bill (P.L.
[1] Marketing allotments are required to be in effect unless USDA projects sugar imports will be above 1.532 million short tons.