(a) Unless prevented from doing so by severe weather conditions, fire, explosion, flood, earthquake, insurrection, riot, strike, labor dispute, acts of civil or military authority, non-availability of transportation facilities or any cause beyond the control of the warehouse operator that renders performance impossible, the warehouse operator will:

(1) Deliver stored cotton without unnecessary delay.

(2) Be considered to have delivered cotton without unnecessary delay if the warehouse operator has made available for shipment at least 4.5 percent of its applicable storage capacity in effect, measured as the bales made available for shipment (BMAS):

(i) During the relevant week of shipment; or

(ii) Calculated as the two-week, rolling average of the BMAS for the relevant week of shipment and the BMAS for the immediately preceding week; or

(iii) Calculated as the two-week, rolling average of the BMAS for the relevant week of shipment and the BMAS for the immediately succeeding week.

(b) The warehouse operator shall provide a written report to CCC on a weekly basis. The reporting week shall be the seven day period starting at midnight following the close of business on each Saturday and ending at midnight after close of business of the following Saturday. Before close of business of the first business day of the following week, the warehouse operator will provide following information to CCC:

(1) BMAS during such week is defined as any cotton bales that have been delivered or are scheduled and ready for delivery but not picked up during such week;

(2) Active shipping orders, by week; and

(3) Applicable storage capacity that is the higher of CCC approved capacity or the maximum number of bales stored at any time during the applicable crop year.

(c) The warehouse operator may resolve any claim for noncompliance from any entity other than CCC with the cotton shipping standard in a court of competent jurisdiction or through mutually agreed upon arbitration procedures. In no case will CCC provide assistance or representation to parties involved in arbitration proceedings arising with respect to activities authorized under the Cotton Storage Agreement.

[71 FR 51426, Aug. 30, 2006, as amended at 79 FR 70997, Dec. 1, 2014; 84 FR 29033, June 21, 2019]