CHAPTER 64 - AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND TEACHING

Title 7 > CHAPTER 64

Sections (127)

§ 3101 Purposes of agricultural research, extension, and education

The purposes of federally supported agricultural research, extension, and education are to— enhance the competitiveness of the United States agriculture and food industry in an increasingly competitive world environment; increase the long-term productivity of the United States agriculture and food industry while maintaining and enhancing the natural resource base on which rural America and the United States agricultural economy depend; develop new uses and new products for agricultural commodities, such as alternative fuels, and develop new crops; support agricultural research and extension to promote economic opportunity in rural communities and to meet the increasing demand for information and technology transfer throughout the United States agriculture industry; improve risk management in the United States agriculture industry; improve the safe production and processing of, and adding of value to, United States food and fiber resources using methods that maintain the balance between yield and environmental soundness; support higher education in agriculture to give the next generation of Americans the knowledge, technology, and applications necessary to enhance the competitiveness of United States agriculture; maintain an adequate, nutritious, and safe supply of food to meet human nutritional needs and requirements; and support international collaboration that leverages resources and advances priority food and agricultural interests of the United States, such as— addressing emerging plant and animal diseases; improving crop varieties and animal breeds; and developing safe, efficient, and nutritious food systems. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1402 , as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1602(a) , Nov. 28, 1990 , 104 Stat. 3705 ; amended Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 801 , Apr. 4, 1996 , 110 Stat. 1156 ; Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7101 , Dec. 20, 2018 , 132 Stat. 4779 .)

§ 3102 Additional purposes of agricultural research and extension

The purposes of this chapter are to— establish firmly the Department of Agriculture as the lead agency in the Federal Government for the food and agricultural sciences, and to emphasize that agricultural research, extension, and teaching are distinct missions of the Department of Agriculture; undertake the special measures set forth in this chapter to improve the coordination and planning of agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs, identify needs and establish priorities for these programs, assure that national agricultural research, extension, and teaching objectives are fully achieved, and assure that the results of agricultural research are effectively communicated and demonstrated to farmers, processors, handlers, consumers, and all other users who can benefit therefrom; increase cooperation and coordination in the performance of agricultural research by Federal departments and agencies, the States, State agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, and user groups; enable the Federal Government, the States, colleges and universities, and others to implement needed agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs, through the establishment of new programs and the improvement of existing programs, as provided for in this chapter; establish a new program of grants for high-priority agricultural research to be awarded on the basis of competition among research workers and all colleges and universities; establish a new program of grants for facilities and instrumentation used in agricultural research; and establish a new program of education grants and fellowships to strengthen research, extension, and teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences, to be awarded on the basis of competition. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1403 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 983 ; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1403 , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1296 ; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1602(b) , Nov. 28, 1990 , 104 Stat. 3705 .)

§ 3103 Definitions

When used in this chapter: The term “Advisory Board” means the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board. The term “agricultural research” means research in the food and agricultural sciences. The term “aquaculture” means the propagation and rearing of aquacultural species, including, but not limited to, any species of finfish, mollusk, or crustacean (or other aquatic invertebrate), amphibian, reptile, ornamental fish, or aquatic plant, in controlled or selected environments. The terms “college” and “university” mean an educational institution in any State which (i) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate, (ii) is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of education beyond secondary education, (iii) provides an educational program for which a bachelor’s degree or any other higher degree is awarded, (iv) is a public or other nonprofit institution, and (v) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association. The terms “college” and “university” include a research foundation maintained by a college or university described in subparagraph (A). The term “cooperating forestry school” means an institution— that is eligible to receive funds under Public Law 87–788 (commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act; 16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.); and with respect to which the Secretary has not received a declaration of the intent of that institution to not be considered a cooperating forestry school. A declaration of the intent of an institution to not be considered a cooperating forestry school submitted to the Secretary shall be in effect until September 30, 2018 . The term “cooperative extension services” means the organizations established at the land-grant colleges and universities under the Smith-Lever Act of May 8, 1914 ( 38 Stat. 372–374 , as amended; 7 U.S.C. 341–349 ), and section 209(b) of the Act of October 26, 1974 ( 88 Stat. 1428 , as amended; D.C. Code, sec. 31–1719(b)). The term “Department of Agriculture” means the United States Department of Agriculture. The term “extension” means the informal education programs conducted in the States in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture. The term “food and agricultural sciences” means basic, applied, and developmental research, extension, and teaching activities in food and fiber, agricultural, renewable energy and natural resources, forestry, and physical and social sciences, including activities relating to the following: Animal health, production, and well-being. Plant health and production. Animal and plant germ plasm collection and preservation. Aquaculture. Food safety. Soil, water, and related resource conservation and improvement. Forestry, horticulture, and range management. Nutritional sciences and promotion. Farm enhancement, including financial management, input efficiency, and profitability. Home economics. Rural human ecology. Youth development and agricultural education, including 4–H clubs. Expansion of domestic and international markets for agricultural commodities and products, including agricultural trade barrier identification and analysis. Information management and technology transfer related to agriculture. Biotechnology related to agriculture. The processing, distributing, marketing, and utilization of food and agricultural products. The term “Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities” means colleges or universities— that qualify as Hispanic-serving institutions; that offer associate, bachelors, or other accredited degree programs in agriculture-related fields; and with respect to which the Secretary has not received a declaration of the intent of a college or university to not be considered a Hispanic-serving agricultural college or university. The term “Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities” does not include 1862 institutions (as defined in section 7601 of this title ). A declaration of the intent of a college or university to not be considered a Hispanic-serving agricultural college or university submitted to the Secretary shall be in effect until September 30, 2018 . The term “Hispanic-serving institution” has the meaning given the term in section 1101a of title 20 . The term “insular area” means— the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; Guam; American Samoa; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; the Federated States of Micronesia; the Republic of the Marshall Islands; the Republic of Palau; and the Virgin Islands of the United States. The term “land-grant colleges and universities” means those institutions eligible to receive funds under the Act of July 2, 1862 ( 12 Stat. 503–505 , as amended; 7 U.S.C. 301–305 , 307 and 308), or the Act of August 30, 1890 ( 26 Stat. 417–419 , as amended; 7 U.S.C. 321–326 and 328), including Tuskegee University. The terms “NLGCA Institution” and “non-land-grant college of agriculture” mean a public college or university offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the study of agricultural sciences, forestry, or both in any area of study specified in clause (ii). For purposes of clause (i), an area of study specified in this clause is any of the following: Agriculture. Agricultural business and management. Agricultural economics. Agricultural mechanization. Agricultural production operations. Aquaculture. Agricultural and food products processing. Agricultural and domestic animal services. Equestrian or equine studies. Applied horticulture or horticulture operations. Ornamental horticulture. Greenhouse operations and management. Turf and turfgrass management. Plant nursery operations and management. Floriculture or floristry operations and management. International agriculture. Agricultural public services. Agricultural and extension education services. Agricultural communication or agricultural journalism. Animal sciences. Food science. Plant sciences. Soil sciences. Forestry. Forest sciences and biology. Natural resources or conservation. Natural resources management and policy. Natural resource economics. Urban forestry. Wood science and wood products or pulp or paper technology. Range science and management. Agricultural engineering. Any other area, as determined appropriate by the Secretary. Not later than 90 days after Feb. 7, 2014 , the Secretary shall establish an ongoing process through which public colleges or universities may apply for designation as an NLGCA Institution. The terms “NLGCA Institution” and “non-land-grant college of agriculture” do not include any institution designated under— the Act of July 2, 1862 (commonly known as the “First Morrill Act”; 7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.); the Act of August 30, 1890 (commonly known as the “Second Morrill Act”) ( 7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.); or the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 ( Public Law 103–382 ; 7 U.S.C. 301 note). The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States. The term “State” means— a State; the District of Columbia; and any insular area. The term “State agricultural experiment stations” means those institutions eligible to receive funds under the Act of March 2, 1887 ( 24 Stat. 440–442 , as amended; 7 U.S.C. 361a–361i ). The term “State cooperative institutions” or “State cooperative agents” means institutions or agents designated by— the Act of July 2, 1862 ( 7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), commonly known as the First Morrill Act; the Act of August 30, 1890 ( 7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), commonly known as the Second Morrill Act, including Tuskegee University; the Act of March 2, 1887 ( 7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.), commonly known as the Hatch Act of 1887; the Act of May 8, 1914 ( 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), commonly known as the Smith-Lever Act; the Act of October 10, 1962 ( 16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.), commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962; section 3192 of this title ; and subchapters VI, XI, and XII of this chapter. The term “sustainable agriculture” means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long-term— satisfy human food and fiber needs; enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agriculture economy depends; make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole. The terms “teaching” and “education” mean formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, and practicum experience in the food and agricultural sciences and matters relating thereto (such as faculty development, student recruitment and services, curriculum development, instructional materials and equipment, and innovative teaching methodologies) conducted by colleges and universities offering baccalaureate or higher degrees. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1404 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 983 ; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1404 , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1297 ; Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1403 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1544 ; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1603 , Nov. 28, 1990 , 104 Stat. 3705 ; Pub. L. 102–237, title IV, § 402(3) , Dec. 13, 1991 , 105 Stat. 1863 ; Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII , §§ 802(b)(1), 815(b), 820(a), 853(b)(1), Apr. 4, 1996 , 110 Stat. 1159 , 1167, 1168, 1172; Pub. L. 105–185, title II , §§ 221, 226(c)(1), June 23, 1998 , 112 Stat. 537 , 543; Pub. L. 107–171, title VII, § 7502(a) , May 13, 2002 , 116 Stat. 463 ; Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7101(a) , May 22, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1212 ; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a) , title VII, § 7101(a), June 18, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1664 , 1973; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII , §§ 7101, 7111(b)(1), Feb. 7, 2014 , 128 Stat. 862 , 873; Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7102(a) , Dec. 20, 2018 , 132 Stat. 4779 .)

§ 3104 Agriculture research; declaration of policy; duties of Secretary of Agriculture; use of existing facilities

It is declared to be the policy of the Congress to promote the efficient production and utilization of products of the soil as essential to the health and welfare of our people and to promote a sound and prosperous agriculture and rural life as indispensable to the maintenance of maximum employment and national prosperity. It is also the intent of Congress to assure agriculture a position in research equal to that of industry which will aid in maintaining an equitable balance between agriculture and other sections of our economy. For the attainment of these objectives, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized and directed to conduct and to stimulate research into the laws and principles underlying the basic problems of agriculture in its broadest aspects, including but not limited to: Research relating to the improvement of the quality of, and the development of new and improved methods of the production, marketing, distribution, processing, and utilization of plant and animal commodities at all stages from the original producer through to the ultimate consumer; research into the problems of human nutrition and the nutritive value of agricultural commodities, with particular reference to their content of vitamins, minerals, amino and fatty acids, and all other constituents that may be found necessary for the health of the consumer and to the gains or losses in nutritive value that may take place at any stage in their production, distribution, processing, and preparation for use by the consumer; research relating to the development of present, new, and extended uses and markets for agricultural commodities and byproducts as food or in commerce, manufacture, or trade, both at home and abroad, with particular reference to those foods and fibers for which our capacity to produce exceeds or may exceed existing economic demand; research to encourage the discovery, introduction, and breeding of new and useful agricultural crops, plants, and animals, both foreign and native, particularly for those crops and plants which may be adapted to utilization in chemical and manufacturing industries; research relating to new and more profitable uses for our resources of agricultural manpower, soils, plants, animals, and equipment than those to which they are now, or may hereafter be, devoted; research relating to the conservation, development, and use of land, forest, and water resources for agricultural purposes; research relating to the design, development, and the more efficient and satisfactory use of farm buildings, farm homes, farm machinery, including the application of electricity and other forms of power; research and development relating to uses of solar energy with respect to farm buildings, farm homes, and farm machinery (including equipment used to dry and cure crops and provide irrigation); applied research to develop agricultural, forestry, and rural energy conservation and biomass energy production and use; research relating to the diversification of farm enterprises, both as to the type of commodities produced, and as to the types of operations performed, on the individual farm; research relating to any other laws and principles that may contribute to the establishment and maintenance of a permanent and effective agricultural industry including such investigations as have for their purpose the development and improvement of the rural home and rural life, and the maximum contribution by agriculture to the welfare of the consumer and the maintenance of maximum employment and national prosperity; and such other researches or experiments bearing on the agricultural industry or on rural homes of the United States as may in each case be deemd 1 advisable, having due regard to the varying conditions and needs of Puerto Rico, the respective States, and Territories. In effectuating the purposes of this section, maximum use shall be made of existing research facilities owned or controlled by the Federal Government or by State agricultural experiment stations and of the facilities of the Federal and State extension services. Research authorized under this section shall be in addition to research provided for under existing law (but both activities shall be coordinated so far as practicable). For purposes of this title, 2 the term “solar energy” means energy derived from sources (other than fossil fuels) and technologies included in the Federal Non-Nuclear 3 Energy Research and Development Act of 1974, as amended [ 42 U.S.C. 5901 et seq.]. ( June 29, 1935, ch. 338 , title I, § 1, 49 Stat. 436 ; Aug. 14, 1946, ch. 966 , title I, § 101(1), 60 Stat. 1082 ; Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1446 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1011 ; Pub. L. 96–294, title II, § 253 , June 30, 1980 , 94 Stat. 707 .)

§ 3105 Agricultural research; authorization of additional appropriations; administrative expenses; availability of special research fund

(a) In order to carry out further research on utilization and associated problems in connection with the development and application of present, new, and extended uses of agricultural commodities and products thereof authorized by section 3104 of this title , and to disseminate information relative thereto, and in addition to all other appropriations authorized by this title, 1 there is authorized to be appropriated the following sums: 3,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1948 , and each subsequent fiscal year. An additional 3,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1950 , and each subsequent fiscal year. An additional $3,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1951 , and each subsequent fiscal year. In addition to the foregoing, such additional funds beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1952 , and thereafter, as the Congress may deem necessary. The Secretary of Agriculture, in accordance with such regulations as he deems necessary, and when in his judgment the work to be performed will be carried out more effectively, more rapidly, or at less cost than if performed by the Department of Agriculture, may enter into contracts with such public or private organizations or individuals as he may find qualified to carry on work under this section without regard to the provisions of section 6101 of title 41 , and with respect to such contracts he may make advance progress or other payments without regard to the provisions of section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31. Contracts under this section may be made for work to continue not more than four years from the date of any such contract. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 5 of the Act of June 20, 1874 , as amended ( 31 U.S.C. 713 ), 1 any unexpended balances of appropriations properly obligated by contracting with an organization as provided in this subsection may remain upon the books of the Treasury for not more than five fiscal years before being carried to the surplus fund and covered into the Treasury. Research authorized under this subsection shall be conducted so far as practicable at laboratories of the Department of Agriculture. Projects conducted under contract with public and private agencies shall be supplemental to and coordinated with research of these laboratories. Any contracts made pursuant to this authority shall contain requirements making the results of research and investigations available to the public through dedication, assignment to the Government, or such other means as the Secretary shall determine.

(b) In order to carry out further the purposes of section 3104 of this title , other than research on utilization of agricultural commodities and the products thereof, and in addition to all other appropriations authorized by this title, 1 there is authorized to be appropriated for cooperative research with the State agricultural experiment stations and such other appropriate agencies as may be mutually agreeable to the Department of Agriculture and the experiment stations concerned, the following sums: 1,500,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1948 , and each subsequent fiscal year. An additional 1,500,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1950 , and each subsequent fiscal year. In addition to the foregoing such additional funds beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1951 , and thereafter, as the Congress may deem necessary.

(c) The Secretary may incur necessary administrative expenses not to exceed 3 per centum of the amount appropriated in any fiscal year in carrying out this section, including the specific objects of expense enumerated in section 427b 1 of this title.

(d) The “Special research fund, Department of Agriculture,” provided by section 427c 1 of this title, shall continue to be available solely for research into laws and principles underlying basic problems of agriculture in its broadest aspects; research relating to the improvement of the quality of, and the development of, new and improved methods of production of, distribution of, and new and extended uses and markets for, agricultural commodities and byproducts and manufactures thereof; and research relating to the conservation, development, and use of land and water resources for agricultural purposes. Such research shall be in addition to research provided for under other law (but both activities shall be coordinated so far as practicable) and shall be conducted by such agencies of the Department of Agriculture as the Secretary of Agriculture may designate or establish.

(e) Appropriations for research work in the Department of Agriculture shall be available for accomplishing such purposes by contract through the means provided in subsection (a) of this section.

§ 3121 Responsibilities of Secretary and Department of Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture is designated as the lead agency of the Federal Government for agricultural research (except with respect to the biomedical aspects of human nutrition concerned with diagnosis or treatment of disease), extension, and teaching in the food and agricultural sciences, and the Secretary, in carrying out the Secretary’s responsibilities, shall— establish jointly with the Secretary of Health and Human Services procedures for coordination with respect to nutrition research in areas of mutual interest; keep informed of developments in, and the Nation’s need for, research, extension, teaching, and manpower development in the food and agricultural sciences and represent such need in deliberations within the Department of Agriculture, elsewhere within the executive branch of the United States Government, and with the several States and their designated land-grant colleges and universities, other colleges and universities, agricultural and related industries, and other interested institutions and groups; coordinate all agricultural research, extension, and teaching activity conducted or financed by the Department of Agriculture and, to the maximum extent practicable, by other agencies of the executive branch of the United States Government; take the initiative in establishing coordination of State-Federal cooperative agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs, funded in whole or in part by the Department of Agriculture in each State, through the administrative heads of land-grant colleges and universities and the State directors of agricultural experiment stations and cooperative extension services, and other appropriate program administrators; consult the Advisory Board and appropriate advisory committees of the Department of Agriculture in the formulation of basic policies, goals, strategies, and priorities for programs of agricultural research, extension, and teaching; report (as a part of the Department of Agriculture’s annual budget submissions) to the House Committee on Agriculture, the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and the Senate Committee on Appropriations actions taken or proposed to support the recommendations of the Advisory Board; establish appropriate review procedures to assure that agricultural research projects are timely and properly reported and published and that there is no unnecessary duplication of effort or overlapping between agricultural research units; establish Federal or cooperative multidisciplinary research teams on major agricultural research problems with clearly defined leadership, budget responsibility, and research programs; in order to promote the coordination of agricultural research of the Department of Agriculture, conduct a continuing inventory of ongoing and completed research projects being conducted within or funded by the Department; coordinate all agricultural research, extension, and teaching activities conducted or financed by the Department of Agriculture with the periodic renewable resource assessment and program provided for in sections 1601 and 1602 of title 16 and the appraisal and program provided for in sections 2004 and 2005 of title 16; coordinate the efforts of States, State cooperative institutions, State extension services, the Advisory Board, and other appropriate institutions in assessing the current status of, and developing a plan for, the effective transfer of new technologies, including biotechnology, to the farming community, with particular emphasis on addressing the unique problems of small- and medium-sized farms in gaining information about those technologies; and establish appropriate controls with respect to the development and use of the application of biotechnology to agriculture. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1405 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 985 ; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1405 , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1298 ; Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1404 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1544 ; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1605(b)(3) , Nov. 28, 1990 , 104 Stat. 3714 ; Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII , §§ 852(b)(1), 853(b)(2), Apr. 4, 1996 , 110 Stat. 1171 , 1172.)

§ 3122 Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 852(a), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1171

§ 3123 National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board

(a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish within the Department of Agriculture a board to be known as the “National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board”.

(b) Membership The Advisory Board shall consist of 15 members, appointed by the Secretary. The Secretary shall appoint members of the Advisory Board from nominations submitted by organizations, associations, societies, councils, federations, groups, and companies fitting the criteria specified in paragraph (3). The Advisory Board shall consist of members from each of the following categories: 3 members representing national farm or producer organizations, which may include members— representing farm cooperatives; who are producers actively engaged in the production of a food animal commodity and who are recommended by a coalition of national livestock organizations; who are producers actively engaged in the production of a plant commodity and who are recommended by a coalition of national crop organizations; or who are producers actively engaged in aquaculture and who are recommended by a coalition of national aquacultural organizations. 2 members representing academic or research societies, which may include members representing— a national food animal science society; a national crop, soil, agronomy, horticulture, plant pathology, or weed science society; a national food science organization; a national human health association; or a national nutritional science society. 5 members representing agricultural research, extension, and education, which shall include each of the following: 1 member representing the land-grant colleges and universities eligible to receive funds under the Act of July 2, 1862 ( 7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.). 1 member representing the land-grant colleges and universities eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 ( 7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including Tuskegee University. 1 member representing the 1994 Institutions (as defined in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 ( 7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 103–382 )). 1 member representing NLGCA Institutions or Hispanic-serving institutions. 1 member representing American colleges of veterinary medicine. 5 members representing industry, consumer, or rural interests, including members representing— entities engaged in transportation of food and agricultural products to domestic and foreign markets; food retailing and marketing interests; food and fiber processors; rural economic development interests; a national consumer interest group; a national forestry group; a national conservation or natural resource group; a national social science association; private sector organizations involved in international development; or a national association of agricultural economists. The Secretary, the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics, the Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service, the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Administrator of the Economic Research Service, and the Administrator of the National Agricultural Statistics Service shall serve as ex officio members of the Advisory Board. At the first meeting of the Advisory Board each year, the members shall elect from among the members of the Advisory Board a chairperson, vice chairperson, and 7 additional members to serve on the executive committee established under paragraph (6). The Advisory Board shall establish an executive committee charged with the responsibility of working with the Secretary and officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture to summarize and disseminate the recommendations of the Advisory Board. In appointing members to serve on the Advisory Board, the Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, equal representation of public and private sector members.

(c) Duties The Advisory Board shall— make recommendations, review, and provide consultation to the Secretary, land-grant colleges and universities, and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate on— long-term and short-term national policies and priorities consistent with the— purposes specified in section 3101 of this title for agricultural research, extension, education, and economics; and priority areas of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative specified in subsection (b)(2) of section 3157 of this title ; the annual establishment of national priorities that are in accordance with the priority areas of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative specified in subsection (b)(2) of section 3157 of this title . evaluate the results and effectiveness of agricultural research, extension, education, and economics with respect to the policies and priorities and make recommendations to the Secretary based on such evaluation; review and make recommendations to the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics on the research, extension, education, and economics portion of the draft strategic plan required under section 306 of title 5 ; review and make recommendations on the mechanisms of the Department of Agriculture for technology assessment (which should be conducted by qualified professionals) for the purposes of— performance measurement and evaluation of the implementation by the Secretary of the strategic plan required under section 306 of title 5 ; implementation of national research policies and priorities that are consistent with the purposes specified in section 3101 of this title ; and the development of mechanisms for the assessment of emerging public and private agricultural research and technology transfer initiatives; and consult with industry groups on agricultural research, extension, education, and economics, and make recommendations to the Secretary based on that consultation.

(d) Consultation In carrying out this section, the Advisory Board shall consult with any appropriate agencies of the Department of Agriculture and solicit opinions and recommendations from persons who will benefit from and use federally funded agricultural research, extension, education, and economics. To comply with a provision of this chapter or any other law that requires the Secretary to consult or cooperate with the Advisory Board or that authorizes the Advisory Board to submit recommendations to the Secretary, the Secretary shall— solicit the written opinions and recommendations of the Advisory Board; and provide a written response to the Advisory Board regarding the manner and extent to which the Secretary will implement recommendations submitted by the Advisory Board.

(e) Appointment A member of the Advisory Board shall be appointed by the Secretary for a term of up to 3 years. The members of the Advisory Board shall be appointed to serve staggered terms.

(f) Chapter 10 of title 5 The Advisory Board shall be deemed to have filed a charter for the purpose of section 1008(c) of title 5 .

(g) Annual limitation on Advisory Board expenses Not more than $500,000 may be used to cover the necessary expenses of the Advisory Board for each fiscal year. The expenses of the Advisory Board shall not be counted toward any general limitation on the expenses of advisory committees, panels, commissions, and task forces of the Department of Agriculture contained in any Act making appropriations for the Department of Agriculture, whether enacted before, on, or after June 23, 1998 , unless the appropriation Act specifically refers to this subsection and specifically includes this Advisory Board within the general limitation.

(h) Termination The Advisory Board shall remain in existence until September 30, 2023 .

§ 3123a Specialty crop committee

(a) Establishment Not later than 90 days after December 21, 2004 , the executive committee of the Advisory Board shall establish, and appoint the initial members of, a permanent specialty crops committee that will be responsible for studying the scope and effectiveness of research, extension, and economics programs affecting the specialty crop industry. Not later than 45 days after February 7, 2014 , the Secretary shall establish within the specialty crops committee, and appoint the initial members of, a citrus disease subcommittee to carry out the responsibilities of the subcommittee described in subsection (g) in accordance with subsection (j)(3) of section 7632 of this title . The citrus disease subcommittee shall be composed of 11 members, each of whom is a domestic producer of citrus in a State, represented as follows: Five of such members shall represent Arizona or California. Five of such members shall represent Florida. One of such members shall represent Texas. The Secretary may appoint individuals who are not members of the specialty crops committee or the Advisory Board established under section 3123 of this title as members of the citrus disease subcommittee 1 The subcommittee established under subparagraph (A) shall terminate on September 30, 2023 . The subcommittee established under subparagraph (A) shall be covered by the exemption to section 1008(c) of title 5 applicable to the Advisory Board under section 3123(f) of this title .

(b) Members Individuals who are not members of the Advisory Board may be appointed as members of the specialty crops committee. Members of the specialty crops committee shall serve at the discretion of the executive committee. Membership of the specialty crops committee shall reflect diversity in the specialty crops represented.

(c) Annual committee report Not later than 180 days after the establishment of the specialty crops committee, and annually thereafter, the specialty crops committee shall submit to the Advisory Board a report containing the findings of its study under subsection (a). The specialty crops committee shall include in each report recommendations regarding the following: Programs designed to improve the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of specialty crop production in the United States. Research, extension, and teaching programs designed to improve competitiveness in the specialty crop industry, including programs that would— enhance the quality and shelf-life of fresh fruits and vegetables, including their taste and appearance; develop new crop protection tools and expand the applicability and cost-effectiveness of integrated pest management; prevent the introduction of foreign invasive pests and diseases; develop new products and new uses of specialty crops, including improving the quality and taste of processed specialty crops; develop new and improved marketing tools for specialty crops; enhance food safety regarding specialty crops; improve the remote sensing and the mechanization of production practices; and enhance irrigation techniques used in specialty crop production. Analyses of changes in macroeconomic conditions, technologies, and policies on specialty crop production and consumption, with particular focus on the effect of those changes on the financial stability of producers. Development of data that provide applied information useful to specialty crop growers, their associations, and other interested beneficiaries in evaluating that industry from a regional and national perspective. Analysis of the alignment of specialty crops committee recommendations with grants awarded through the specialty crop research initiative established under section 7632 of this title .

(d) Consultation with specialty crop industry In studying the scope and effectiveness of programs under subsection (a), the specialty crops committee shall consult on an ongoing basis with diverse sectors of the specialty crop industry.

(e) Consideration by Secretary In preparing the annual budget recommendations for the Department of Agriculture, the Secretary shall take into consideration those findings and recommendations contained in the most-recent report of the specialty crops committee that are adopted by the Advisory Board.

(f) Annual report by Secretary In the budget material submitted to Congress by the Secretary in connection with the budget submitted pursuant to section 1105 of title 31 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall include a report describing how the Secretary addressed each recommendation of the specialty crops committee described in subsection (e).

(g) Citrus disease subcommittee duties For the purposes of subsection (j) of section 7632 of this title , the citrus disease subcommittee shall— advise the Secretary on citrus research, extension, and development needs; propose, by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the members of the subcommittee, a research and extension agenda and annual budgets for the funds made available to carry out such subsection; evaluate and review ongoing research and extension funded under the emergency citrus disease research and extension program (as defined in such subsection); establish, by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the members of the subcommittee, annual priorities for the award of grants under such subsection; provide the Secretary any comments on grants awarded under such subsection during the previous fiscal year; and engage in regular consultation and collaboration with the Department and other institutional, governmental, and private persons conducting scientific research on, and extension activities related to, the causes or treatments of citrus diseases and pests, both domestic and invasive, for purposes of— maximizing the effectiveness of research and extension projects funded under the citrus disease research and extension program; hastening the development of useful treatments; avoiding duplicative and wasteful expenditures; and providing the Secretary with such information and advice as the Secretary may request.

§ 3123b Repealed. Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7105, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4783

§ 3124 Existing research programs

It is the intent of Congress in enacting this chapter to augment, coordinate, and supplement the planning, initiation, and conduct of agricultural research programs existing prior to September 29, 1977 , except that it is not the intent of Congress in enacting this title to limit the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services under any Act which the Secretary of Health and Human Services administers. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1409 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 989 ; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1409 , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1301 .)

§ 3124a Federal-State partnership and coordination

(a) Covered programs; statement of purposes A unique partnership arrangement exists in food and agricultural research, extension, and teaching between the Federal Government and the governments of the several States whereby the States have accepted and have supported, through legislation and appropriations— research programs under— the Act of March 2, 1887 ( 7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.), commonly known as the Hatch Act of 1887; the Act of October 10, 1962 ( 16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.), commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962; subchapter V of this chapter; and subchapter VI of this chapter; extension programs under subchapter VI of this chapter and the Act of May 8, 1914 ( 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), commonly known as the Smith-Lever Act; teaching programs under— the Act of July 2, 1862 ( 7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), commonly known as the First Morrill Act; the Act of August 30, 1890 ( 7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), commonly known as the Second Morrill Act; and the Act of June 29, 1935 ( 7 U.S.C. 329 ), commonly known as the Bankhead-Jones Act; and international agricultural programs under title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2220a et seq.). This partnership in publicly supported agricultural research, extension, and teaching involving the programs of Federal agencies and the programs of the States has played a major role in the outstanding successes achieved in meeting the varied, dispersed, and in many cases, site-specific needs of American agriculture. This partnership must be preserved and enhanced.

(b) Establishment, etc., of cooperative centers In order to promote research and education in food and human nutrition, the Secretary may establish cooperative human nutrition centers to focus resources, facilities, and scientific expertise on particular high priority nutrition problems identified by the Department. Such centers shall be established at State cooperative institutions; and at other colleges and universities, having a demonstrable capacity to carry out human nutrition research and education.

(c) Designation of State cooperative institutions; reports; research grants To promote research for purposes of developing agricultural policy alternatives, the Secretary is encouraged— to designate at least one State cooperative institution to conduct research in an interdisciplinary fashion; and to report on a regular basis with respect to the effect of emerging technological, economic, sociological, and environmental developments on the structure of agriculture. Support for this effort should include grants to examine the role of various food production, processing, and distribution systems that may primarily benefit small- and medium-sized family farms, such as diversified farm plans, energy, water, and soil conservation technologies, direct and cooperative marketing, production and processing cooperatives, and rural community resource management.

(d) Designation of State agricultural experiment stations and Agricultural Research Service facilities; pilot projects; additional research To address more effectively the critical need for reducing farm input costs, improving soil, water, and energy conservation on farms and in rural areas, using sustainable agricultural methods, adopting alternative processing and marketing systems, and encouraging rural resources management, the Secretary is encouraged to designate at least one State agricultural experiment station and one Agricultural Research Service facility to examine these issues in an integrated and comprehensive manner, while conducting ongoing pilot projects contributing additional research through the Federal-State partnership.

(e) Applicability of chapter 10 of title 5 All meetings of any entity described in paragraph (3) shall be publicly announced in advance and shall be open to the public. Detailed minutes of meetings and other appropriate records of the activities of such an entity shall be kept and made available to the public on request. Chapter 10 of title 5 and title XVIII of this Act [ 7 U.S.C. 2281 et seq.] shall not apply to any entity described in paragraph (3). This subsection shall apply to any committee, board, commission, panel, or task force, or similar entity that— is created for the purpose of cooperative efforts in agricultural research, extension, or teaching; and consists entirely of— full-time Federal employees; and one or more individuals who are employed by, or are officials of— a State cooperative institution or State cooperative agency; or a public college or university or other postsecondary institution.

§ 3125 Annual report of Secretary of Agriculture to President and Congress

The Secretary shall submit to the President and Congress by January 1 of each year a report on the Nation’s agricultural research, extension, and teaching activities, and such report shall include— a review covering the following three categories of activities of the Department of Agriculture with respect to agricultural research, extension, and teaching activities and the relationship of these activities to similar activities of other departments and agencies of the Federal Government, the States, colleges and universities, and the private sector— a current inventory of such activities organized by statutory authorization and budget outlay; a current inventory of such activities organized by field of basic and applied science; and a current inventory of such activities organized by commodity and product category; any recommendations of the Advisory Board; and in the second and succeeding years, a five-year projection of national priorities with respect to agricultural research, extension, and teaching, taking into account both domestic and international needs. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1410 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 989 ; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1411 , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1302 ; Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1408 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1546 ; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1605(b)(4) , Nov. 28, 1990 , 104 Stat. 3714 ; Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII , §§ 802(b)(2), 852(b)(2), 853(b)(3), Apr. 4, 1996 , 110 Stat. 1159 , 1171, 1172.)

§ 3125a National Agricultural Library

(a) Purpose The purpose of this section is to consolidate and expand the statutory authority for the operation of the library of the Department of Agriculture established pursuant to section 2201 of this title as the primary agricultural information resource of the United States.

(b) Establishment There is established in the Department of Agriculture the National Agricultural Library to serve as the primary agricultural information resource of the United States.

(c) Director The Secretary shall appoint a Director for the National Agricultural Library who shall be subject to the direction of the Secretary.

(d) Functions of Director The Director may— acquire, preserve, and manage information and information products and services in all phases of agriculture and allied sciences; organize agricultural information and information products and services by cataloging, indexing, bibliographical listing, and other appropriate techniques; provide agricultural information and information products and services to agencies of the Department of Agriculture and the Federal Government, public and private organizations, and individuals, within the United States and internationally; plan for, coordinate, and evaluate information and library needs related to agricultural research and education; cooperate with and coordinate efforts among agricultural college and university libraries, in conjunction with private industry and other agricultural library and information centers, toward the development of a comprehensive agricultural library and information network; and coordinate the development of specialized subject information services among the agricultural and library information communities.

(e) Library products and services The Director may— make copies of the bibliographies prepared by the National Agricultural Library; make microforms and other reproductions of books and other library materials in the Department; provide any other library and information products and services; and sell those products and services at such prices (not less than the estimated total cost of disseminating the products and services) as the Secretary may determine appropriate.

(f) Receipts Funds received from sales under subsection (e) shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the applicable appropriation and shall remain available until expended.

(g) Agreements The Director may enter into agreement with, and receive funds from any State, and other political subdivision, organization, business, or individual for the purpose of conducting activities to carry out this section. Funds received under this subsection for payments for library products and services or other activities shall be deposited to the miscellaneous contributed fund account, and shall remain available until expended.

(h) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

(a) Partnerships The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the National Agricultural Library, shall support the dissemination of objective, scholarly, and authoritative agricultural and food law research, legal tools, and information by entering into cooperative agreements with institutions of higher education (as defined in section 1001 of title 20 ) that on February 7, 2014 , are carrying out objective programs for research, legal tools, and information in agricultural and food law.

(b) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and each fiscal year thereafter.

§ 3125b National Rural Information Center Clearinghouse

(a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish, within the National Agricultural Library, in coordination with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a National Rural Information Center Clearinghouse (in this section referred to as the “Clearinghouse”) to perform the functions specified in subsection (b).

(b) Functions The Clearinghouse shall provide and distribute information and data to any industry, organization, or Federal, State, or local government entity, on request, about programs and services provided by Federal, State, and local agencies and private nonprofit organizations and institutions under which individuals residing in, or organizations and State and local government entities operating in, a rural area may be eligible for any kind of assistance, including job training, education, health care, and economic development assistance, and emotional and financial counseling. To the extent possible, the National Agricultural Library shall use telecommunications technology to disseminate information to rural areas.

(c) Federal agencies On request of the Secretary, the head of a Federal agency shall provide to the Clearinghouse such information as the Secretary may request to enable the Clearinghouse to carry out subsection (b).

(d) State and local agencies and nonprofit organizations The Secretary shall request State and local governments and private nonprofit organizations and institutions to provide to the Clearinghouse such information as such agencies and organizations may have about any program or service of such agencies, organizations, and institutions under which individuals residing in a rural area may be eligible for any kind of assistance, including job training, educational, health care, and economic development assistance, and emotional and financial counseling.

(e) Limitation on authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $500,000 for each of the fiscal years 1991 through 2023.

§ 3125c Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 859(a), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1173

§ 3126 Libraries and information network

(a) Congressional declaration of policy It is declared to be the policy of Congress that— cooperation and coordination among, and the more effective utilization of, dispar­ate agricultural libraries and information units be facilitated; information and library needs related to agricultural research and education be effectively planned for, coordinated, and evaluated; a structure for the coordination of the agricultural libraries of colleges and universities, Department of Agriculture libraries, and their closely allied information gathering and disseminating units be established in close conjunction with private industry and other research libraries; effective access by all colleges and universities and Department of Agriculture personnel to literature and information regarding the food and agricultural sciences be provided; programs for training in information utilization with respect to the food and agricultural sciences, including research grants for librarians, information scientists, and agricultural scientists be established or strengthened; and the Department of Agriculture establish mutually valuable working relationships with international and foreign information and data programs.

(b) Food and Nutrition and Education Resources Center There is established within the National Agricultural Library of the Department of Agriculture a Food and Nutrition Information and Education Resources Center. Such Center shall be responsible for— assembling and collecting food and nutrition education materials, including the results of nutrition research, training methods, procedures, and other materials related to the purpose of this chapter; maintaining such information and materials in a library; and providing notification about these collections on a regular basis to the State cooperative extension services, State educational agencies, and other interested persons.

(c) Authorization of appropriations Funds are authorized to be appropriated annually in such amounts as Congress may determine necessary to support the purposes of this section. The Secretary is authorized to carry out this section with existing facilities through the use of grants, contracts, or such other means as the Secretary deems appropriate and to require matching of funds. No funds appropriated to support the purposes of this section shall be used to purchase additional equipment unless specifically authorized by law subsequent to September 29, 1977 .

§ 3127 Support for Advisory Board

(a) Appointment of staff To assist the Advisory Board in the performance of its duties, the Secretary may appoint, after consultation with the chairperson of the Advisory Board— a full-time executive director who shall perform such duties as the chairperson of the Advisory Board may direct and who shall receive compensation at a rate not to exceed the rate payable for GS–18 of the General Schedule established in section 5332 of title 5 ; and a professional staff of not more than five full-time employees qualified in the food and agricultural sciences, of which one shall serve as the executive secretary to the Advisory Board.

(b) Additional clerical assistance and staff personnel The Secretary shall provide such additional clerical assistance and staff personnel as may be required to assist the Advisory Board in carrying out its duties.

(c) Assistance of outside personnel In formulating its recommendations to the Secretary, the Advisory Board may obtain the assistance of Department of Agriculture employees, and, to the maximum extent practicable, the assistance of employees of other Federal departments and agencies conducting related programs of agricultural research, extension, and teaching and of appropriate representatives of colleges and universities, including State agricultural experiment stations, cooperative extension services, and other non-Federal organizations conducting significant programs in the food and agricultural sciences.

§ 3128 General provisions

(a) Vacancies in Advisory Board Any vacancy in the Advisory Board shall not affect its duties under this title and shall be filled in the same manner as the original position.

(b) Compensation and expenses of members of Advisory Board Members of the Advisory Board shall serve without compensation, if not otherwise officers or employees of the United States, except that they shall, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services under this chapter, be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under sections 5701 through 5707 of title 5.

(c) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated annually such sums as Congress may determine necessary to carry out the provisions of section 3127 of this title and subsection (b) of this section.

§ 3129 Accountability

(a) Review of information technology systems The Secretary shall conduct a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art information technology systems that are available for use in developing the system required by subsection (b).

(b) Monitoring and evaluation system The Secretary shall develop and carry out a system to monitor and evaluate agricultural research and extension activities conducted or supported by the Department of Agriculture that will enable the Secretary to measure the impact and effectiveness of research, extension, and education programs according to priorities, goals, and mandates established by law. In developing the system, the Secretary shall incorporate information transfer technologies to optimize public access to research information.

(c) Consistency with other requirements The Secretary shall develop and implement the system in a manner consistent with the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 ( Public Law 103–62 ; 107 Stat. 285 ) and amendments made by the Act.

(d) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.

§ 3129a Exemption from chapter 10 of title 5 for competitive research, extension, and education programs

Chapter 10 of title 5 and title XVIII of this Act [ 7 U.S.C. 2281 et seq.] shall not apply to any committee, board, commission, panel, or task force, or similar entity, created solely for the purpose of reviewing applications or proposals requesting funding under any competitive research, extension, or education program carried out by the Secretary. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1413B , as added Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 804 , Apr. 4, 1996 , 110 Stat. 1160 ; amended Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(34) , Dec. 27, 2022 , 136 Stat. 4309 .)

§ 3130 Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 858, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1173

§ 3151 Grants to enhance research capacity in schools of veterinary medicine

(a) Competitive grant program The Secretary shall conduct a program of competitive grants to States for the purpose of meeting the costs of renovation, improving compliance with Federal regulations, employing faculty, acquiring equipment, and taking other action related to the improvement of schools of veterinary medicine to ensure agricultural competitiveness on a worldwide basis. A State receiving a grant under paragraph (1) shall provide State matching funds equal to not less than the amount of the grant.

(b) Preference Except with respect to the States of Alaska and Hawaii, the Secretary shall give preference in awarding grants to States which file, with their application for funds under this section, assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that— the State has established a veterinary medical training program with one or more States without colleges of veterinary medicine which consists of appropriate cooperative agreements providing for a sharing of curriculum and costs by the individual States; the clinical training of the school to be improved shall emphasize care and preventive medical programs for food animals and companion animals (including horses) which support industries of major economic importance; and the Secretary may set aside a portion of funds appropriated for the award of grants under this section and make such amounts available only for grants to eligible colleges and universities that the Secretary determines have unique capabilities for achieving the objective of full participation of minority groups in research in the Nation’s schools of veterinary medicine. Notwithstanding clause (1) of this subsection, no State which the Secretary determines has made a reasonable effort to establish appropriate cooperative agreements shall be denied a grant or otherwise prejudiced because of its failure to establish such cooperative agreements.

(c) Apportionment and distribution of funds Funds appropriated to carry out this section for any fiscal year shall be apportioned and distributed as follows: Five per centum shall be retained by the Department of Agriculture for administration, program assistance to eligible States, and program coordination. The remainder shall be apportioned and distributed by the Secretary to those States which have applied for funds under this section on such basis as the Secretary may deem appropriate.

§ 3151a Veterinary medicine loan repayment

(a) Program The Secretary shall carry out a program of entering into agreements with veterinarians under which the veterinarians agree to provide, for a period of time as determined by the Secretary and specified in the agreement, veterinary services in veterinarian shortage situations. For each year of such service under an agreement under this paragraph, the Secretary shall pay an amount, as determined by the Secretary and specified in the agreement, of the principal and interest of qualifying educational loans of the veterinarians. The Secretary may enter into agreements of 1 year duration with veterinarians who have agreements pursuant to paragraph (1) for such veterinarians to provide services to the Federal Government in emergency situations, as determined by the Secretary, under terms and conditions specified in the agreement. Pursuant to an agreement under this paragraph, the Secretary shall pay an amount, in addition to the amount paid pursuant to the agreement in paragraph (1), as determined by the Secretary and specified in the agreement, of the principal and interest of qualifying educational loans of the veterinarians. Agreements entered into under this paragraph shall include the following: A veterinarian shall not be required to serve more than 60 working days per year of the agreement. A veterinarian who provides service pursuant to the agreement shall receive a salary commensurate with the duties and shall be reimbursed for travel and per diem expenses as appropriate for the duration of the service.

(b) Determination of veterinarian shortage situations In determining “veterinarian shortage situations”, the Secretary may consider— geographical areas that the Secretary determines have a shortage of veterinarians; and areas of veterinary practice that the Secretary determines have a shortage of veterinarians, such as food animal medicine, public health, epidemiology, and food safety.

(c) Administration The Secretary may carry out this program directly or enter into agreements with another Federal agency or other service provider to assist in the administration of this program. Agreements with program participants shall provide remedies for any breach of an agreement by a participant, including repayment or partial repayment of financial assistance received, with interest. Funds recovered under this subsection shall be credited to the account available to carry out this section and shall remain available until expended. The Secretary may grant a waiver of the repayment obligation for breach of contract in the event of extreme hardship or extreme need, as determined by the Secretary. The Secretary shall develop regulations to determine the amount of loan repayment for a year of service by a veterinarian. In making the determination, the Secretary shall consider the extent to which such determination— affects the ability of the Secretary to maximize the number of agreements that can be provided under the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program from the amounts appropriated for such agreements; and provides an incentive to serve in veterinary service shortage areas with the greatest need. Loan repayments provided under this section may consist of payments on behalf of participating individuals of the principal and interest on government and commercial loans received by the individual for attendance of the individual at an accredited college of veterinary medicine resulting in a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or the equivalent, which loans were made for— tuition expenses; all other reasonable educational expenses, including fees, books, and laboratory expenses, incurred by the individual; or reasonable living expenses as determined by the Secretary. The Secretary may enter into an agreement with the holder of any loan for which payments are made under this section to establish a schedule for the making of such payments. In addition to educational loan repayments, the Secretary shall make such additional payments to participants as the Secretary determines to be appropriate for the purpose of providing reimbursements to participants for individual tax liability resulting from participation in this program. In administering the program, the Secretary shall give priority to agreements with veterinarians for the practice of food animal medicine in veterinarian shortage situations.

(d) Use of funds None of the funds appropriated to the Secretary under subsection (f) may be used to carry out section 5379 of title 5 .

(e) Regulations Notwithstanding subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to carry out this section.

(f) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated for carrying out this section such sums as may be necessary and such sums shall remain available to the Secretary for the purposes of this section until expended.

§ 3151b Veterinary services grant program

(a) Definitions In this section: The term “qualified entity” means— a for-profit or nonprofit entity located in the United States that, or an individual who, operates a veterinary clinic providing veterinary services— in a rural area, as defined in section 1991(a) of this title ; and in a veterinarian shortage situation; a State, national, allied, or regional veterinary organization or specialty board recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association; a college or school of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association; a university research foundation or veterinary medical foundation; a department of veterinary science or department of comparative medicine accredited by the Department of Education; a State agricultural experiment station; or a State, local, or tribal government agency. The term “veterinarian shortage situation” means a veterinarian shortage situation as determined by the Secretary under section 3151a of this title .

(b) Establishment The Secretary shall carry out a program to make competitive grants to qualified entities that carry out programs or activities described in paragraph (2) for the purpose of developing, implementing, and sustaining veterinary services. A qualified entity shall be eligible to receive a grant described in paragraph (1) if the entity carries out programs or activities that the Secretary determines will— substantially relieve veterinarian shortage situations; support or facilitate private veterinary practices engaged in public health activities; or support or facilitate the practices of veterinarians who are providing or have completed providing services under an agreement entered into with the Secretary under section 3151a(a)(2) of this title .

(c) Award processes and preferences In administering the grant program established under this section, the Secretary shall— use an appropriate application and evaluation process, as determined by the Secretary; and seek the input of interested persons. In selecting recipients of grants to be used for any of the purposes described in subsection (d)(1), the Secretary shall give a preference to qualified entities that provide documentation of coordination with other qualified entities, with respect to any such purpose. In selecting recipients of grants to be used for any of the purposes described in subsection (d), the Secretary shall take into consideration the amount of funds available for grants and the purposes for which the grant funds will be used. A grant awarded under this section shall be considered to be a competitive research, extension, or education grant.

(d) Use of grants to relieve veterinarian shortage situations and support veterinary services Except as provided in paragraph (2), a qualified entity may use funds provided by a grant awarded under this section to relieve veterinarian shortage situations and support veterinary services for any of the following purposes: To promote recruitment (including for programs in secondary schools), placement, and retention of veterinarians, veterinary technicians, students of veterinary medicine, and students of veterinary technology. To allow veterinary students, veterinary interns, externs, fellows, and residents, and veterinary technician students to cover expenses (other than the types of expenses described in section 3151a(c)(5) of this title ) to attend training programs in food safety or food animal medicine. To establish or expand accredited veterinary education programs (including faculty recruitment and retention), veterinary residency and fellowship programs, or veterinary internship and externship programs carried out in coordination with accredited colleges of veterinary medicine. To provide continuing education and extension, including veterinary telemedicine and other distance-based education, for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and other health professionals needed to strengthen veterinary programs and enhance food safety. To provide technical assistance for the preparation of applications submitted to the Secretary for designation as a veterinarian shortage situation under this section or section 3151a of this title . To expose students in grades 11 and 12 to education and career opportunities in food animal medicine. A qualified entity described in subsection (a)(1)(A) may only use funds provided by a grant awarded under this section to establish or expand veterinary practices, including— equipping veterinary offices; sharing in the reasonable overhead costs of such veterinary practices, as determined by the Secretary; or establishing mobile veterinary facilities in which a portion of the facilities will address education or extension needs.

(e) Special requirements for certain grants Funds provided through a grant made under this section to a qualified entity described in subsection (a)(1)(A) and used by such entity under subsection (d)(2) shall be subject to an agreement between the Secretary and such entity that includes a required term of service for such entity (including a qualified entity operating as an individual), as established by the Secretary. In establishing a term of service under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consider only— the amount of the grant awarded; and the specific purpose of the grant. An agreement under paragraph (1) shall provide remedies for any breach of the agreement by the qualified entity referred to in paragraph (1)(A), including repayment or partial repayment of the grant funds, with interest. The Secretary may grant a waiver of the repayment obligation for breach of contract if the Secretary determines that such qualified entity demonstrates extreme hardship or extreme need. Funds recovered under this paragraph shall— be credited to the account available to carry out this section; and remain available until expended without further appropriation.

(f) Prohibition on use of grant funds for construction Except as provided in subsection (d)(2), funds made available for grants under this section may not be used— to construct a new building or facility; or to acquire, expand, remodel, or alter an existing building or facility, including site grading and improvement and architect fees.

(g) Regulations Not later than 1 year after February 7, 2014 , the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to carry out this section.

(h) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and each fiscal year thereafter, to remain available until expended. From amounts made available for grants under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize grant awards for programs or activities with a focus on the practice of food animal medicine.

§ 3152 Grants and fellowships for food and agricultural sciences education

(a) Higher education teaching programs The Secretary shall promote and strengthen higher education in the food and agricultural sciences by formulating and administering programs to enhance college and university teaching programs in agriculture, natural resources, forestry, veterinary medicine, home economics, disciplines closely allied to the food and agricultural system, and rural economic, community, and business development.

(b) Grants The Secretary may make competitive grants (or grants without regard to any requirement for competition) to land-grant colleges and universities (including the University of the District of Columbia), to colleges and universities having significant minority enrollments and a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences, and to other colleges and universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences, for a period not to exceed 5 years— to strengthen institutional capacities, including curriculum, faculty, scientific instrumentation, instruction delivery systems, and student recruitment and retention, to respond to identified State, regional, national, or international educational needs in the food and agricultural sciences, or in rural economic, community, and business development; to attract and support undergraduate and graduate students in order to educate the students in national need areas of the food and agricultural sciences, or in rural economic, community, and business development; to facilitate cooperative initiatives between two or more eligible institutions, or between eligible institutions and units of State government or organizations in the private sector, to maximize the development and use of resources such as faculty, facilities, and equipment to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs, or teaching programs emphasizing rural economic, community, and business development; to design and implement food and agricultural programs, or programs emphasizing rural economic, community, and business development, to build teaching, research, and extension capacity at colleges and universities having significant minority enrollments; to conduct undergraduate scholarship programs to meet national and international needs for training food and agricultural scientists and professionals, or professionals in rural economic, community, and business development; and to conduct graduate and postdoctoral fellowship programs to attract highly promising individuals to research or teaching careers in the food and agricultural sciences.

(c) Priorities In awarding grants under subsection (b), the Secretary shall give priority to— applications for teaching enhancement projects that demonstrate enhanced coordination among all types of institutions eligible for funding under this section; and applications for teaching enhancement projects that focus on innovative, multidisciplinary education programs, material, and curricula.

(d) Eligibility for grants To be eligible for a grant under subsection (b), a recipient institution must have a significant demonstrable commitment to higher education teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences, or in rural economic, community, and business development, and to each specific subject area for which the grant is to be used. The Secretary may set aside a portion of the funds appropriated for the awarding of grants under subsection (b), and make such amounts available only for grants to eligible colleges and universities (including the University of the District of Columbia) that the Secretary determines have unique capabilities for achieving the objective of full representation of minority groups in the food and agricultural sciences workforce, or in the rural economic, community, and business development workforce, of the United States. An eligible college or university under subsection (b) includes a research foundation maintained by the college or university.

(e) Food and agricultural education information system From amounts made available for grants under this section, the Secretary may maintain a national food and agricultural education information system that contains— information on enrollment, degrees awarded, faculty, and employment placement in the food and agricultural sciences; and such other similar information as the Secretary considers appropriate.

(f) Evaluation of teaching programs The Secretary shall conduct programs to develop, analyze, and provide to colleges and universities data and information that are essential to the evaluation of the quality of teaching programs and to facilitate the design of more effective programs comprising the food and agricultural sciences higher education system of the United States.

(g) Continuing education The Secretary shall conduct special programs with colleges and universities, and with organizations in the private sector, to support educational initiatives to enable food and agricultural scientists and professionals to maintain their knowledge of changing technology, the expanding knowledge base, societal issues, and other factors that impact the skills and competencies needed to maintain the expertise base available to the agricultural system of the United States. The special programs shall include grants and technical assistance.

(h) Transfers of funds and functions Funds authorized in section 22 of the Act of June 29, 1935 ( 49 Stat. 439 , chapter 338; 7 U.S.C. 329 ) are transferred to and shall be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture. There are transferred to the Secretary all the functions and duties of the Secretary of Education under such Act applicable to the activities and programs for which funds are made available under section 22 of such Act.

(i) National Food and Agricultural Sciences Teaching, Extension, and Research Awards The Secretary shall establish a National Food and Agricultural Sciences Teaching, Extension, and Research Awards program to recognize and promote excellence in teaching, extension, and research in the food and agricultural sciences at a college or university. The Secretary shall make at least 1 cash award in each fiscal year to a nominee selected by the Secretary for excellence in each of the areas of teaching, extension, and research of food and agricultural science at a college or university. The Secretary may transfer funds from amounts appropriated for the conduct of any agricultural research, extension, or teaching program to an account established pursuant to this section for the purpose of making the awards. The Secretary may accept gifts in accordance with section 2269 of this title for the purpose of making the awards.

(j) Secondary education, 2-year postsecondary education, and agriculture in the K–12 classroom In this subsection: The term “institution of higher education” has the meaning given the term in section 1001 of title 20 . The term “secondary school” has the meaning given the term in section 7801 of title 20 . The Secretary shall— promote and strengthen secondary education and 2-year postsecondary education in agriscience and agribusiness in order to help ensure the existence in the United States of a qualified workforce to serve the food and agricultural sciences system; and promote complementary and synergistic linkages among secondary, 2-year postsecondary, and higher education programs in the food and agricultural sciences in order to promote excellence in education and encourage more young Americans to pursue and complete a baccalaureate or higher degree in the food and agricultural sciences. The Secretary may make competitive or noncompetitive grants, for grant periods not to exceed 5 years, to public secondary schools, institutions of higher education that award an associate’s degree, other institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations, that the Secretary determines have made a commitment to teaching agriscience and agribusiness— to enhance curricula in agricultural education; to increase faculty teaching competencies; to interest young people in pursuing higher education in order to prepare for scientific and professional careers in the food and agricultural sciences; to promote the incorporation of agriscience and agribusiness subject matter into other instructional programs, particularly classes in science, business, and consumer education; to facilitate joint initiatives by the grant recipient with other secondary schools, institutions of higher education that award an associate’s degree, and institutions of higher education that award a bachelor’s degree to maximize the development and use of resources, such as faculty, facilities, and equipment, to improve agriscience and agribusiness education; to support other initiatives designed to meet local, State, regional, or national needs related to promoting excellence in agriscience and agribusiness education; and to support current agriculture in the classroom programs for grades K–12.

(k) Administration Chapter 10 of title 5 and title XVIII of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 ( 7 U.S.C. 2281 et seq.) shall not apply to a panel or board created for the purpose of reviewing applications and proposals for grants or nominations for awards submitted under this section.

(l) Report The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a biennial report detailing the distribution of funds used to implement the teaching programs under subsection (j).

(m) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated for carrying out this section— 40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023.

§ 3153 National Agricultural Science Award

(a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish the National Agricultural Science Award for research or advanced studies in the food and agricultural sciences, including the social sciences. Two such awards, one for each of the categories described in subsection (d) of this section, shall be made in each fiscal year.

(b) Amount and term The awards shall not exceed $50,000 per year for a period of not to exceed three years to support research or study by the recipient.

(c) Eligibility The awards shall be open to persons in agricultural research, extension, teaching, or any combination thereof.

(d) Categories Awards under this section shall be made in each fiscal year in two categories as follows: to a scientist in recognition of outstanding contributions to the advancement of the food and agricultural sciences; and to a research scientist in early career development or a graduate student, in recognition of demonstrated capability and promise of significant future achievement in the food and agricultural sciences.

(e) Nominating and selection committees The Secretary may establish such nominating and selection committees, to consist of scientists and others, to receive nominations and make recommendations for awards under this section, as the Secretary deems appropriate.

§ 3154 Repealed. Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7110(a), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1218, and Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7110(a), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1980

§ 3155 Agricultural and food policy research centers

(a) In general Consistent with this section, the Secretary shall, acting through the Office of the Chief Economist, make competitive grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements with, policy research centers described in subsection (b) to conduct research and education programs that are objective, operationally independent, and external to the Federal Government and that concern the effect of public policies and trade agreements on— the farm and agricultural sectors (including commodities, livestock, dairy, and specialty crops); the environment; rural families, households, and economies; and consumers, food, and nutrition.

(b) Eligible recipients An entity eligible to apply for funding under subsection (a) is a State agricultural experiment station, college or university, or other public research institution or organization that has a history of providing— unbiased, nonpartisan economic analysis to Congress on the areas specified in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (a); or objective, scientific information to Federal agencies and the public to support and enhance efficient, accurate implementation of Federal drought preparedness and drought response programs, including interagency thresholds used to determine eligibility for mitigation or emergency assistance.

(c) Preference In making awards under this section, the Secretary shall give a preference to policy research centers that have— extensive databases, models, and demonstrated experience in providing Congress with agricultural market projections, rural development analysis, agricultural policy analysis, and baseline projections at the farm, multiregional, national, and international levels; or information, analysis, and research relating to drought mitigation.

(d) Activities Under this section, funding may be provided for disciplinary and interdisciplinary research and education concerning policy research activities consistent with this section, including activities that— quantify the implications of public policies and regulations; develop theoretical and applied research methods; collect, analyze, and disseminate data for policymakers, analysts, and individuals; and develop programs to train analysts.

(e) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023.

§ 3156 Education grants to Alaska Native serving institutions and Native Hawaiian serving institutions

(a) Education grants program for Alaska Native serving institutions The Secretary of Agriculture may make competitive grants to Alaska Native serving institutions for the purpose of promoting and strengthening the ability of Alaska Native serving institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs. Grants made under this section shall be used— to support the activities of consortia of Alaska Native serving institutions to enhance educational equity for under represented students; to strengthen institutional educational capacities, including libraries, curriculum, faculty, scientific instrumentation, instruction delivery systems, and student recruitment and retention, in order to respond to identified State, regional, national, or international educational needs in the food and agriculture sciences; to attract and support undergraduate and graduate students from under represented groups in order to prepare them for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States, beginning with the mentoring of students at the high school level including by village elders and continuing with the provision of financial support for students through their attainment of a doctoral degree; and to facilitate cooperative initiatives between two or more Alaska Native serving institutions, or between Alaska Native serving institutions and units of State government or the private sector, to maximize the development and use of resources, such as faculty, facilities, and equipment, to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs. There are authorized to be appropriated to make grants under this subsection $10,000,000 in fiscal years 2001 through 2023.

(b) Education grants program for Native Hawaiian serving institutions The Secretary of Agriculture may make competitive grants to Native Hawaiian serving institutions for the purpose of promoting and strengthening the ability of Native Hawaiian serving institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs. Grants made under this section shall be used— to support the activities of consortia of Native Hawaiian serving institutions to enhance educational equity for under represented students, including permitting consortia to designate fiscal agents for the members of the consortia and to allocate among the members funds made available under this section; to strengthen institutional educational capacities, including libraries, curriculum, faculty, scientific instrumentation, instruction delivery systems, and student recruitment and retention, in order to respond to identified State, regional, national, or international educational needs in the food and agriculture sciences; to attract and support undergraduate and graduate students from under represented groups in order to prepare them for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States, beginning with the mentoring of students at the high school level and continuing with the provision of financial support for students through their attainment of a doctoral degree; and to facilitate cooperative initiatives between two or more Native Hawaiian serving institutions, or between Native Hawaiian serving institutions and units of State government or the private sector, to maximize the development and use of resources, such as faculty, facilities, and equipment, to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs. There are authorized to be appropriated to make grants under this subsection $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2023.

§ 3157 Competitive, special, and facilities research grants

(a) Establishment of grant program In order to promote research in food, agriculture, and related areas, a research grants program is hereby established in the Department of Agriculture. This section may be cited as the “Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act”.

(b) Agriculture and food research initiative There is established in the Department of Agriculture an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative under which the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this subsection as “the Secretary”) may make competitive grants for fundamental and applied research, extension, and education to address food and agricultural sciences (as defined under section 3103 of this title ). The competitive grants program established under this subsection shall address the following areas: Plant systems, including— plant genome structure and function; molecular and cellular genetics and plant biotechnology; conventional breeding, including cultivar and breed development, selection theory, applied quantitative genetics, breeding for improved food quality, breeding for improved local adaptation to biotic stress and abiotic stress, and participatory breeding; plant-pest interactions and biocontrol systems; crop plant response to environmental stresses; unproved nutrient qualities of plant products; and new food and industrial uses of plant products. Animal systems, including— aquaculture; cellular and molecular basis of animal reproduction, growth, disease, and health; animal biotechnology; conventional breeding, including breed development, selection theory, applied quantitative genetics, breeding for improved food quality, breeding for improved local adaptation to biotic stress and abiotic stress, and participatory breeding; identification of genes responsible for improved production traits and resistance to disease; improved nutritional performance of animals; improved nutrient qualities of animal products and uses; the development of new and improved animal husbandry and production systems that take into account production efficiency, animal well-being, and animal systems applicable to aquaculture; the research and development of surveillance methods, vaccines, vaccination delivery systems, or diagnostic tests for pests and diseases, including— epizootic diseases in domestic livestock (including deer, elk, bison, and other animals of the family Cervidae); and zoonotic diseases (including bovine brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis) in domestic livestock or wildlife reservoirs that present a potential concern to public health; and the identification of animal drug needs and the generation and dissemination of data for safe and effective therapeutic applications of animal drugs for minor species and minor uses of such drugs in major species. Nutrition, food safety and quality, and health, including— microbial contaminants and pesticides residue relating to human health; links between diet and health; bioavailability of nutrients; postharvest physiology and practices; and improved processing technologies. Natural resources and the environment, including— fundamental structures and functions of ecosystems; biological and physical bases of sustainable production systems; soil health; minimizing soil and water losses and sustaining surface water and ground water quality; the effectiveness of conservation practices and technologies designed to address nutrient losses and improve water quality; global climate effects on agriculture; forestry; and biological diversity. Engineering, products, and processes, including— new uses and new products from traditional and nontraditional crops, animals, byproducts, and natural resources; robotics, energy efficiency, computing, and expert systems; new hazard and risk assessment and mitigation measures; water quality and management; and tools that accelerate the use of automation or mechanization for labor-intensive tasks in the production and distribution of crops. Markets, trade, economics, and policy, including— strategies for entering into and being competitive in domestic and overseas markets; farm efficiency and profitability, including the viability and competitiveness of small and medium-sized dairy, livestock, crop and other commodity operations; new decision tools for farm and market systems; choices and applications of technology; the economic costs, benefits, and viability of producers adopting conservation practices and technologies designed to improve water quality; technology assessment; new approaches to rural development, including rural entrepreneurship; and barriers and bridges to entry and farm viability for young, beginning, socially disadvantaged, veteran, and immigrant farmers and ranchers, including farm succession, transition, transfer, entry, and profitability issues. The term of a competitive grant made under this subsection may not exceed 10 years. In making grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall— seek and accept proposals for grants; determine the relevance and merit of proposals through a system of peer and merit review in accordance with section 7613 of this title ; award grants on the basis of merit, quality, and relevance; solicit and consider input from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education in accordance with section 7612(b) of this title ; in seeking proposals for grants under this subsection and in performing peer review evaluations of such proposals, seek the widest participation of qualified individuals in the Federal Government, colleges and universities, State agricultural experiment stations, and the private sector; and establish procedures, including timelines, under which an entity established under a commodity promotion law (as such term is defined under section 7401(a) of this title ) or a State commodity board (or other equivalent State entity) may directly submit to the Secretary for consideration proposals for requests for applications that specifically address particular issues related to the priority areas specified in paragraph (2). In making grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall allocate funds to the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative to ensure that, of funds allocated for research activities— not less than 60 percent is made available to make grants for fundamental research (as defined in subsection (f)(1) of section 6971 of this title ), of which— not less than 30 percent is made available to make grants for research to be conducted by multidisciplinary teams; and not more than 2 percent is used for equipment grants under paragraph (6)(A); and not less than 40 percent is made available to make grants for applied research (as defined in subsection (f)(1) of section 6971 of this title ). In making grants under this subsection, the Secretary may assist in the development of capabilities in the agricultural, food, and environmental sciences by providing grants— to an institution to allow for the improvement of the research, development, technology transfer, and education capacity of the institution through the acquisition of special research equipment and the improvement of agricultural education and teaching, except that the Secretary shall use not less than 25 percent of the funds made available for grants under this subparagraph to provide fellowships to outstanding pre- and post-doctoral students for research in the agricultural sciences; to a single investigator or coinvestigators who are beginning research careers and do not have an extensive research publication record, except that, to be eligible for a grant under this subparagraph, an individual shall be within 5 years of the beginning of the initial career track position of the individual; to ensure that the faculty of small, mid-sized, and minority-serving institutions who have not previously been successful in obtaining competitive grants under this subsection receive a portion of the grants; to improve research, extension, and education capabilities in States (as defined in section 3103 of this title ) in which institutions have been less successful in receiving funding under this subsection, based on a 3-year rolling average of funding levels; to eligible entities to carry out the specific proposals submitted under procedures established under paragraph (4)(F) only if such specific proposals are consistent with a priority area specified in paragraph (2); and to an institution to carry out collaboration in biomedical and agricultural research using existing research models. The Secretary may make grants to carry out research, extension, and education under this subsection to— State agricultural experiment stations; colleges and universities; university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; Federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations, foundations, or corporations; individuals; or any group consisting of 2 or more of the entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (H). Funds made available for grants under this subsection shall not be used for the construction of a new building or facility or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an existing building or facility (including site grading and improvement, and architect fees). Except as provided in clause (ii), in the case of a grant made under paragraph (6)(A), the amount provided under this subsection may not exceed 50 percent of the cost of the special research equipment or other equipment acquired using funds from the grant. The Secretary may waive all or part of the matching requirement under clause (i) in the case of a college, university, or research foundation maintained by a college or university that ranks in the lowest ⅓ of such colleges, universities, and research foundations on the basis of Federal research funds received, if the equipment to be acquired using funds from the grant costs not more than 700,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2023, of which— not less than 30 percent shall be made available for integrated research pursuant to section 7626 of this title ; and not more than 5 percent may be retained by the Secretary to pay administrative costs incurred by the Secretary in carrying out this subsection. Funds made available under this paragraph shall— be available for obligation for a 2-year period beginning on October 1 of the fiscal year for which the funds are first made available; and remain available until expended to pay for obligations incurred during that 2-year period.

(c) Special grants The Secretary of Agriculture may make grants, for periods not to exceed 3 years— to State agricultural experiment stations, all colleges and universities, other research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations or corporations, and individuals for the purpose of conducting research, extension, or education activities to facilitate or expand promising breakthroughs in areas of the food and agricultural sciences of importance to the United States; and to State agricultural experiment stations, land-grant colleges and universities, research foundations established by land-grant colleges and universities, colleges and universities receiving funds under the Act of October 10, 1962 ( 16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.), and accredited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine for the purpose of facilitating or expanding ongoing State-Federal food and agricultural research, extension, or education programs that— promote excellence in research, extension, or education on a regional and national level; promote the development of regional research centers; promote the research partnership between the Department of Agriculture, colleges and universities, research foundations, and State agricultural experiment stations for regional research efforts; and facilitate coordination and cooperation of research, extension, or education among States through regional grants. The Secretary may not make a grant under this subsection for the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of a building or facility. Grants made under this subsection shall be made without regard to matching funds. Of amounts appropriated for a fiscal year to carry out this subsection— ninety percent of such amounts shall be used for grants for regional research projects; and four percent of such amounts may be retained by the Secretary to pay administrative costs incurred by the Secretary to carry out this subsection. The Secretary shall make a grant under this subsection for a research activity only if the activity has undergone scientific peer review arranged by the grantee in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary. The Secretary shall make a grant under this subsection for an extension or education activity only if the activity has undergone merit review arranged by the grantee in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary. A recipient of a grant under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary on an annual basis a report describing the results of the research, extension, or education activity and the merit of the results. Except as provided in clause (ii), on request, the Secretary shall make the report available to the public. Clause (i) shall not apply to the extent that making the report, or a part of the report, available to the public is not authorized or permitted by section 552 of title 5 or section 1905 of title 18 .

(d) Extension design and demonstration initiative The purpose of this subsection is to encourage the design of adaptive prototype systems for improving extension and education that seek to advance the application, translation, and demonstration of scientific discoveries and other agricultural research for the adoption and understanding of food, agricultural, and natural resources practices, techniques, methods, and technologies using digital or other novel platforms. The Secretary shall award grants each fiscal year on a competitive basis— for the design of 1 or more extension and education prototype systems— that leverage digital platforms or other novel means of translating, delivering, or demonstrating agricultural research; and to adapt, apply, translate, or demonstrate scientific findings, data, technology, and other research outcomes to producers, the agricultural industry, and other interested persons or organizations; and to demonstrate, by incorporating analytics and specific metrics, the value, impact, and return on the Federal investment of a prototype system designed under subparagraph (A) as a model for use by other eligible entities described in paragraph (3) for improving, modernizing, and adapting applied research, demonstration, and extension services. An entity that is eligible to receive a grant under paragraph (2) is— a State agricultural experiment station (as defined in section 3103 of this title ); a cooperative extension service (as defined in such section); and a land-grant college or university (as defined in such section). The Secretary shall award grants under paragraph (2) to not fewer than 2 and not more than 5 eligible entities described in paragraph (3) that represent a diversity of regions, commodities, and agricultural or food production issues. The term of a grant awarded under paragraph (2) shall be not longer than 5 years. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, to remain available until expended.

(e) Inter-Regional Research Project Number 4 The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish an Inter-Regional Research Project Number 4 (hereinafter referred to in this subsection as the “IR–4 Program”) to assist in the collection of residue and efficacy data in support of— the registration or reregistration of pesticides for minor agricultural use and for use on specialty crops (as defined in section 3 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 ( 7 U.S.C. 1621 note)), under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act ( 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.); and tolerances for residues of minor use chemicals in or on raw agricultural commodities under sections 346a and 348 of title 21. The Secretary shall carry out the IR–4 Program in cooperation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, State agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, extension services, private industry, and other interested parties. In carrying out the IR–4 Program, the Secretary shall give priority to registrations, reregistrations, and tolerances for pesticide uses related to the production of agricultural crops for food use. As part of carrying out the IR–4 Program, the Secretary shall— participate in research activities aimed at reducing residues of pesticides registered for minor agricultural use and for use on specialty crops; develop analytical techniques applicable to residues of pesticides registered for minor agricultural use, including automation techniques and validation of analytical methods; prioritize potential pest management technology for minor agricultural use and for use on specialty crops; conduct research to develop the data necessary to facilitate pesticide registrations, reregistrations, and associated tolerances; assist in removing trade barriers caused by residues of pesticides registered for minor agricultural use and for use on domestically grown specialty crops; assist in the registration and reregistration of pest management technologies for minor agricultural use and for use on specialty crops; and coordinate with other programs within the Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency designed to develop and promote biological and other alternative control measures. The Secretary shall prepare and submit, to appropriate Committees of Congress, a report on an annual basis that contains— a listing of all registrations, reregistrations, and tolerances for which data has been collected in the preceding year; a listing of all registrations, reregistrations, and tolerances for which data collection is scheduled to occur in the following year, with an explanation of the priority system used to develop this list; and a listing of all activities the IR–4 Program has carried out pursuant to paragraph (4). The Secretary shall submit to Congress not later than November 28, 1991 , a report detailing the feasibility of requiring recoupment of the costs of developing residue data for registrations, reregistrations, or tolerances under this program. Such recoupment shall only apply to those registrants which make a profit on such registration, reregistration, or tolerance subsequent to residue data development under this program. Such report shall include: an analysis of possible benefits to the IR–4 Program of such a recoupment; an analysis of the impact of such a payment on the availability of registrants to pursue registrations or reregistrations of minor use pesticides; and recommendations for implementation of such a recoupment policy. There are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1991, and such sums as are necessary for subsequent fiscal years to carry out this subsection.

(f) Record keeping Each recipient of assistance under this section shall keep such records as the Secretary of Agriculture shall, by regulation, prescribe, including records which fully disclose the amount and disposition by such recipient of the proceeds of such grants, the total cost of the project or undertaking in connection with which such funds are given or used, and the amount of that portion of the costs of the project or undertaking supplied by other sources, and such other records as will facilitate an effective audit. The Secretary of Agriculture and the Comptroller General of the United States or any of their duly authorized representatives shall have access for the purpose of audit and examination to any books, documents, papers, and records of the recipients that are pertinent to the grants received under this section.

(g) Limits on overhead costs The Secretary of Agriculture shall limit allowable overhead costs, with respect to grants awarded under this section, to those necessary to carry out the purposes of the grants.

(h) Authorization of appropriations Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b), (d), and (e), there are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.

(i) Rules The Secretary of Agriculture may issue such rules and regulations as the Secretary deems necessary to carry out this section.

(j) Application of other laws Chapter 10 of title 5 and title XVIII of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 ( 7 U.S.C. 2281 et seq.) shall not apply to a panel or board created for the purpose of reviewing applications or proposals submitted under this section.

(k) Emphasis on sustainable agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure that grants made under subsections (b) and (c) are, where appropriate, consistent with the development of systems of sustainable agriculture. For purposes of this section, the term “sustainable agriculture” has the meaning given that term in section 3103 of this title .

§ 3158 Next generation agriculture technology challenge

(a) In general The Secretary shall establish a next generation agriculture technology challenge competition to provide an incentive for the development of innovative mobile technology that removes barriers to entry in the marketplace for beginning farmers and ranchers (as defined in subsection (a) of section 2279 of this title ).

(b) Amount The Secretary may award not more than $1,000,000 in the aggregate to 1 or more winners of the competition under subsection (a).

§ 3159 Land-grant designation

(a) Prohibition on designation Notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), beginning on December 20, 2018 , no additional entity may be designated as eligible to receive funds under a covered program. The prohibition under paragraph (1) with respect to the designation of an entity eligible to receive funds under a covered program shall not apply in the case of the certification of a 1994 Institution under section 2 of Public Law 87–788 (commonly known as the “McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act”) ( 16 U.S.C. 582a–1 ). In the case of extraordinary circumstances or a situation that would lead to an inequitable result, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may determine that an entity designated after December 20, 2018 , is eligible to receive funds under a covered program.

(b) State funding No State shall receive an increase in funding under a covered program as a result of the State’s designation of additional entities as eligible to receive such funding.

(c) Covered program defined For purposes of this section, the term “covered program” means agricultural research, extension, education, and related programs or grants established or available under any of the following: Subsections (b), (c), and (d) of section 343 of this title . The Hatch Act of 1887 ( 7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.). Sections 3221, 3222, and 3222b of this title. Public Law 87–788 (commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act; 16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.).

(d) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting eligibility for a capacity and infrastructure program specified in section 6971(f)(1)(C) of this title that is not a covered program.

§ 3171 Congressional findings and declaration of policy

(a) Findings Congress finds that there is increasing evidence of a relationship between diet and many of the leading causes of death in the United States: that improved nutrition is an integral component of preventive health care; that there is a serious need for research on the chronic effects of diet on degenerative diseases and related disorders; that nutrition and health considerations are important to United States agricultural policy; that there is insufficient knowledge concerning precise human nutritional requirements, the interaction of the various nutritional constituents of food, and differences in nutritional requirements among different population groups such as infants, children, adolescents, elderly men and women, and pregnant women; and that there is a critical need for objective data concerning food safety, the potential of food enrichment, and means to encourage better nutritional practices.

(b) Declaration of policy It is declared to be the policy of the United States that the Department of Agriculture conduct research in the fields of human nutrition and the nutritive value of foods and conduct human nutrition education activities, as provided in this subchapter.

§ 3172 Duties of Secretary of Agriculture

In order to carry out the policy of this subchapter, the Secretary shall develop and implement a national food and human nutrition research and extension program that shall include, but not be limited to— research on human nutritional requirements; research on the nutrient composition of foods and the effects of agricultural practices, handling, food processing, and cooking on the nutrients they contain; surveillance of the nutritional benefits provided to participants in the food programs administered by the Department of Agriculture; research on the factors affecting food preference and habits; and the development of techniques and equipment to assist consumers in the home or in institutions in selecting food that supplies a nutritionally adequate diet. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1422 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 999 .)

§ 3173 Research by Department of Agriculture

(a) Increase in level of support The Secretary shall establish research into food and human nutrition as a separate and distinct mission of the Department of Agriculture, and the Secretary shall increase support for such research to a level that provides resources adequate to meet the policy of this subchapter.

(b) Periodic consultation with administrators of other Federal departments and agencies The Secretary, in administering the food and human nutrition research program, shall periodically consult with the administrators of the other Federal departments and agencies that have responsibility for programs dealing with human food and nutrition, as to the specific research needs of those departments and agencies.

“Sec. 1451

Congress finds that— nutrition and health considerations are important to United States agricultural policy; section 1405 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 ( 7 U.S.C. 3121 ) designates the Department of Agriculture as the lead agency of the Federal Government for human nutrition research (except with respect to the biomedical aspects of human nutrition concerned with diagnosis or treatment of disease); section 1423 of such Act ( 7 U.S.C. 3173 ) requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish research into food and human nutrition as a separate and distinct mission of the Department of Agriculture; the Secretary has established a nutrition education program; and nutrition research continues to be of great importance to those involved in agricultural production.

“[Sec. 1452

Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 872 , Apr. 4, 1996 , 110 Stat. 1175 .]

“Sec. 1453

(a) The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall jointly conduct an assessment of existing scientific literature and research relating to— the relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol and human health and nutrition; and dietary calcium and its importance in human health and nutrition. In conducting the assessments under this subsection, the Secretaries shall consult with agencies of the Federal Government involved in related research. On completion of such assessments, the Secretaries shall each recommend such further studies as the Secretaries consider useful.

(“(b) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [ Dec. 23, 1985 ], the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall each submit to the House Committees on Agriculture and Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Labor and Human Resources a report that shall include the results of the assessments conducted under subsection (a) and recommendations made under such subsection, for more complete studies of the issues examined under such subsection, including a protocol, feasibility assessment, budget estimates and a timetable for such research as each Secretary shall consider appropriate.”

§§ 3174, 3174a Repealed. Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, §§ 7108, 7109, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 870

§ 3175 Nutrition education program

(a) Definition of 1862 Institution and 1890 Institution In this section, the terms “1862 Institution” and “1890 Institution” have the meaning given those terms in section 7601 of this title .

(b) Establishment The Secretary shall establish a national education program which shall include, but not be limited to, the dissemination of the results of food and human nutrition research performed or funded by the Department of Agriculture.

(c) Employment and training To enable low-income individuals and families to engage in nutritionally sound food purchasing and preparation practices, the expanded food and nutrition education program presently conducted under section 343(d) of this title , shall provide for the employment and training of professional and paraprofessional aides to engage in direct nutrition education of low-income families and in other appropriate nutrition education programs. To the maximum extent practicable, program aides shall be hired from the indigenous target population.

(d) Allocation of funding Beginning with the fiscal year ending September 30, 1982 — Any funds annually appropriated under section 343(d) of this title , for the conduct of the expanded food and nutrition education program, up to the amount appropriated under such section for such program for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1981 , shall be allocated to each State in the same proportion as funds appropriated under such section for the conduct of the program for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1981 , are allocated among the States; with the exception that the Secretary may retain up to 2 per centum of such amount for the conduct of such program in States that did not participate in such program in the fiscal year ending September 30, 1981 . Any funds appropriated annually under section 343(d) of this title , for the conduct of the expanded food and nutrition education program in excess of the amount appropriated under such section for the conduct of the program for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1981 , shall be allocated as follows: 4 per centum shall be available to the Secretary for administrative, technical, and other services necessary for the administration of the program. Notwithstanding section 343(d) of this title , the remainder shall be allocated among the States as follows: $100,000 shall be distributed to each 1862 Institution and 1890 Institution. Subject to clause (iii), the remainder shall be allocated to each State in an amount that bears the same ratio to the total amount to be allocated under this clause as— the population living at or below 125 percent of the income poverty guidelines (as prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget and as adjusted pursuant to section 9902(2) of title 42 ) in the State; bears to the total population living at or below 125 percent of those income poverty guidelines in all States; as determined by the most recent decennial census at the time at which each such additional amount is first appropriated. Before any allocation of funds under clause (ii), for any fiscal year for which the amount of funds appropriated for the conduct of the expanded food and nutrition education program exceeds the amount of funds appropriated for the program for fiscal year 2007, the following percentage of such excess funds for the fiscal year shall be allocated to the 1890 Institutions in accordance with subclause (II): 10 percent for fiscal year 2009. 11 percent for fiscal year 2010. 12 percent for fiscal year 2011. 13 percent for fiscal year 2012. 14 percent for fiscal year 2013. 15 percent for fiscal year 2014 and for each fiscal year thereafter. Funds made available under subclause (I) shall be allocated to each 1890 Institution in an amount that bears the same ratio to the total amount to be allocated under this clause as— the population living at or below 125 percent of the income poverty guidelines (as prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget and as adjusted pursuant to section 9902(2) of title 42 ) in the State in which the 1890 Institution is located; bears to the total population living at or below 125 percent of those income poverty guidelines in all States in which 1890 Institutions are located; as determined by the most recent decennial census at the time at which each such additional amount is first appropriated. Nothing in this subparagraph precludes the Secretary from developing educational materials and programs for persons in income ranges above the level designated in this subparagraph.

(e) Complementary administration The Secretary shall ensure the complementary administration of the expanded food and nutrition education program by 1862 Institutions and 1890 Institutions in a State.

(f) Coordination Projects carried out with funds made available under section 343(d) of this title , to carry out the program established under subsection (b) may be coordinated with the nutrition education and obesity prevention grant program under section 2036a of this title or another health promotion or nutrition improvement strategy, whether publicly or privately funded, as determined by the Secretary.

(g) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the expanded food and nutrition education program established under section 343(d) of this title and this section $90,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2023.

§ 3175a Nutrition and consumer education; Congressional findings

Congress finds that individuals in households eligible to participate in programs under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 [ 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.] and other low-income individuals, including those residing in rural areas, should have greater access to nutrition and consumer education to enable them to use their food budgets, including food assistance, effectively and to select and prepare foods that satisfy their nutritional needs and improve their diets. ( Pub. L. 99–198, title XV, § 1584 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1596 .)

§ 3175b Expansion of effective food, nutrition, and consumer education services

The purpose of the program provided for under sections 3175a through 3175e of this title is to expand effective food, nutrition, and consumer education services to the greatest practicable number of low-income individuals, including those participating in or eligible to participate in the programs under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 [ 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], to assist them to— increase their ability to manage their food budgets, including food stamps and other food assistance; increase their ability to buy food that satisfies nutritional needs and promotes good health; and improve their food preparation, storage, safety, preservation, and sanitation practices. ( Pub. L. 99–198, title XV, § 1585 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1596 .)

§ 3175c Program of food, nutrition, and consumer education by State cooperative extension services

The cooperative extension services of the States shall, with funds made available under this subtitle, carry out an expanded program of food, nutrition, and consumer education for low-income individuals in a manner designed to achieve the purpose set forth in section 3175b of this title . In operating the program, the cooperative extension services may use the expanded food and nutrition education program, and other food, nutrition, and consumer education activities of the cooperative extension services or similar activities carried out by them in collaboration with other public or private nonprofit agencies or organizations. In carrying out their responsibilities under the program, the cooperative extension services are encouraged to— provide effective and meaningful food, nutrition, and consumer education services to as many low-income individuals as possible; employ educational methodologies, including innovative approaches, that accomplish the purpose set forth in section 3175b of this title ; and to the extent practicable, coordinate activities carried out under the program with the delivery to low-income individuals of benefits under food assistance programs. ( Pub. L. 99–198, title XV, § 1586 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1596 .)

§ 3175d Administration of program of food, nutrition, and consumer education by State cooperative extension services

(a) Administration by Secretary of Agriculture The program provided for under section 3175c of this title shall be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in consultation with the Food and Nutrition Service and the Human Nutrition Information Service. The Secretary shall ensure that the National Institute of Food and Agriculture coordinates activities carried out under this subtitle with the ongoing food, nutrition, and consumer education activities of other agencies of the Department of Agriculture.

(b) Evaluation and report The Secretary of Agriculture, not later than April 1, 1989 , shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report evaluating the effectiveness of the program provided for under section 3175c of this title .

§ 3175e Authorization of appropriations

(a) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to carry out sections 3175a through 3175e of this title $8,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1991 through 1995.

(b) Any funds appropriated under this section for a fiscal year shall be allocated in the manner specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 3175(d)(2) of this title .

(c) Any funds appropriated to carry out sections 3175a through 3175e of this title shall supplement any other funds appropriated to the Department of Agriculture for use by the Department and the cooperative extension services of the States for food, nutrition, and consumer education for low-income households.

§ 3176 Repealed. Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1424(a), Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1308

§ 3177 Repealed. Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1413, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1549

§ 3178 Nutritional status monitoring

(a) Formulation of system The Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall formulate and submit to Congress, within ninety days after September 29, 1977 , a proposal for a comprehensive nutritional status monitoring system, to include: an assessment system consisting of periodic surveys and continuous monitoring to determine: the extent of risk of nutrition-related health problems in the United States; which population groups or areas of the country face greatest risk; and the likely causes of risk and changes in the above risk factors over time; a surveillance system to identify remediable nutrition-related health risks to individuals or for local areas, in such a manner as to tie detection to direct intervention and treatment. Such system should draw on screening and other information from other health programs, including those funded under titles V, XVIII, and XIX of the Social Security Act [ 42 U.S.C. 701 et seq., 1395 et seq., and 1396 et seq.] and section 330 of the Public Health Service Act; 1 and program evaluations to determine the adequacy, efficiency, effectiveness, and side effects of nutrition-related programs in reducing health risks to individuals and populations.

(b) Coordination of existing activities; recommendation for necessary additional authorities The proposal shall provide for coordination of activities under existing authorities and contain recommendations for any additional authorities necessary to achieve a comprehensive monitoring system.

§ 3178a Nutrition monitoring

The Secretary of Agriculture shall— in conducting the Department of Agriculture’s continuing survey of food intakes of individuals and any nationwide food consumption survey, include a sample that is representative of low-income individuals and, to the extent practicable, the collection of information on food purchases and other household expenditures by such individuals; to the extent practicable, continue to maintain the nutrient data base established by the Department of Agriculture; and encourage research by public and private entities relating to effective standards, methodologies, and technologies for accurate assessment of the nutritional and dietary status of individuals. ( Pub. L. 99–198, title XV, § 1589 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1597 .)

§ 3179 Research on strategies to promote the selection and consumption of healthy foods

(a) In general The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a research, demonstration, and technical assistance program to promote healthy eating and reduce the prevalence of obesity, among all population groups but especially among children, by applying the principles and insights of behavioral economics research in schools, child care programs, and other settings.

(b) Priorities The Secretary shall— identify and assess the impacts of specific presentation, placement, and other strategies for structuring choices on selection and consumption of healthful foods in a variety of settings, consistent with the most recent version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans published under section 5341 of this title ; demonstrate and rigorously evaluate behavioral economics-related interventions that hold promise to improve diets and promote health, including through demonstration projects that may include evaluation of the use of portion size, labeling, convenience, and other strategies to encourage healthy choices; and encourage adoption of the most effective strategies through outreach and technical assistance.

(c) Authority In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary may— enter into competitively awarded contracts or cooperative agreements; or provide grants to States or public or private agencies or organizations, as determined by the Secretary.

(d) Application To be eligible to enter into a contract or cooperative agreement or receive a grant under this section, a State or public or private agency or organization shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(e) Coordination The solicitation and evaluation of contracts, cooperative agreements, and grant proposals considered under this section shall be coordinated with the Food and Nutrition Service as appropriate to ensure that funded projects are consistent with the operations of Federally supported nutrition assistance programs and related laws (including regulations).

(f) Annual reports Not later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that includes a description of— the policies, priorities, and operations of the program carried out by the Secretary under this section during the fiscal year; the results of any evaluations completed during the fiscal year; and the efforts undertaken to disseminate successful practices through outreach and technical assistance.

(g) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015. The Secretary may use up to 5 percent of the funds made available under paragraph (1) for Federal administrative expenses incurred in carrying out this section.

§ 3191 Purposes and findings relating to animal health and disease research

(a) Purposes The purposes of this subchapter are to— promote the general welfare through the improved health and productivity of domestic livestock, poultry, aquatic animals, and other income-producing animals that are essential to the food supply of the United States and the welfare of producers and consumers of animal products; improve the health of horses; facilitate the effective treatment of, and, to the extent possible, prevent animal and poultry diseases in both domesticated and wild animals that, if not controlled, would be disastrous to the United States livestock and poultry industries and endanger the food supply of the United States; improve methods for the control of organisms and residues in food products of animal origin that could endanger the human food supply; improve the housing and management of animals to improve the well-being of livestock production species; minimize livestock and poultry losses due to transportation and handling; protect human health through control of animal diseases transmissible to humans; improve methods of controlling the births of predators and other animals; and otherwise promote the general welfare through expanded programs of research and extension to improve animal health.

(b) Findings Congress finds that— the total animal health and disease research and extension efforts of State colleges and universities and of the Federal Government would be more effective if there were close coordination between the efforts; and colleges and universities having accredited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine and State agricultural experiment stations that conduct animal health and disease research are especially vital in training research workers in animal health and related disciplines.

§ 3192 Definitions

When used in this subchapter— the term “eligible institution” means an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine or a State agricultural experiment station that conducts animal health and disease research; the term “dean” means the dean of an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine; the term “director” means the director of a State agricultural experiment station which qualifies as an eligible institution; and the term “animal health research capacity” means the capacity of an eligible institution to conduct animal health and disease research, as determined by the Secretary. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1430 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1002 ; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1427 , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1309 ; Pub. L. 105–185, title VI, § 606(d)(1) , June 23, 1998 , 112 Stat. 604 .)

§ 3193 Authorization to Secretary of Agriculture

(a) Authority to cooperate with, encourage, and assist States In order to carry out the purpose of this subchapter, the Secretary is authorized to cooperate with, encourage, and assist the States in carrying out programs of animal health and disease research at eligible institutions under sections 3195(a) and 3196 of this title in the manner hereinafter described in this subchapter.

(b) Study of animal care delivery system The Secretary shall commission the National Academy of Sciences, working through the Board on Agriculture of the National Research Council, to conduct a study of the delivery system utilized to provide farmers, including small and limited resource farmers, and ranchers with animal care and veterinary medical services, including animal drugs. The study required by this subsection shall assess opportunities to— improve the flow of information to producers regarding animal husbandry practices, and diagnostic and treatment methods, including the costs and conditions necessary for the effective use of such practices and methods; foster achievement of food safety goals; and advance the well-being and treatment of farm animals, with particular emphasis on disease prevention strategies. The study required by this subsection shall include recommendations for changes in research and extension policies or priorities, food safety programs and policies, and policies and procedures governing the approval, use, and monitoring of animal drugs.

§ 3194 Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 854, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1172

§ 3195 Continuing animal health and disease, food security, and stewardship research, education, and extension programs

(a) Capacity and infrastructure program In each State with one or more accredited colleges of veterinary medicine, the deans of the accredited college or colleges and the director of the State agricultural experiment station shall develop a comprehensive animal health and disease research program for the State based on the animal health research capacity of each eligible institution in the State, which shall be submitted to the Secretary for approval and shall be used for the allocation of funds available to the State under this section. An eligible institution allocated funds to carry out animal health and disease research under this section may only use such funds— to meet the expenses of conducting animal health and disease research, publishing and disseminating the results of such research, and contributing to the retirement of employees subject to section 331 of this title ; for administrative planning and direction; and to purchase equipment and supplies necessary for conducting research described in subparagraph (A). The Secretary, to the maximum extent practicable, shall encourage eligible institutions to cooperate in setting research priorities under this section through conducting regular regional and national meetings.

(b) Competitive grant program The Secretary, for purposes of addressing the critical needs of animal agriculture, shall award competitive grants to eligible entities under which such eligible entities— conduct research— to promote food security, such as by— improving feed efficiency; improving energetic efficiency; connecting genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and related phenomena to animal production; improving reproductive efficiency; and enhancing pre- and post-harvest food safety systems; and on the relationship between animal and human health, such as by— exploring new approaches for vaccine development; understanding and controlling zoonosis, including its impact on food safety; improving animal health through feed; and enhancing product quality and nutritive value; and develop and disseminate to the public tools and information based on the research conducted under subparagraph (A) and sound science. An entity eligible to receive a grant under this subsection is any of the following: A State cooperative institution. An NLGCA Institution. In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall establish procedures— to seek and accept proposals for grants; to review and determine the relevance and merit of proposals, in consultation with representatives of the animal agriculture industry; to provide a scientific peer review of each proposal conducted by a panel of subject matter experts from Federal agencies, academic institutions, State animal health agencies, and the animal agriculture industry; and to award competitive grants on the basis of merit, quality, and relevance.

(c) Funding There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 5,000,000 of the funds made available under paragraph (1) to carry out the capacity and infrastructure program under subsection (a). The amounts made available under paragraph (1) that are remaining after the reservation of funds under paragraph (2), shall be apportioned as follows: 15 percent of such amounts shall be used to carry out the capacity and infrastructure program under subsection (a). 85 percent of such funds shall be used to carry out the competitive grant program under subsection (b). The funds reserved under paragraph (2) and apportioned under paragraph (3)(A) to carry out the capacity and infrastructure program under subsection (a) shall be apportioned as follows: Four percent shall be retained by the Department of Agriculture for administration, program assistance to the eligible institutions, and program coordination. 48 percent shall be distributed among the several States in the proportion that the value of and income to producers from domestic livestock, poultry, and commercial aquaculture species in each State bears to the total value of and income to producers from domestic livestock, poultry, and commercial aquaculture species in all the States. The Secretary shall determine the total value of and income from domestic livestock, poultry, and commercial aquaculture species in all the States and the proportionate value of and income from domestic livestock, poultry, and commercial aquaculture species for each State, based on the most current inventory of all cattle, sheep, swine, horses, poultry, and commercial aquaculture species published by the Department of Agriculture. 48 percent shall be distributed among the several States in the proportion that the animal health research capacity of the eligible institutions in each State bears to the total animal health research capacity in all the States. The Secretary shall determine the animal health research capacity of the eligible institutions. With respect to funds reserved under paragraph (2) and apportioned under paragraph (3)(A) to carry out the capacity and infrastructure program under subsection (a), the following shall apply: When the amount available under this section for allotment to any State on the basis of domestic livestock, poultry, and commercial aquaculture species values and incomes exceeds the amount for which the eligible institution or institutions in the State are eligible on the basis of animal health research capacity, the excess may be used, at the discretion of the Secretary, for remodeling of facilities, construction of new facilities, or increase in staffing, proportionate to the need for added research capacity. Whenever a new college of veterinary medicine is established in a State and is accredited, the Secretary, after consultation with the dean of such college and the director of the State agricultural experiment station and where applicable, deans of other accredited colleges in the State, shall provide for the reallocation of funds available to the State pursuant to paragraph (4) between the new college and other eligible institutions in the State, based on the animal health research capacity of each eligible institution. Whenever two or more States jointly establish an accredited regional college of veterinary medicine or jointly support an accredited college of veterinary medicine serving the States involved, the Secretary is authorized to make funds which are available to such States pursuant to paragraph (4) available for such college in such amount that reflects the combined relative value of, and income from, domestic livestock, poultry, and commercial aquaculture species in the cooperating States, such amount to be adjusted, as necessary, pursuant to subsection (a)(1) and subparagraph (B).

§ 3196 Research on national and regional animal health or disease problems

(a) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated such funds as Congress may determine necessary to support research on specific national or regional animal health or disease problems, or national or regional problems relating to pre-harvest, on-farm food safety, or animal well-being, but not to exceed $35,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1991 through 2012, and not in excess of such sums as may after September 29, 1977 , be authorized by law for any subsequent fiscal year.

(b) Duration of grants Notwithstanding the provisions of section 3197 of this title , funds appropriated under this section shall be awarded in the form of grants, for periods not to exceed five years, to State agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities (including 1890 Institutions (as defined in section 7601 of this title )), other research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations or corporations, and individuals.

(c) Establishment of annual priority lists for allocation of funds In order to establish a rational allocation of funds appropriated under this section, the Secretary shall establish annually priority lists of animal health and disease, food safety, and animal well-being problems of national or regional significance. Such lists shall be prepared after consultation with the Advisory Board. Any recommendations made in connection with such consultation shall not be controlling on the Secretary’s determination of priorities. In establishing such priorities, the Secretary and the Advisory Board shall consider the following factors: any health or disease problem which causes or may cause significant economic losses to any part of the livestock production industry; any food safety problem that has a significant pre-harvest (on-farm) component and is recognized as posing a significant health hazard to the consuming public; issues of animal well-being related to production methods that will improve the housing and management of animals to improve the well-being of livestock production species; whether current scientific knowledge necessary to prevent, cure, or abate such a health or disease problem is adequate; and whether the status of scientific research is such that accomplishments may be anticipated through the application of scientific effort to such health or disease problem.

(d) Assignment of priorities for grants Without regard to any consultation under subsection (c), the Secretary shall, to the extent feasible, award grants on the basis of the priorities assigned through a peer review system. Grantees shall be selected on a competitive basis in accordance with such procedures as the Secretary may establish.

(e) Distribution of multiyear grants In the case of multiyear grants, the Secretary shall distribute funds to grant recipients on a schedule which is reasonably related to the timetable required for the orderly conduct of the research project involved.

(f) Applicability of chapter 10 of title 5 Chapter 10 of title 5 and title XVIII of this Act [ 7 U.S.C. 2281 et seq.] shall not apply to a panel or board created solely for the purpose of reviewing applications or proposals submitted under this subchapter.

§ 3197 Availability of appropriated funds

Funds available to carry out sections 3195(a) and 3196 of this title shall be paid to each State or eligible institution at such times and in such amounts as shall be determined by the Secretary. Funds shall remain available for payment of unliquidated obligations for one additional fiscal year following the year of appropriation. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1435 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1004 ; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7111(b)(3)(B) , Feb. 7, 2014 , 128 Stat. 874 .)

§ 3198 Withholding of appropriated funds

If the Secretary determines that a State is not entitled to receive its allocation of the annual appropriation under subsection (c) of section 3195 of this title to carry out subsection (a) of such section because of its failure to satisfy requirements of this subchapter or regulations issued under it, the Secretary shall withhold such amount. The facts and reasons concerning the determination and withholding shall be reported to the President; and the amount involved shall be kept separate in the Treasury until the close of the next Congress. If the next Congress does not direct such sum to be paid, it shall be carried to surplus. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1436 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1004 ; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7111(b)(3)(C) , Feb. 7, 2014 , 128 Stat. 874 .)

§ 3199 Requirements for use of funds

With respect to research projects on problems of animal health and disease to be performed at eligible institutions and supported with funds allocated to the States under subsection (c) of section 3195 of this title to carry out subsection (a) of such section, the dean or director of each eligible institution shall cause to be prepared and shall review proposals for such research projects, which contain data showing compliance with the purpose in section 3191 of this title and the provisions for use of funds specified in section 3195(a) of this title , and with general guidelines for project eligibility to be provided by the Secretary. Such research proposals that are approved by the dean or director shall be submitted to the Secretary prior to assignment of funds thereto with a brief summary showing compliance with the provisions of this subtitle and the Secretary’s general guidelines. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1437 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1004 ; Pub. L. 105–185, title VI, § 606(d)(4) , June 23, 1998 , 112 Stat. 604 ; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7111(b)(3)(D) , Feb. 7, 2014 , 128 Stat. 874 .)

§ 3200 Matching funds

No funds in excess of 100,000 on the certificate of the appropriate official of the eligible institution having charge of the animal health and disease research for which such payments are to be made. If any eligible institution certified for receipt of matching funds fails to make available and budget for expenditure for animal health and disease research in any fiscal year sums at least equal to the amount for which it is certified, the difference between the Federal matching funds available and the funds made available to and budgeted for expenditure by the eligible institution shall be reapportioned by the Secretary among other eligible institutions of the same State, if there are any which qualify therefor, and, if there are none, the Secretary shall reapportion such difference among the other States. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1438 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1005 ; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7111(b)(3)(E) , Feb. 7, 2014 , 128 Stat. 874 .)

§ 3201 Funds appropriated or otherwise made available pursuant to other provisions of law

The sums appropriated and allocated to States and eligible institutions under subsection (c) of section 3195 of this title to carry out subsection (a) of such section or section 3196 of this title , as applicable, shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for, sums appropriated or otherwise made available to such States and institutions pursuant to other provisions of law. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1439 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1005 ; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7111(b)(3)(F) , Feb. 7, 2014 , 128 Stat. 874 .)

§ 3202 Research and education grants for the study of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

(a) In general The Secretary shall provide research and education grants, on a competitive basis— to study the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including— movement of antibiotic-resistant bacteria into groundwater and surface water; and the effect on antibiotic resistance from various drug use regimens; and to study and ensure the judicious use of antibiotics in veterinary and human medicine, including— methods and practices of animal husbandry; safe and effective alternatives to antibiotics; the development of better veterinary diagnostics to improve decisionmaking; and the identification of conditions or factors that affect antibiotic use on farms.

(b) Administration Paragraphs (4), (7), (8), and (11)(B) of subsection (b) of section 3157 of this title shall apply with respect to the making of grants under this section.

(c) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

§ 3221 Extension at 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University

(a) Authorization of appropriations There are hereby authorized to be appropriated annually such sums as Congress may determine necessary to support continuing agricultural and forestry extension at colleges eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 ( 26 Stat. 417–419 , as amended; 7 U.S.C. 321–326 and 328), including Tuskegee University (hereinafter in this section referred to as “eligible institutions”). Beginning with fiscal year 2003, there shall be appropriated under this section for each fiscal year an amount that is not less than 20 percent of the total appropriations for such year under the Act of May 8, 1914 ( 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), and related acts pertaining to cooperative extension work at the land-grant institutions identified in the Act of May 8, 1914 ( 38 Stat. 372 , chapter 79; 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), except that for the purpose of this calculation, the total appropriations shall not include amounts made available under section 3(d) of that Act ( 7 U.S.C. 343(d) ). Funds appropriated under this section shall be used for expenses of conducting extension programs and activities, and for contributing to the retirement of employees subject to the provisions of section 331 of this title .

(b) Distribution of funds Funds made available under this section shall be distributed among eligible institutions in accordance with this subsection. Any funds annually appropriated under this section up to the amount appropriated for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1978 , pursuant to section 343(d) of this title , for eligible institutions, shall be allocated among the eligible institutions in the same proportion as funds appropriated under section 343(d) of this title for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1978 , were allocated among the eligible institutions, as so designated as of that date. Any funds appropriated annually under this section in excess of an amount equal to the amount appropriated under section 343(d) of this title , for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1978 , for eligible institutions, shall be distributed as follows: A sum equal to 4 per centum of the total amount appropriated each fiscal year under this section shall be allotted to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the Department of Agriculture for administrative, technical, and other services, and for coordinating the extension work of the Department of Agriculture and the several States. Except as provided in paragraph (4), of the remainder, 20 per centum shall be allotted among the eligible institutions in equal proportions; 40 per centum shall be allotted among the eligible institutions in the proportion that the rural population of the State in which each eligible institution is located bears to the total rural population of all the States in which eligible institutions are located, as determined by the last preceding decennial census current at the time each such additional sum is first appropriated; and the balance shall be allotted among the eligible institutions in the proportion that the farm population of the State in which each eligible institution is located bears to the total farm population of all the States in which the eligible institutions are located, as determined by the last preceding decennial census current at the time each such additional sum is first appropriated. In computing the distribution of funds allocated under this paragraph, the allotments to Tuskegee University and Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University shall be determined as if each institution were in a separate State. In this paragraph: The term “covered fiscal year” means the fiscal year for which the qualified eligible institution first received an allocation of 3,000,000 to an eligible institution that first received funds under this section on a date occurring after February 7, 2014 , and before September 30, 2018 , that institution shall receive an allocation of 3,000,000; and each other eligible institution shall receive an allocation under this subsection of at least the amount received by such other eligible institution under this subsection for the covered fiscal year. This clause shall apply to any fiscal year following the covered fiscal year and for which the total amount appropriated under this section is insufficient to provide for the minimum additional funding amounts described in clause (i). In the case of a fiscal year to which this clause applies, reductions in allocations shall be made proportionally from the qualified eligible institution and from each other eligible institution based on the increased amounts (if any) that the qualified eligible institution and each other eligible institution were allocated for the covered fiscal year as compared to the fiscal year immediately preceding the covered fiscal year. Clauses (i) and (ii) shall not apply in any fiscal year for which a shortfall in the minimum additional funding amounts described in clause (i) is attributable to the incorporation of new census data into the calculation under paragraph (3), as determined by the Secretary.

(c) Comprehensive program of extension for each State The State director of the cooperative extension service and the extension administrator at the eligible institution in each State where an eligible institution is located shall jointly develop, by mutual agreement, a comprehensive program of extension for such State to be submitted for approval by the Secretary within one year after September 29, 1977 and each five years thereafter.

(d) Ascertainment of entitlement to funds; time and manner of payment; State reporting requirements; plans of work On or about the first day of October in each year after September 29, 1977 , the Secretary shall ascertain whether each eligible institution is entitled to receive its share of the annual appropriation for extension work under this section and the amount which it is entitled to receive. Before the funds herein provided shall become available to any eligible institution for any fiscal year, plans for the work to be carried out under this section shall be submitted, as part of the State plan of work, and approved by the Secretary. The amount to which an eligible institution is entitled shall be paid in equal quarterly payments on or about October 1, January 1, April 1, and July 1 of each year to the treasurer or other officer of the eligible institution duly authorized to receive such payments and such officer shall be required to report to the Secretary on or about the first day of December of each year a detailed statement of the amount so received during the previous fiscal year and its disbursement, on forms prescribed by the Secretary. Each plan of work for an eligible institution required under this section shall contain descriptions of the following: A summary of planned projects or programs in the State using formula funds. A description of matching funds provided by the State with respect to the previous fiscal year. The Secretary shall develop protocols to be used to evaluate the success of multistate, multi-institutional, and multidisciplinary extension activities and joint research and extension activities in addressing critical agricultural issues identified in the plans of work submitted under this section. The Secretary shall develop the protocols in consultation with the Advisory Board and land-grant colleges and universities. To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall consider a plan of work submitted under this section to satisfy other appropriate Federal reporting requirements.

(e) Diminution, loss, or misapplication of funds If any portion of the moneys received by any eligible institution for the support and maintenance of extension work as provided in this section shall by any action or contingency be diminished or lost or be misapplied, it shall be replaced by such institution and until so replaced no subsequent appropriation shall be apportioned or paid to such institution. No portion of such moneys shall be applied, directly or indirectly, to the purchase, erection, preservation, or repair of any building or buildings, or the purchase or rental of land, or in college course teaching, lectures in college, or any other purpose not specified in this section. It shall be the duty of such institution, annually, on or about the first day of January, to make to the Governor of the State in which it is located a full and detailed report of its operations in extension work, including a detailed statement of receipts and expenditures from all sources for this purpose, a copy of which report shall be sent to the Secretary.

(f) Mailing of correspondence, bulletins, and reports To the extent that the official mail consists of correspondence, bulletins, and reports for furtherance of the purposes of this section, it shall be transmitted in the mails of the United States. Such items may be mailed from a principal place of business of each eligible institution or from an established subunit of such institution.

§ 3222 Agricultural research at 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University

(a) Authorization of appropriations There are hereby authorized to be appropriated annually such sums as Congress may determine necessary to support continuing agricultural research at colleges eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 ( 26 Stat. 417–419 , as amended; 7 U.S.C. 321–326 and 328), including Tuskegee University (hereinafter referred to in this section as “eligible institutions”). Beginning with fiscal year 2003, there shall be appropriated under this section for each fiscal year an amount that is not less than 30 percent of the total appropriations for the fiscal year under section 361c of this title . Funds appropriated under this section shall be used for expenses of conducting agricultural research, printing, disseminating the results of such research, contributing to the retirement of employees subject to the provisions of section 331 of this title , administrative planning and direction, and purchase and rental of land and the construction, acquisition, alteration, or repair of buildings necessary for conducting agricultural research. The eligible institutions are authorized to plan and conduct agricultural research in cooperation with each other and such agencies, institutions, and individuals as may contribute to the solution of agricultural problems, and moneys appropriated pursuant to this section shall be available for paying the necessary expenses of planning, coordinating, and conducting such cooperative research. The balance of any annual funds provided to an eligible institution for a fiscal year under this section that remains unexpended at the end of the fiscal year may be carried over for use during the following fiscal year. If any unexpended balance carried over by an eligible institution is not expended by the end of the second fiscal year, an amount equal to the unexpended balance shall be deducted from the next succeeding annual allotment to the eligible institution. Federal funds that are deducted under clause (i) for a fiscal year shall be redistributed by the Secretary in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection (b)(2)(B) to those eligible institutions for which no deduction under clause (i) has been taken for that fiscal year.

(b) Distribution of funds Funds made available under this section shall be distributed among eligible institutions in accordance with this subsection. 3 percent shall be available to the Secretary for administration of this section. These administrative funds may be used for transportation of scientists who are not officers or employees of the United States to research meetings convened for the purpose of assessing research opportunities or research planning. After allocating amounts under paragraph (2), the remainder shall be allotted among the eligible institutions in accordance with this paragraph. Funds up to the total amount made available to all eligible institutions in the fiscal year ending September 30, 1978 , under section 3157 of this title , shall be allocated among the eligible institutions in the same proportion as funds made available under section 3157 of this title , for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1978 , were allocated among the eligible institutions, as so designated as of that date. Except as provided in subparagraph (D), of funds in excess of the amount allocated under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, 20 per centum shall be allotted among eligible institutions in equal proportions; 40 per centum shall be allotted among the eligible institutions in the proportion that the rural population of the State in which each eligible institution is located bears to the total rural population of all the States in which eligible institutions are located, as determined by the last preceding decennial census current at the time each such additional sum is first appropriated; and the balance shall be allotted among the eligible institutions in the proportion that the farm population of the State in which each eligible institution is located bears to the total farm population of all the States in which the eligible institutions are located, as determined by the last preceding decennial census current at the time each such additional sum is first appropriated. In computing the distribution of funds allocated under this subparagraph, the allotments to Tuskegee University and Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University shall be determined as if each institution were in a separate State. In this subparagraph: The term “covered fiscal year” means the fiscal year for which the qualified eligible institution first received an allocation of 3,000,000 to an eligible institution that first received funds under this section on a date occurring after February 7, 2014 , and before September 30, 2018 , that institution shall receive an allocation of 3,000,000; and each other eligible institution shall receive an allocation under this paragraph of at least the amount received by such other eligible institution under this subsection for the covered fiscal year. This subclause shall apply to any fiscal year following the covered fiscal year and for which the total amount appropriated under this subsection is insufficient to provide for the minimum additional funding amounts described in subclause (I). In the case of a fiscal year to which this subclause applies, reductions in allocations shall be made proportionally from the qualified eligible institution and from each other eligible institution based on the increased amounts (if any) that the qualified eligible institution and each other eligible institution were allocated for the covered fiscal year as compared to the fiscal year immediately preceding the covered fiscal year. Subclauses (I) and (II) shall not apply in any fiscal year for which a shortfall in the minimum additional funding amounts described in subclause (I) is attributable to the incorporation of new census data into the calculation under paragraph (3)(C), as determined by the Secretary.

(c) Program and plans of work The director of the State agricultural experiment station in each State where an eligible institution is located and the research director specified in subsection (d) of this section in each of the eligible institutions in such State shall jointly develop, by mutual agreement, a comprehensive program of agricultural research in such State, to be submitted for approval by the Secretary within one year after September 29, 1977 . Before funds may be provided to an eligible institution under this section for any fiscal year, a plan of work to be carried out under this section shall be submitted by the research director specified in subsection (d) and shall be approved by the Secretary. Each plan of work required under paragraph (2) shall contain descriptions of the following: A summary of planned projects or programs in the State using formula funds. A description of matching funds provided by the State with respect to the previous fiscal year. The Secretary shall develop protocols to be used to evaluate the success of multistate, multi-institutional, and multidisciplinary research activities and joint research and extension activities in addressing critical agricultural issues identified in the plans of work submitted under paragraph (2). The Secretary shall develop the protocols in consultation with the Advisory Board and land-grant colleges and universities. To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall consider a plan of work submitted under paragraph (2) to satisfy other appropriate Federal reporting requirements.

(d) Payment of funds to eligible institutions Sums available for allotment to the eligible institutions under the terms of this section shall be paid to such institutions in equal quarterly payments beginning on or about the first day of October of each year upon vouchers approved by the Secretary. The President of each eligible institution shall appoint a research director who shall be responsible for administration of the program authorized herein. Each eligible institution shall designate a treasurer or other officer who shall receive and account for all funds allotted to such institution under the provisions of this section and shall report, with the approval of the research director, to the Secretary on or before the first day of December of each year a detailed statement of the amount received under the provisions of this section during the preceding fiscal year and its disbursement on schedules prescribed by the Secretary. If any portion of the allotted moneys received by any eligible institution shall by any action or contingency be diminished, lost, or misapplied, it shall be replaced by such institution and until so replaced no subsequent appropriation shall be allotted or paid to such institution. Funds made available to eligible institutions shall not be used for payment of negotiated overhead or indirect cost rates.

(e) Mailing of bulletins, reports, periodicals, reprints, articles, and other publications Bulletins, reports, periodicals, reprints or articles, and other publications necessary for the dissemination of results of the research and experiments funded under this section, including lists of publications available for distribution by the eligible institutions, shall be transmitted in the mails of the United States. Such publications may be mailed from the principal place of business of each eligible institution or from an established subunit of such institution.

(f) Administration; rules and regulations; cooperation by and between institutions The Secretary shall be responsible for the proper administration of this section, and is authorized and directed to prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out its provisions. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to furnish such advice and assistance as will best promote the purposes of this section, including participation in coordination of research initiated under this section by the eligible institutions, from time to time to indicate such lines of inquiry as to the Secretary seem most important, and to encourage and assist in the establishment and maintenance of cooperation by and between the several eligible institutions, the State agricultural experiment stations, and between them and the Department of Agriculture.

(g) Entitlement On or before the first day of October in each year after September 29, 1977 , the Secretary shall ascertain whether each eligible institution is entitled to receive its share of the annual appropriations under this section and the amount which thereupon each is entitled, respectively, to receive.

(h) Existing legal relationships not impaired or modified Nothing in this section shall be construed to impair or modify the legal relationship existing between any of the eligible institutions and the government of the States in which they are respectively located.

§ 3222a Scholarships for students at 1890 Institutions

(a) In general The Secretary shall make grants to each college or university eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 (commonly known as the Second Morrill Act; 7 U.S.C. 322 [321] et seq.), including Tuskegee University, for purposes of awarding scholarships to individuals who— have been accepted for admission at such college or university; will be enrolled at such college or university not later than one year after the date of such acceptance; and intend to pursue a career in the food and agricultural sciences, including a career in— agribusiness; energy and renewable fuels; or financial management. The Secretary may only award a grant under this subsection to a college or university described in paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that such college or university has established a competitive scholarship awards process for the award of scholarships to individuals described in such paragraph. Of the funds made available under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary may use not more than 500,000.

(b) Funding Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall make available to carry out this section 10,000,000, to remain available until expended. Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall make available to carry out this section 10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2023. Of the funds made available under paragraphs (1) and (2) to carry out this section for a fiscal year, not more than 4 percent may be used for expenses related to administering the program under this section.

(c) Report Beginning on the date that is two years after the date on which the first grant is awarded under subsection (a), and every two years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report detailing— the amount of funds provided to each eligible college or university under this section; the number of scholarships awarded under each grant each fiscal year; and the amount of each such scholarship.

§ 3222b Grants to upgrade agricultural and food sciences facilities at 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University

(a) Purpose It is hereby declared to be the intent of Congress to assist the institutions eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 [ 7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.], including Tuskegee University (hereafter referred to in this section as “eligible institutions”) in the acquisition and improvement of agricultural and food sciences facilities and equipment, including libraries, so that the eligible institutions may participate fully in the production of human capital.

(b) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this section, $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2023, and such sums shall remain available until expended.

(c) Use of grant funds Four percent of the sums appropriated pursuant to this section shall be available to the Secretary for administration of this grants program. The remaining funds shall be available for grants to eligible institutions for the purpose of assisting them in the purchase of equipment and land, the planning, construction, alteration, or renovation of buildings to strengthen their capacity in the production of human capital in the food and agricultural sciences and can be used at the discretion of the eligible institutions in the areas of research, extension, and resident instruction or any combination thereof.

(d) Method of awarding grants Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be made in such amounts and under such terms and conditions as the Secretary shall determine necessary for carrying out the purposes of this section.

(e) Prohibition of certain uses Federal funds provided under this section may not be utilized for the payment of any overhead costs of the eligible institutions.

(f) Regulations The Secretary may promulgate such rules and regulations as the Secretary may consider necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

§ 3222b–1 Grants to upgrade agriculture and food sciences facilities at the District of Columbia land-grant university

(a) Purpose It is the intent of Congress to assist the land-grant university in the District of Columbia established under section 208 of the District of Columbia Public Postsecondary Education Reorganization Act ( Public Law 93–471 ; 88 Stat. 1428 ) in efforts to acquire, alter, or repair facilities or relevant equipment necessary for conducting agricultural research.

(b) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $750,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

§ 3222b–2 Grants to upgrade agriculture and food sciences facilities and equipment and support tropical and subtropical agricultural research at insular area land-grant colleges and universities

(a) Purpose It is the intent of Congress to assist the land-grant colleges and universities in the insular areas in efforts to— acquire, alter, or repair facilities or relevant equipment necessary for conducting agricultural research; and support tropical and subtropical agricultural research, including pest and disease research.

(b) Method of awarding grants Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be made in such amounts and under such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

(c) Regulations The Secretary may promulgate such rules and regulations as the Secretary considers to be necessary to carry out this section.

(d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $8,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2023.

§ 3222c Repealed. Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7114, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 875

§ 3222d Matching funds requirement for research and extension activities at eligible institutions

(a) Definitions In this section: The term “eligible institution” means a college eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 ( 7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.) (commonly known as the “Second Morrill Act”), including Tuskegee University. The term “formula funds” means the formula allocation funds distributed to eligible institutions under sections 3221 and 3222 of this title.

(b) Determination of non-Federal sources of funds Not later than September 30, 1999 , each eligible institution shall submit to the Secretary a report describing for fiscal year 1999— the sources of non-Federal funds made available by the State to the eligible institution for agricultural research, extension, and education to meet the requirements of this section; and the amount of such funds generally available from each source.

(c) Matching formula Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the State shall provide equal matching funds from non-Federal sources.

(d) Waiver authority Notwithstanding subsection (f), the Secretary may waive the matching funds requirement under subsection (c) above the 50 percent level for any fiscal year for an eligible institution of a State if the Secretary determines that the State will be unlikely to satisfy the matching requirement.

(e) Use of matching funds Under terms and conditions established by the Secretary, matching funds provided as required by subsection (c) may be used by an eligible institution for agricultural research, extension, and education activities.

(f) Redistribution of funds Federal funds that are not matched by a State in accordance with subsection (c) for a fiscal year shall be redistributed by the Secretary to eligible institutions whose States have satisfied the matching funds requirement for that fiscal year. Any redistribution of funds under this subsection shall be subject to the applicable matching requirement specified in subsection (c) and shall be made in a manner consistent with sections 3221 and 3222 of this title, as determined by the Secretary.

§ 3222e New beginning for tribal students

(a) Definitions In this section: The term “Indian tribe” has the meaning given such term in section 5304 of title 25 ). 1 The term “land-grant college or university” includes a 1994 Institution (as defined in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 ( Public Law 103–382 ; 7 U.S.C. 301 note)). The term “Tribal student” means a student at a land-grant college or university that is a member of an Indian tribe.

(b) New beginning initiative The Secretary may make competitive grants to land-grant colleges and universities to provide identifiable support specifically targeted for Tribal students. A land-grant college or university that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require. A land-grant college or university that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to support Tribal students through— recruiting; tuition and related fees; experiential learning; and student services, including— tutoring; counseling; academic advising; and other student services that would increase the retention and graduation rate of Tribal students enrolled at the land-grant college or university, as determined by the Secretary. A land-grant college or university that receives a grant under this section shall provide matching funds toward the cost of carrying out the activities described in this section in an amount equal to not less than 100 percent of the grant award. No State shall receive, through grants made under this section to land-grant colleges and universities located in the State, more than $500,000 per year.

(c) Report Not later than 3 years after December 20, 2018 , the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate a report that includes an itemized list of grant funds distributed under this section, including the specific form of assistance provided under subsection (b)(3), and the number of Tribal students assisted and the graduation rate of Tribal students at land-grant colleges and universities receiving grants under this section.

(d) Authorization of appropriation There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

§ 3223 Grants for acquisition and improvement of research facilities and equipment

(a) Eligible institutions; statement of purposes It is hereby declared to be the intent of Congress to assist the institutions eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 ( 7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including Tuskegee Institute (hereinafter referred to in this section as “eligible institutions”), in the acquisition and improvement of research facilities and equipment, including agricultural libraries, so that eligible institutions may participate fully with the State agricultural experiment stations in a balanced attack on the research needs of the people of their States.

(b) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years ending September 30, 1982 , September 30, 1983 , September 30, 1984 , September 30, 1985 , September 30, 1986 , and September 30, 1987 , such sums to remain available until expended.

(c) Allocation of funds Four per centum of the sums appropriated pursuant to this section shall be available to the Secretary for administration of this grants program. The remaining funds shall be available for grants to the eligible institutions for the purpose of assisting them in the purchase of equipment and land, and the planning, construction, alteration, or renovation of buildings to strengthen their capacity to conduct research in the food and agricultural sciences.

(d) Amount, terms, and conditions Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be made in such amounts and under such terms and conditions as the Secretary shall determine necessary for carrying out the purposes of this section.

(e) Restrictions Federal funds provided under this section may not be utilized for the payment of any overhead costs of the eligible institutions.

(f) Rules and regulations The Secretary may promulgate such rules and regulations as the Secretary may deem necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

§ 3224 Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 873, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1175; Pub. L. 105–185, title VI, § 606(g), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 604

§ 3241 Education grants programs for Hispanic-serving institutions

(a) Grant authority The Secretary may make competitive grants to Hispanic-serving institutions for the purpose of promoting and strengthening the ability of Hispanic-serving institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs.

(b) Use of grant funds Grants made under this section shall be used— to support the activities of Hispanic-serving institutions to enhance educational equity for underrepresented students; to strengthen institutional educational capacities, including libraries, curriculum, faculty, scientific instrumentation, instruction delivery systems, and student recruitment and retention, in order to respond to identified State, regional, national, or international educational needs in the food and agricultural sciences; to attract and support undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups in order to prepare them for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States, beginning with the mentoring of students at the high school level and continuing with the provision of financial support for students through their attainment of a doctoral degree; and to facilitate cooperative initiatives between 2 or more Hispanic-serving institutions, or between Hispanic-serving institutions and units of State government or the private sector, to maximize the development and use of resources, such as faculty, facilities, and equipment, to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs.

(c) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to make grants under this section $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1997 through 2023.

§ 3242 Transferred

§ 3243 Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities

(a) Definition of endowment fund In this section, the term “endowment fund” means the Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities Fund established under subsection (b).

(b) Endowment The Secretary of the Treasury shall establish in accordance with this subsection a Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities Fund. The Secretary of the Treasury may enter into such agreements as are necessary to carry out this subsection. The Secretary of the Treasury shall deposit in the endowment fund any— amounts made available through Acts of appropriations, which shall be the endowment fund corpus; and interest earned on the endowment fund corpus. The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest the endowment fund corpus and income in interest-bearing obligations of the United States. The Secretary of the Treasury may not make a withdrawal or expenditure from the endowment fund corpus. On September 30, 2008 , and each September 30 thereafter, the Secretary of the Treasury shall withdraw the amount of the income from the endowment fund for the fiscal year and warrant the funds to the Secretary of Agriculture who, after making adjustments for the cost of administering the endowment fund, shall distribute the adjusted income as follows: 60 percent shall be distributed among the Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities on a pro rata basis based on the Hispanic enrollment count of each institution. 40 percent shall be distributed in equal shares to the Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities. Amounts made available under this subsection shall be held and considered to be granted to Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities to establish an endowment in accordance with this subsection. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this subsection for fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter.

(c) Authorization for annual payments For fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Agriculture to carry out this subsection an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying— $80,000; by the number of Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities. For fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay to the treasurer of each Hispanic-serving agricultural college and university an amount equal to— the total amount made available by appropriations under paragraph (1); divided by the number of Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities. Amounts authorized to be appropriated under this subsection shall be used in the same manner as is prescribed for colleges under the Act of August 30, 1890 (commonly known as the “Second Morrill Act”) ( 7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.). Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the requirements of that Act shall apply to Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities under this section.

(d) Institutional capacity-building grants For fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary shall make grants to assist Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities in institutional capacity building (not including alteration, repair, renovation, or construction of buildings). The Secretary shall make grants under this subsection on the basis of a competitive application process under which Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities may submit applications to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. As part of an application for a grant under this subsection, the Secretary shall require the applicant to demonstrate need for the grant, as determined by the Secretary. The Secretary may award a grant under this subsection only to an applicant that demonstrates a failure to obtain funding for a project after making a reasonable effort to otherwise obtain the funding. A grant awarded under this subsection shall be made only if the recipient of the grant pays a non-Federal share in an amount that is specified by the Secretary and based on assessed institutional needs. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this subsection for fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter.

(e) Competitive grants program The Secretary shall establish a competitive grants program— to fund fundamental and applied research and extension at Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities in agriculture, human nutrition, food science, bioenergy, and environmental science; and to award competitive grants to Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities to provide for training in the food and agricultural sciences of Hispanic agricultural workers and Hispanic youth working in the food and agricultural sciences. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this subsection for fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter.

§ 3291 International agricultural research, extension, and teaching

(a) Authority of Secretary To carry out the policy of this subchapter, the Secretary (in consultation with the Agency for International Development and subject to such coordination with other Federal officials, Departments, and agencies as the President may direct) may— expand the operational coordination of the Department of Agriculture with institutions and other persons throughout the world performing agricultural and related research, extension, and teaching activities by— exchanging research materials and results with the institutions or persons; conducting with the institutions or persons joint or coordinated research, extension, and teaching activities that address problems of significance to food and agriculture in the United States; and giving priority to those institutions with existing memoranda of understanding, agreements, or other formal ties to United States institutions, or Federal or State agencies; enter into cooperative arrangements with Departments and Ministries of Agriculture in other nations to conduct research, extension, and teaching activities in support of the development of a viable and sustainable global agricultural system, including efforts to establish a global system for plant genetic resources conservation; enter into agreements with land-grant colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities, the Agency for International Development, and international organizations (such as the United Nations, the World Bank, regional development banks, international agricultural research centers), or other organizations, institutions, or individuals with comparable goals, to promote and support— the development of a viable and sustainable global agricultural system; antihunger and improved international nutrition efforts; and increased quantity, quality, and availability of food; further develop within the Department highly qualified and experienced science and education experts who specialize in international programs, to be available to carry out the activities described in this section; work with transitional and more advanced countries in food, agricultural, and related research, development, teaching, and extension (including providing technical assistance, training, and advice to persons from the countries engaged in the activities and the stationing of scientists and other specialists at national and international institutions in the countries); expand collaboration and coordination with the Agency for International Development regarding food and agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs in developing countries; assist colleges and universities in strengthening their capabilities for food, agricultural, and related research, extension, and teaching programs relevant to agricultural development activities in other countries through— the provision of support to State universities, land-grant colleges and universities, and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities to do collaborative research with other countries on issues relevant to United States agricultural competitiveness; the provision of support for cooperative extension education in global agriculture and to promote the application of new technology developed in foreign countries to United States agriculture; and the provision of support for the internationalization of resident instruction programs of the universities and colleges described in subparagraph (A); continue, in cooperation with the Secretary of State, a program, coordinated through the International Arid Land Consortium, to enhance collaboration and cooperation between institutions possessing research, extension, and teaching capabilities applied to the development, management, and reclamation of arid lands; make competitive grants for collaborative projects that— involve Federal scientists or scientists from land-grant colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities, or other colleges and universities with scientists at international agricultural research centers in other nations, including the international agricultural research centers of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research; focus on developing and using new technologies and programs for— increasing the production of food and fiber, while safeguarding the environment worldwide and enhancing the global competitiveness of United States agriculture; or training scientists; are mutually beneficial to the United States and other countries; and encourage private sector involvement and the leveraging of private sector funds; establish a program, to be coordinated by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Foreign Agricultural Service, to place interns from United States colleges and universities at Foreign Agricultural Service field offices overseas; and establish a program for the purpose of providing fellowships to United States or foreign students to study at foreign agricultural colleges and universities working under agreements provided for under paragraph (3).

(b) Enhancing linkages The Secretary shall draw upon and enhance the resources of the land-grant colleges and universities, and other colleges and universities, for developing linkages among these institutions, the Federal Government, international research centers, and counterpart research, extension, and teaching agencies and institutions in both the developed and less-developed countries to serve the purposes of agriculture and the economy of the United States and to make a substantial contribution to the cause of improved food and agricultural progress throughout the world.

(c) Provision of specialized or technical services The Secretary may provide specialized or technical services, on an advance of funds or a reimbursable basis, to United States colleges and universities and other nongovernmental organizations carrying out international food, agricultural, and related research, extension, and teaching development projects and activities. All funds received in payment for furnishing such specialized or technical services shall be deposited to the credit of the appropriation from which the cost of providing such services has been paid or is to be charged.

(d) Reports The Secretary shall provide biennial reports to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate on efforts of the Federal Government— to coordinate international agricultural research within the Federal Government; and to more effectively link the activities of domestic and international agricultural researchers, particularly researchers of the Agricultural Research Service.

(e) Certain binational projects Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the full amount of any funds appropriated or otherwise made available to carry out cooperative projects under the arrangement entered into between the Secretary and the Government of Israel to support the United States-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (referred to in this subsection as the “BARD Fund”) shall be paid directly to the Fund. Activities under the BARD Fund to promote and support agricultural research and development that are of mutual benefit to the United States and Israel shall— accelerate the demonstration, development, and application of agricultural solutions resulting from or relating to BARD Fund programs, including BARD Fund-sponsored research and innovations in drip irrigation, pesticides, aquaculture, livestock, poultry, disease control, and farm equipment; and encourage research carried out by governmental, nongovernmental, and private entities, including through collaboration with colleges and universities, research institutions, and the private sector.

§ 3292 Partnerships to build capacity in international agricultural research, extension, and teaching

(a) Definitions In this section: The terms “1862 Institution”, “1890 Institution”, and “1994 Institution” have the meanings given the terms in section 7601 of this title . The term “covered Institution” means— an 1862 Institution; an 1890 Institution; a 1994 Institution; an NLGCA Institution; a Hispanic-serving agricultural college or university; and a cooperating forestry school. The term “developing country” means a country, as determined by the Secretary using a gross national income per capita test selected by the Secretary. The term “international partner institution” means an agricultural higher education institution in a developing country that is performing, or desiring to perform, activities similar to agricultural research, extension, and teaching activities carried out through covered Institutions in the United States.

(b) Authority of the Secretary The Secretary may promote cooperation and coordination between covered Institutions and international partner institutions through— improving extension by— encouraging the exchange of research materials and results between covered Institutions and international partner institutions; facilitating the broad dissemination of agricultural research through extension; and assisting with efforts to plan and initiate extension services in developing countries; improving agricultural research by— in partnership with international partner institutions, encouraging research that addresses problems affecting food production and security, human nutrition, agriculture, forestry, livestock, and fisheries, including local challenges; and supporting and strengthening national agricultural research systems in developing countries; supporting the participation of covered Institutions in programs of international organizations, such as the United Nations, the World Bank, regional development banks, and international agricultural research centers; improving agricultural teaching and education by— in partnership with international partner institutions, supporting education and teaching relating to food and agricultural sciences, including technical assistance, degree training, research collaborations, classroom instruction, workforce training, and education programs; and assisting with efforts to increase student capacity, including to encourage equitable access for women and other underserved populations, at international partner institutions by promoting partnerships with, and improving the capacity of, covered Institutions; assisting covered Institutions in strengthening their capacity for food, agricultural, and related research, extension, and teaching programs relevant to agricultural development activities in developing countries to promote the application of new technology to improve education delivery; providing support for the internationalization of resident instruction programs of covered Institutions; establishing a program, to be coordinated by the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service, to place interns from covered Institutions in, or in service to benefit, developing countries; and establishing a program to provide fellowships to students at covered Institutions to study at foreign agricultural colleges and universities.

(c) Enhancing linkages The Secretary shall enhance the linkages among covered Institutions, the Federal Government, international research centers, counterpart research, extension, and teaching agencies and institutions in developed countries and developing countries— to carry out the activities described in subsection (b); and to make a substantial contribution to the cause of improved food and agricultural progress throughout the world.

(d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

§ 3292a United States-Mexico joint agricultural research

(a) Research and development program The Secretary may provide for an agricultural research and development program with the George E. Brown United States/Mexico Foundation for Science. The program shall focus on binational problems facing agricultural producers and consumers in the 2 countries, in particular pressing problems in the areas of food safety, plant and animal pest control, and the natural resources base on which agriculture depends.

(b) Administration Grants under the research and development program shall be awarded competitively through the Foundation.

(c) Matching requirements The provision of funds to the Foundation by the United States Government shall be subject to the condition that the Government of Mexico match, on at least a dollar-for-dollar basis, any funds provided by the United States Government.

(d) Limitation on use of funds Funds provided under this section may not be used for the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of a building or facility.

§ 3292b Competitive grants for international agricultural science and education programs

(a) Competitive grants authorized The Secretary may make competitive grants to colleges and universities in order to strengthen United States economic competitiveness and to promote international market development.

(b) Purpose of grants Grants under this section shall be directed to agricultural research, extension, and teaching activities that will— enhance the international content of the curricula in colleges and universities so as to ensure that United States students acquire an understanding of the international dimensions and trade implications of their studies; ensure that United States scientists, extension agents, and educators involved in agricultural research and development activities outside of the United States have the opportunity to convey the implications of their activities and findings to their peers and students in the United States and to the users of agricultural research, extension, and teaching; enhance the capabilities of colleges and universities to do collaborative research with other countries, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, on issues relevant to United States agricultural competitiveness; enhance the capabilities of colleges and universities to provide cooperative extension education to promote the application of new technology developed in foreign countries to United States agriculture; and enhance the capability of United States colleges and universities, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, to provide leadership and educational programs that will assist United States natural resources and food production, processing, and distribution businesses and industries to compete internationally, including product market identification, international policies limiting or enhancing market production, development of new or enhancement of existing markets, and production efficiencies.

(c) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section— such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2013; and $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023.

§ 3293 Agricultural fellowship program for middle income countries, emerging democracies, and emerging markets

(a) Establishment The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a fellowship program for, 1 to be known as the “Cochran Fellowship Program”, to provide fellowships to individuals from eligible countries (as determined under subsection (b)) who specialize in agriculture for study— in the United States; or at a college or university located in an eligible country that the Secretary determines— has sufficient scientific and technical facilities; has established a partnership with at least one college or university in the United States; and has substantial participation by faculty members of the United States college or university in the design of the fellowship curriculum and classroom instruction under the fellowship.

(b) Eligible countries Countries described in any of the following paragraphs shall be eligible to participate in the program established under this section: A country that has developed economically to the point where it no longer qualifies for bilateral foreign aid assistance from the United States because its per capita income level exceeds the eligibility requirements of such assistance programs (hereafter referred to in this section as a “middle-income” country). A middle-income country that has never qualified for bilateral foreign aid assistance from the United States, but with respect to which an ongoing relationship with the United States, including technical assistance and training, would provide mutual benefits to such country and the United States. A country that has recently begun the transformation of its system of government from a non-representative type of government to a representative democracy and that is encouraging democratic institution building, and the cultural values, institutions, and organizations of democratic pluralism. A country that is an independent state of the former Soviet Union (as defined in section 5602(8) of this title ), to the extent that the Secretary of Agriculture determines that such country should be eligible to participate in the program established under this section. Any emerging market, as defined in section 1542(e).

(c) Purpose of fellowships Fellowships under this section shall be provided to permit the recipients to gain knowledge and skills that will— assist eligible countries to develop agricultural systems (which may include agricultural extension services) necessary to meet the food and fiber needs of their domestic populations; and strengthen and enhance— trade linkages between eligible countries and agricultural interests in the United States; or linkages between agricultural interests in the United States and regulatory systems governing sanitary and phytosanitary standards for agricultural products that— may enter the United States; and may pose risks to human, animal, or plant life or health.

(d) Individuals who may receive fellowships The Secretary shall utilize the expertise of United States agricultural counselors, trade officers, and commodity trade promotion groups working in participating countries to help identify program candidates for fellowships under this section from both the public and private sectors of those countries. The Secretary may provide fellowships under the program authorized by this section to private agricultural producers from eligible countries.

(e) Program implementation The Secretary shall consult with other United States Government agencies, United States universities, and the private agribusiness sector, as appropriate, to design and administer training programs to accomplish the objectives of the program established under this section.

(f) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated without fiscal year limitation such sums as may be necessary to carry out the program established under this section, except that the amount of such funds in any fiscal year shall not exceed— for eligible countries that meet the requirements of subsection (b)(1), 3,000,000; and for eligible countries that meet the requirements of subsection (b)(3), $6,000,000.

(g) Complementary funds If the Secretary of Agriculture determines that it is advisable in furtherance of the purposes of the program established under this section, the Secretary may accept money, funds, property, and services of every kind by gift, devise, bequest, grant, or otherwise, and may, in any manner, dispose of all such holdings and use the receipts generated from such disposition as general program funds under this section. All funds so designated for the program established under this section shall remain available until expended.

§ 3294 Center For North American Studies

(a) Establishment The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a center, to be known as the Center For North American Studies, whose primary purpose shall be to promote better agricultural relationships among Canada, Mexico, and the United States through cooperative study, training, and research.

(b) Location The Institute shall be located at an institution of higher education or at a consortium of such institutions.

(c) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such sums as may necessary 1 for each of fiscal years 1995 and 1996.

§ 3295 International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program

(a) Fellowship program establishment The Secretary shall establish a fellowship program to be known as the International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program to provide fellowships to citizens of the United States to assist eligible countries in developing school-based agricultural education and youth extension programs.

(b) Eligible country described For purposes of this section, an eligible country is a developing country, as determined by the Secretary using a gross national income per capita test selected by the Secretary.

(c) Purpose of fellowships The goals of providing a fellowship under this section are to— develop globally minded United States agriculturists with experience living abroad; focus on meeting the food and fiber needs of the domestic population of eligible countries; and strengthen and enhance trade linkages between eligible countries and the United States agricultural industry.

(d) Eligible candidates The Secretary may provide fellowships to citizens of the United States who— hold at least a bachelors degree in an agricultural related field of study; and have an understanding of United States school-based agricultural education and youth extension programs, as determined by the Secretary.

(e) Candidate identification The Secretary shall consult with the National FFA Organization, the National 4–H Council, and other entities as the Secretary determines are appropriate to identify candidates for fellowships.

(f) Program implementation The Secretary shall provide for the management, coordination, evaluation, and monitoring of the Fellowship Program, except that the Secretary may contract out the management of the fellowship program to an outside organization with experience in implementing fellowship programs focused on building capacity for school-based agricultural education and youth extension programs in developing countries.

(g) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023. Any funds made available under this subsection shall remain available until expended.

§§ 3301 to 3304 Repealed. Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1421, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1552

§ 3310 Limitation on indirect costs for agricultural research, education, and extension programs

(a) In general Except as otherwise provided in law, indirect costs charged against any agricultural research, education, or extension grant awarded under this Act or any other Act pursuant to authority delegated to the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics shall not exceed 30 percent of the total Federal funds provided under the grant award, as determined by the Secretary.

(b) Exception Subsections (a) and (c) shall not apply to a grant awarded competitively under section 638 of title 15 .

(c) Treatment of subgrants In the case of a grant described in subsection (a), the limitation on indirect costs specified in such subsection shall be applied to both the initial grant award and any subgrant of the Federal funds provided under the initial grant award so that the total of all indirect costs charged against the total of the Federal funds provided under the initial grant award does not exceed such limitation.

§ 3310a Research equipment grants

(a) In general The Secretary may make competitive grants for the acquisition of special purpose scientific research equipment for use in the food and agricultural sciences programs of eligible institutions.

(b) Maximum amount The amount of a grant made to an eligible institution under this section may not exceed $500,000.

(c) Prohibition on charge or equipment as indirect costs The cost of acquisition or depreciation of equipment purchased with a grant under this section shall not be— charged as an indirect cost against another Federal grant; or included as part of the indirect cost pool for purposes of calculating the indirect cost rate of an eligible institution.

(d) Eligible institutions defined In this section, the term “eligible institution” means— a college or university; or a State cooperative institution.

(e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

§ 3311 Authorization of appropriations

(a) Existing programs Notwithstanding any authorization for appropriations for agricultural research in any Act enacted prior to September 29, 1977 , there are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this chapter, except sections 3152, 1 and 2669 of this title, and the competitive grants program provided for in section 1414, 2 and except that the authorization for moneys provided under the Act of March 2, 1887 ( 24 Stat. 440–442 , as amended; 7 U.S.C. 361a–361i ), is excluded and is provided for in subsection (b) of this section, such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 1991 through 2023.

(b) Agricultural research at State agricultural experiment stations Notwithstanding any authorization for appropriations for agricultural research at State agricultural experiment stations in any Act enacted prior to September 29, 1977 , there are authorized to be appropriated for the purpose of conducting agricultural research at State agricultural experiment stations pursuant to the Act of March 2, 1887 ( 24 Stat. 440–442 , as amended; 7 U.S.C. 361a–361i ), such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 1991 through 2023.

(c) Funding requirements for programs Notwithstanding any other provision of law effective beginning October 1, 1983 , not less than 25 per centum of the total funds appropriated to the Secretary in any fiscal year for the conduct of the cooperative research program provided for under the Act of March 2, 1887 , commonly known as the Hatch Act ( 7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.); the cooperative forestry research program provided for under the Act of October 10, 1962 , commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Act ( 16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.); the special and competitive grants programs provided for in sections 2(b) and 2(c) of the Act of August 4, 1965 ( 7 U.S.C. 450i ); 2 the animal health research program provided for under sections 3195(a) and 3196 of this title; the native latex research program provided for in the Native Latex Commercialization and Economic Development Act of 1978 ( 7 U.S.C. 178 et seq.); and the research provided for under various statutes for which funds are appropriated under the Agricultural Research heading or a successor heading, shall be appropriated for research at State agricultural experiment stations pursuant to the provision of the Act of March 2, 1887 .

§ 3312 Authorization of appropriations for extension education

Notwithstanding any authorization for appropriations for the Cooperative Extension Service in any Act enacted prior to September 29, 1977 , there are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of carrying out the extension programs of the Department of Agriculture such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 1991 through 2023. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1464 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1018 ; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1438 , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1314 ; Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1423 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1552 ; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1601(b)(4) , Nov. 28, 1990 , 104 Stat. 3703 ; Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 818 , Apr. 4, 1996 , 110 Stat. 1167 ; Pub. L. 105–185, title III, § 301(a)(13) , June 23, 1998 , 112 Stat. 562 ; Pub. L. 107–171, title VII, § 7114 , May 13, 2002 , 116 Stat. 433 ; Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7135 , May 22, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1228 ; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a) , title VII, § 7135, June 18, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1664 , 1990; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7120 , Feb. 7, 2014 , 128 Stat. 876 ; Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7128 , Dec. 20, 2018 , 132 Stat. 4795 .)

§ 3313 Payment of funds

Except as provided elsewhere in this Act or any other Act of Congress, funds available for allotment under this chapter shall be paid to each eligible institution or State at such time and in such amounts as shall be determined by the Secretary. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1467 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1018 .)

§ 3314 Repealed. Pub. L. 105–185, title I, § 103(f)(3)(C), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 528

§ 3315 Auditing, reporting, bookkeeping, and administrative requirements

(a) In general Except as provided elsewhere in this Act or any other Act of Congress— assistance provided under this chapter shall be subject to the provisions of sections 3157(e), 3157(f), and 3157(h) 1 of this title; the Secretary shall provide that each recipient of assistance under this chapter shall submit an annual report, at such times and on such forms as the Secretary shall prescribe, stating the accomplishments of projects (on a project-by-project basis) for which such assistance was used and accounting for the use of all such assistance. If the Secretary determines that any portion of funds made available under this chapter has been lost or applied in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter or regulations issued thereunder the recipient of such funds shall reimburse the Federal Government for the funds lost or so applied, and the Secretary shall not make available to such recipient any additional funds under this Act until the recipient has so reimbursed the Federal Government; the Secretary may retain up to 4 percent of amounts made available for agricultural research, extension, and teaching assistance programs for the administration of those programs authorized under this Act or any other Act; and the Secretary shall establish appropriate criteria for grant and assistance approval and necessary regulations pertaining thereto.

(b) Agreements with former agricultural research facilities of the department To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary, for purposes of supporting ongoing research and information dissemination activities, including supporting research and those activities through co-locating scientists and other technical personnel, sharing of laboratory and field equipment, and providing financial support, shall enter into grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other legal instruments with former Department of Agriculture agricultural research facilities.

(c) Community food projects The Secretary may retain, for the administration of community food projects under section 2034 of this title , 4 percent of amounts available for the projects, notwithstanding the availability of any appropriation for administrative expenses of the projects.

(d) Peer panel expenses Notwithstanding any other provision of law regarding a competitive research, education, or extension grant program of the Department of Agriculture, the Secretary may use grant program funds, as necessary, to supplement funds otherwise available for program administration, to pay for the costs associated with peer review of grant proposals under the program.

(e) “In-kind support” defined In any law relating to agricultural research, education, or extension activities administered by the Secretary, the term “in-kind support”, with regard to a requirement that the recipient of funds provided by the Secretary match all or part of the amount of the funds, means contributions such as office space, equipment, and staff support.

§ 3315a Availability of competitive grant funds

Except as otherwise provided by law, funds made available to the Secretary to carry out a competitive agricultural research, education, or extension grant program under this or any other Act shall be available for obligation for a 2-year period beginning on October 1 of the fiscal year for which the funds are made available. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1469A , as added Pub. L. 107–171, title VII, § 7217 , May 13, 2002 , 116 Stat. 449 .)

§ 3316 Rules and regulations

The Secretary is authorized to issue such rules and regulations as the Secretary deems necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1470 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1019 .)

§ 3317 Program evaluation studies

(a) The Secretary shall regularly conduct program evaluations to meet the purposes of this chapter and the responsibilities assigned to the Secretary and the Department of Agriculture in this chapter. Such evaluations shall be designed to provide information that may be used to improve the administration and effectiveness of agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs in achieving their stated objectives.

(b) The Secretary is authorized to encourage and foster the regular evaluation of agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs within the State agricultural experiment stations, cooperative extension services, and colleges and universities, through the development and support of cooperative evaluation programs and program evaluation centers and institutes.

§ 3318 Contract, grant, and cooperative agreement authorities

(a) Purposes, nature and construction The purpose of this section is to confer upon the Secretary general authority to enter into contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements to further the research, extension, or teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences of the Department of Agriculture. This authority supplements all other laws relating to the Department of Agriculture and is not to be construed as limiting or repealing any existing authorities.

(b) Authority of Secretary; legal effect of agreement; participation by other Federal agencies Notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 31, the Secretary may use a cooperative agreement as the legal instrument reflecting a relationship between the Secretary and a State cooperative institution, State department of agriculture, college, university, other research or educational institution or organization, Federal or private agency or organization, individual, or any other party, if the Secretary determines that— the objectives of the agreement will serve a mutual interest of the parties to the agreement in agricultural research, extension, and teaching activities, including statistical reporting; and all parties will contribute resources to the accomplishment of those objectives. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any Federal agency may participate in any such cooperative agreement by contributing funds through the appropriate agency of the Department of Agriculture or otherwise if it is mutually agreed that the objectives of the agreement will further the authorized programs of the contributing agency.

(c) Duration and eligibility The Secretary may enter into contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements, for periods not to exceed five years, with State agricultural experiment stations, State cooperative extension services, all colleges and universities, other research or education institutions and organizations, Federal and private agencies and organizations, individuals, and any other contractor or recipient, either foreign or domestic, to further research, extension, or teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences of the Department of Agriculture.

(d) Vesting of title The Secretary may vest title to expendable and nonexpendable equipment and supplies and other tangible personal property in the contractor or recipient when the contractor or recipient purchases such equipment, supplies, and property with contract, grant, or cooperative agreement funds and the Secretary deems such vesting of title a furtherance of the agricultural research, extension, or teaching objectives of the Department of Agriculture.

(e) Applicable requirements Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the Secretary may enter into contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements, as authorized by this section, without regard to any requirements for competition, the provisions of section 6101 of title 41 , and the provisions of section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31.

§ 3318a Cooperative research projects; agreements with and receipt of funds from State and other agencies

On and after December 30, 1963 , the Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service may enter into agreements with and receive funds from any State, other political subdivision, organization, or individual for the purpose of conducting cooperative research projects with such cooperators. ( Pub. L. 88–250, title I , Dec. 30, 1963 , 77 Stat. 820 .)

§ 3319 Restriction on treatment of indirect costs and tuition remission

Funds made available by the Secretary under established Federal-State partnership arrangements to State cooperative institutions under the Acts referred to in section 3103(18) of this title and funds made available under subsection (c)(1)(B) of section 3157 of this title shall not be subject to reduction for indirect costs or for tuition remission. No indirect costs or tuition remission shall be charged against funds in connection with cooperative agreements between the Department of Agriculture and State cooperative institutions if the cooperative program or project involved is of mutual interest to all the parties and if all the parties contribute to the cooperative agreement involved. The prohibition on the use of such funds for the reimbursement of indirect costs shall not apply to funds for international agricultural programs conducted by a State cooperative institution and administered by the Secretary or to funds provided by a Federal agency for such cooperative program or project through a fund transfer, advance, or reimbursement. The Secretary shall limit the amount of such reimbursement to an amount necessary to carry out such program or agreement. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1473 , as added Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1439(a) , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1315 ; amended Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1425 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1553 ; Pub. L. 102–237, title IV, § 402(13) , Dec. 13, 1991 , 105 Stat. 1863 ; Pub. L. 110–234, title VII , §§ 7101(b)(4), 7406(d)(1), May 22, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1213 , 1252; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a) , title VII, §§ 7101(b)(4), 7406(d)(1), June 18, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1664 , 1975, 2013.)

§ 3319a Cost-reimbursable agreements

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Agriculture may enter into cost-reimbursable agreements with State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities without regard to any requirement for competition, for the acquisition of goods or services, including personal services, to carry out agricultural research, extension, or teaching activities of mutual interest. Reimbursable costs under such agreements shall include the actual direct costs of performance, as mutually agreed on by the parties, and the indirect costs of performance, not exceeding 10 percent of the direct cost. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1473A , as added Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1426 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1553 ; amended Pub. L. 105–185, title II, § 231 , June 23, 1998 , 112 Stat. 547 .)

§ 3319b Joint requests for proposals

(a) In general In carrying out any competitive agricultural research, education, or extension grant program authorized under this or any other Act, the Secretary may cooperate with 1 or more other Federal agencies (including the National Science Foundation) in issuing joint requests for proposals, awarding grants, and administering grants, for similar or related research, education, or extension projects or activities.

(b) Administration The Secretary may delegate authority to issue requests for proposals, make grant awards, or administer grants, in whole or in part, to a cooperating Federal agency. The cooperating Federal agency may delegate to the Secretary authority to issue requests for proposals, make grant awards, or administer grants, in whole or in part.

(c) Regulations The Secretary and a cooperating Federal agency may agree to make applicable to recipients of grants— the post-award grant administration regulations applicable to recipients of grants from the Secretary; or the post-award grant administration regulations applicable to recipients of grants from the cooperating Federal agency.

(d) Joint peer review panels Subject to section 3129a of this title , the Secretary and a cooperating Federal agency may establish joint peer review panels for the purpose of evaluating grant proposals.

§ 3319c Repealed. Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1601(f)(1)(F), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3704

§ 3319d Supplemental and alternative crops

(a) Research and pilot project program Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during the period beginning October 1, 1986 , and ending September 30, 2023 , the Secretary shall develop and implement a research project program for the development of supplemental and alternative crops (including canola), using such funds as are appropriated to the Secretary each fiscal year under this chapter.

(b) Importance to producers The development of supplemental and alternative crops for agronomic rotational purposes and as a habitat for honey bees and other pollinators is of critical importance to producers of agricultural commodities.

(c) Research funding, special or competitive grants, etc.; program requirements; agreements, grants and other arrangements The Secretary shall make competitive grants to further the purposes of this section in the implementation of a comprehensive and integrated program. The program developed and implemented by the Secretary shall include— an examination of the adaptation of supplemental and alternative crops; the establishment and extension of various methods of planting, cultivating, harvesting, and processing supplemental and alternative crops; the transfer of such applied research to on-farm practice as soon as practicable; the establishment through grants, cooperative agreements, or other means of such processing, storage, and transportation facilities for supplemental and alternative crops as the Secretary determines will facilitate the achievement of a successful program; and the application of such other resources and expertise as the Secretary considers appropriate to support the program. The program may include, but shall not be limited to, agreements, grants, and other arrangements— to conduct comprehensive resource and infrastructure assessments; to develop and introduce supplemental and alternative income-producing crops; to develop and expand domestic and export markets for such crops; to provide technical assistance to farm owners and operators, marketing cooperatives, and others; to conduct fundamental and applied research related to the development of new commercial products derived from natural plant material (including hemp (as defined in section 1639 o of this title)) for industrial, medical, and agricultural applications; and to participate with colleges and universities, other Federal agencies, and private sector entities in conducting research described in subparagraph (E).

(d) Use of expertise and resources of other Federal agencies and land-grant colleges and universities The Secretary shall use the expertise and resources of the Agricultural Research Service, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the land-grant colleges and universities for the purpose of carrying out this section.

(e) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section— such sums as are necessary for fiscal year 2013; 2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

§ 3319e New Era Rural Technology Program

(a) Definition of community college In this section, the term “community college” means an institution of higher education (as defined in section 1001 of title 20 )— that admits as regular students individuals who— are beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in the State in which the institution is located; and have the ability to benefit from the training offered by the institution; that does not provide an educational program for which the institution awards a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent degree; and that— provides an educational program of not less than 2 years that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree; or offers a 2-year program in engineering, technology, mathematics, or the physical, chemical, or biological sciences, designed to prepare a student to work as a technician or at the semiprofessional level in engineering, scientific, or other technological fields requiring the understanding and application of basic engineering, scientific, or mathematical principles of knowledge.

(b) Functions The Secretary shall establish a program to be known as the “New Era Rural Technology Program”, to make grants available for technology development, applied research, and training to aid in the development of an agriculture-based renewable energy workforce. The initiative under this section shall support the fields of— bioenergy; pulp and paper manufacturing; agriculture-based renewable energy resources; and precision agriculture. To receive funding under this section, an entity shall— be a community college or advanced technological center, located in a rural area and in existence on the date of the enactment of this section, that participates in agricultural or bioenergy research and applied research; have a proven record of development and implementation of programs to meet the needs of students, educators, and business and industry to supply the agriculture-based, renewable energy or pulp and paper manufacturing fields with certified technicians, as determined by the Secretary; and have the ability to leverage existing partnerships and occupational outreach and training programs for secondary schools, 4-year institutions, and relevant nonprofit organizations.

(c) Grant priority In providing grants under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities working in partnership— to improve information-sharing capacity; and to maximize the ability to meet the requirements of this section.

(d) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

§ 3319f Repealed. Pub. L. 115–334, title XII, § 12301(a)(1), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4950

§ 3319g Fees

In fiscal year 2003 and thereafter, the agency is authorized to charge fees, commensurate with the fair market value, for any permit, easement, lease, or other special use authorization for the occupancy or use of land and facilities (including land and facilities at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center) issued by the agency, as authorized by law, and such fees shall be credited to this account, and shall remain available until expended for authorized purposes. ( Pub. L. 108–7, div. A, title I , Feb. 20, 2003 , 117 Stat. 17 .)

§ 3319h Funds for research facilities

In fiscal year 2003 and thereafter, funds may be received from any State, other political subdivision, organization, or individual for the purpose of establishing any research facility of the Agricultural Research Service, as authorized by law. ( Pub. L. 108–7, div. A, title I , Feb. 20, 2003 , 117 Stat. 17 .)

§ 3319i Capacity building grants for NLGCA Institutions

(a) Grant program The Secretary shall make competitive grants to NLGCA Institutions to assist the NLGCA Institutions in maintaining and expanding the capacity of the NLGCA Institutions to conduct education, research, and outreach activities relating to— agriculture; renewable resources; and other similar disciplines. An NLGCA Institution that receives a grant under paragraph (1) may use the funds made available through the grant to maintain and expand the capacity of the NLGCA Institution— to successfully compete for funds from Federal grants and other sources to carry out educational, research, and outreach activities that address priority concerns of national, regional, State, and local interest; to disseminate information relating to priority concerns to— interested members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities; the public; and any other interested entity; to encourage members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities to participate in priority education, research, and outreach activities by providing matching funding to leverage grant funds; and through— the purchase or other acquisition of equipment and other infrastructure (not including alteration, repair, renovation, or construction of buildings); the professional growth and development of the faculty of the NLGCA Institution; and the development of graduate assistantships.

(b) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2023.

§ 3319j Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program

(a) Fellowship program The Secretary shall establish a fellowship program, to be known as the “Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program,” to provide fellowships for scientific training and study in the United States to individuals from eligible countries (as described in subsection (b)) who specialize in agricultural education, research, and extension. The Secretary shall carry out the fellowship program by implementing 3 programs designed to assist individual fellowship recipients, including— a graduate studies program in agriculture to assist individuals who participate in graduate agricultural degree training at a United States institution; an individual career improvement program to assist agricultural scientists from developing countries in upgrading skills and understanding in agricultural science and technology; and a Borlaug agricultural policy executive leadership course to assist senior agricultural policy makers from eligible countries, with an initial focus on individuals from sub-Saharan Africa and the independent states of the former Soviet Union.

(b) Eligible countries An eligible country is a developing country, as determined by the Secretary using a gross national income per capita test selected by the Secretary.

(c) Purpose of fellowships A fellowship provided under this section shall— promote food security and economic growth in eligible countries by— educating a new generation of agricultural scientists; increasing scientific knowledge and collaborative research to improve agricultural productivity; and extending that knowledge to users and intermediaries in the marketplace; and support— training and collaborative research opportunities through exchanges for entry level international agricultural research scientists, faculty, and policymakers from eligible countries; collaborative research to improve agricultural productivity; the transfer of new science and agricultural technologies to strengthen agricultural practice; the reduction of barriers to technology adoption; and the development of agricultural extension services in eligible countries.

(d) Fellowship recipients The Secretary may provide fellowships under this section to individuals from eligible countries who specialize or have experience in agricultural education, research, extension, or related fields, including— individuals from the public and private sectors; and private agricultural producers. The Secretary shall use the expertise of United States land-grant colleges and universities and similar universities, international organizations working in agricultural research and outreach, and national agricultural research organizations to help identify program candidates for fellowships under this section from the public and private sectors of eligible countries.

(e) Use of fellowships A fellowship provided under this section shall be used— to promote collaborative programs among agricultural professionals of eligible countries, agricultural professionals of the United States, the international agricultural research system, and, as appropriate, United States entities conducting research; and to support fellowship recipients through programs described in subsection (a)(2).

(f) Program implementation The Secretary shall provide for the management, coordination, evaluation, and monitoring of the Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program and for the individual programs described in subsection (a)(2), except that the Secretary may contract out to 1 or more collaborating universities the management of 1 or more of the fellowship programs. In carrying out the purposes and programs under this section, the Secretary shall encourage ongoing engagement with fellowship recipients who have completed training under the program to provide advice regarding, and participate in, new or ongoing agricultural development projects, with a priority for capacity-building projects.

(g) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section, to remain available until expended.

§ 3319k Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority pilot

(a) Definitions In this section: The term “advanced research and development” means research and development activities used to address research challenges in agriculture and food through— targeted acceleration of novel, early stage innovative agricultural research with promising technology applications and products; or development of qualified products and projects, agricultural technologies, or innovative research tools, which may include— prototype testing, preclinical development, or field experimental use; assessing and assisting with product approval, clearance, or need for a license under an applicable law, as determined by the Director; or manufacturing and commercialization of a product. The term “agricultural technology” means machinery and other equipment engineered for an applicable and novel use in agriculture, natural resources, and food relating to the research and development of qualified products and projects. The term “Director” means the Director of the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority established under subsection (b)(1). The term “other transaction” means a transaction other than a procurement contract, grant, or cooperative agreement, including a transaction described in subsection (b)(6)(A). The term “person” means— an individual; a partnership; a corporation; an association; an entity; a public or private corporation; a Federal, State, or local government agency or department; and an institution of higher education, including a land-grant college or university and a non-land-grant college of agriculture. The term “qualified product or project” means— engineering, mechanization, or technology improvements that will address challenges relating to growing, harvesting, handling, processing, storing, packing, and distribution of agricultural products; plant disease or plant pest recovery countermeasures to intentional or unintentional biological threats (including naturally occurring threats), including— replacement or resistant plant cultivars or varieties; other enhanced management strategies, including novel chemical, biological, or cultural approaches; or diagnostic or surveillance technology; and veterinary countermeasures to intentional or unintentional biological threats (including naturally occurring threats), including— animal vaccine or therapeutic products (including anti-infective products); or diagnostic or surveillance technology. The term “research tool” means a device, technology, procedure, biological material, reagent, computer system, computer software, or analytical technique that is developed to assist in the discovery, development, or manufacture of a qualified product or project.

(b) Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority There is established within the Department of Agriculture a pilot program that shall be known as the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (referred to in this section as the “AGARDA”) to carry out advanced research and development. The goals of the AGARDA are— to develop and deploy advanced solutions to prevent, prepare, and protect against unintentional and intentional threats to agriculture and food in the United States; to overcome barriers in the development of agricultural technologies, research tools, and qualified products and projects that enhance export competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and resilience to extreme weather; to ensure that the United States maintains and enhances its position as a leader in developing and deploying agricultural technologies, research tools, and qualified projects and products that increase economic opportunities and security for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities; and to undertake advanced research and development in areas in which industry by itself is not likely to do so because of the technological or financial uncertainty. The AGARDA shall be a component of the Office of the Chief Scientist. The AGARDA shall be headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by the Chief Scientist. The Director shall be an individual who, by reason of professional background and experience, is exceptionally qualified to advise the Chief Scientist on, and manage advanced research and development programs and other matters pertaining to— qualified products and projects; agricultural technologies; research tools; and challenges relating to the matters described in subclauses (I) through (III). The Director shall report to the Chief Scientist. To achieve the goals described in paragraph (2), the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall accelerate advanced research and development by— identifying and promoting advances in basic sciences; translating scientific discoveries and inventions into technological innovations; collaborating with other agencies, relevant industries, academia, international agencies, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, and other relevant persons to carry out the goals described in paragraph (2), including convening, at a minimum, annual meetings or working groups to demonstrate the operation and effectiveness of advanced research and development of qualified products and projects, agricultural technologies, and research tools; conducting ongoing searches for, and support calls for, potential advanced research and development of agricultural technologies, qualified products and projects, and research tools; awarding grants and entering into contracts, cooperative agreements, or other transactions under paragraph (6) for advanced research and development of agricultural technology, qualified products and projects, and research tools; establishing issue-based multidisciplinary teams to reduce the time and cost of solving specific problems that— are composed of representatives from Federal and State agencies, professional groups, academia, and industry; seek novel and effective solutions; and encourage data sharing and translation of research to field use; and serving as a resource for interested persons regarding requirements under relevant laws that impact the development, commercialization, and technology transfer of qualified products and projects, agricultural technologies, and research tools. In awarding grants and entering into contracts, cooperative agreements, or other transactions under paragraph (4)(E), the Secretary shall give priority to projects that accelerate the advanced research and development of qualified products and projects that— address critical research and development needs for technology for specialty crops; or prevent, protect, and prepare against intentional and unintentional threats to agriculture and food. In carrying out the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall have the authority to enter into other transactions in the same manner and subject to the same terms and conditions as transactions that the Secretary of Defense may enter into under section 4021 of title 10 . The authority of the Secretary to enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, and other transactions under this subsection shall be in addition to the authorities under this chapter and title I of the Department of Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1964 ( 7 U.S.C. 3318a ), to use contracts, cooperative agreements, and grants in carrying out the pilot program under this section. The Secretary shall establish guidelines regarding the use of the authority under subparagraph (A). In entering into other transactions, the Secretary may negotiate terms for technology transfer in the same manner as a Federal laboratory under paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 3710a(b) of title 15 . The Secretary shall require that, as a condition of being awarded a contract or grant or entering into a cooperative agreement or other transaction under paragraph (4)(E), a person shall make available to the Secretary on an ongoing basis, and submit to the Secretary on request of the Secretary, all data relating to or resulting from the activities carried out by the person pursuant to this section. This subparagraph shall be considered a statute described in section 552(b)(3)(B) of title 5 . The following information shall be exempt from disclosure under section 552 of title 5 and withheld from the public: Specific technical data or scientific information that is created or obtained under this section that reveals significant and not otherwise publicly known vulnerabilities of existing agriculture and food defenses against biological, chemical, nuclear, or radiological threats. Trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential (within the meaning of section 552(b)(4) of title 5 ) and obtained in the conduct of research or as a result of activities under this section from a non-Federal party participating in a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other transaction under this section. Information that results from research and development activities conducted under this section and that would be a trade secret or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential if the information had been obtained from a non-Federal party participating in a cooperative agreement or other transaction shall be withheld from disclosure under subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5 for 5 years. In awarding contracts and grants and entering into cooperative agreements or other transactions under paragraph (4)(E), the Secretary may— use milestone-based awards and payments; and terminate a project for not meeting technical milestones. In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may appoint highly qualified individuals to scientific or professional positions on the same terms and conditions as provided in subsections (b)(3), (b)(4), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of section 7657 of this title . The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate an annual report examining the actions undertaken and results generated by the AGARDA. After the date on which the AGARDA has been in operation for 3 years, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an evaluation— to be completed and submitted to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate not later than 1 year after the date on which the Comptroller General began conducting the evaluation; describing the extent to which the AGARDA is achieving the goals described in paragraph (2); and including a recommendation on whether the AGARDA should be continued, terminated, or expanded.

(c) Strategic plan Not later than 360 days after December 20, 2018 , the Secretary shall develop and make publicly available a strategic plan describing the strategic vision that the AGARDA shall use— to make determinations for future investments during the period of effectiveness of this section; and to achieve the goals described in subsection (b)(2). The Secretary shall disseminate the information contained in the strategic plan under paragraph (1) to persons who may have the capacity to substantially contribute to the activities described in that strategic plan. The Secretary shall— update and coordinate the strategic coordination plan under section 6922(d)(7) of this title with the strategic plan developed under paragraph (1) for activities relating to agriculture and food defense countermeasure development and procurement; and in developing the strategic plan under paragraph (1), consult with— the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board established under section 3123(a) of this title ; the specialty crops committee established under section 3123a(a)(1) of this title ; relevant agriculture research agencies of the Federal Government; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; the National Veterinary Stockpile Intra-Government Advisory Committee for Strategic Steering; and other appropriate parties, as determined by the Secretary.

(d) Funds There is established in the Treasury the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Fund, which shall be administered by the Secretary, acting through the Director— for the purpose of carrying out this section; and in the same manner and subject to the same terms and conditions as are applicable to the Secretary of Defense under section 4021 of title 10 . The Secretary, acting through the Director, may accept and deposit into the Fund monies received pursuant to cost recovery, contribution, or royalty payments under a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other transaction under this section. Amounts deposited into the fund shall remain available until expended, without further appropriation, and may be used to carry out the purposes of this section. Nothing in this paragraph authorizes the use of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out this section. In addition to funds otherwise deposited in the Fund under paragraph (1) or (2), there is authorized to be appropriated to the Fund $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, to remain available until expended.

(e) Termination of effectiveness Except as provided under paragraph (2), the authority provided by this section terminates on the date that is 5 years after December 20, 2018 . Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to— subsection (b)(7)(B); and grants awarded or contracts, cooperative agreements, or other transactions entered into before the end of the 5-year period referred to in such clause. 1

§ 3321 Statement of purpose

It is the purpose of this subchapter to promote research and extension activities of the institutions hereinafter referred to in section 3322(b) of this title , and to coordinate their efforts as an integral part in the implementation of the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 ( 16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) by encouraging landowners, individuals, and commercial institutions to develop aquaculture production and facilities and sound aquacultural practices that will, through research and technology transfer programs, provide for the increased production and marketing of aquacultural food products. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1474 , as added Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1440(a) , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1316 .)

§ 3322 Assistance programs

(a) Research and extension program The Secretary may develop and implement a cooperative research and extension program to encourage the development, management, and production of important aquatic food species within the several States and territories of the United States and to enhance further the safety of food products derived from the aquaculture industry, in accordance with the national aquaculture development plan, and revisions thereto, developed under the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 [ 16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.].

(b) Grants Subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary may make competitive grants to entities eligible for grants under paragraph (2) for research and extension to facilitate or expand promising advances in the production and marketing of aquacultural food species and products and to enhance the safety and wholesomeness of those species and products, including the development of reliable supplies of seed stock and therapeutic compounds. The Secretary may make a competitive grant under paragraph (1) to— a land-grant or seagrant college or university; a State agricultural experiment station; a college, university, or Federal laboratory having a demonstrable capacity to conduct aquacultural research, as determined by the Secretary; or a nonprofit private research institution. Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall not make a grant under paragraph (1) unless the State in which the grant recipient is located makes a grant to that recipient in an amount equal to not less than the amount of the grant under paragraph (1) (of which State amount an in-kind contribution shall not exceed 50 percent). Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to a grant to a Federal laboratory.

(c) Aquaculture development plans The Secretary may assist States to formulate aquaculture development plans for the enhancement of the production and marketing of aquacultural species and products from such States and may make grants to States on a matching basis, as determined by the Secretary. The aggregate amount of the grants made to any one State under this subsection may not exceed $50,000. The plans shall be consistent with the national aquaculture development plan, and revisions thereto, developed under the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 [ 16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.].

(d) Aquacultural centers To provide for aquacultural research, development, and demonstration projects having a national or regional application, the Secretary may establish in existing Federal facilities or in cooperation with any of the non-Federal entities specified in subsection (b) up to five aquacultural research, development, and demonstration centers in the United States for the performance of aquacultural research, extension work, and demonstration projects. Funds made available for the operation of such regional centers may be used for the rehabilitation of existing buildings or facilities to house such centers, but may not be used for the construction or acquisition of new buildings or facilities. To the extent practicable, the aquaculture research, development, and demonstration centers established under this subsection shall be geographically located so that they are representative of the regional aquaculture opportunities in the United States. To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that equitable efforts are made at these centers in addressing the research needs of those segments of the domestic aquaculture industry located within that region.

(e) Listing of laws on aquaculture The interagency aquaculture coordinating group established under section 6(a) of the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 ( 16 U.S.C. 2805(a) ) shall, in consultation with appropriate Federal and State agencies, compile a listing of Federal and State laws, rules, and regulations materially affecting the production, processing, marketing, and transportation of aquaculturally produced commodities and the products thereof. The interagency aquaculture coordinating group shall make such listing available to the public not later than January 1, 1992 , and shall update and revise such listing not later than January 1, 1996 , to show such laws, rules, and regulations as in effect on that date.

(f) Fish disease program The Secretary shall implement, in consultation with the Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture referred to in section 6 of the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 ( 16 U.S.C. 2805 ), a fish disease program to include the development of new diagnostic procedures for fish diseases, the determination of the effect of water environment on the development of the fish immune system, and the development of therapeutic, synthetic, or natural systems, for the control of fish diseases.

§ 3323 Repealed. Pub. L. 105–185, title III, § 302(a), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 563

§ 3324 Authorization of appropriations

(a) In general There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subchapter— 5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023.

(b) Prohibition on use Funds made available under this section may not be used to acquire or construct a building.

§ 3331 Congressional statement of purpose

It is the purpose of this subchapter to promote the general welfare through improved productivity of the Nation’s rangelands, which comprise 60 per centum of the land area of the United States. Most of these rangelands are unsuited for cultivation, but produce a great volume of forage that is inedible by humans but readily converted, through an energy efficient process, to high quality food protein by grazing animals. These native grazing lands are located throughout the United States and are important resources for major segments of the Nation’s livestock industry. In addition to the many livestock producers directly dependent on rangelands, other segments of agriculture are indirectly dependent on range-fed livestock and on range-produced forage that can be substituted for grain in times of grain scarcity. Recent resource assessments indicate that forage production of rangeland can be increased at least 100 per centum through development and application of improved range management practices while simultaneously enhancing wildlife, watershed, recreational, and aesthetic values and reducing hazards of erosion and flooding. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1478 , as added Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1440(a) , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1318 .)

§ 3332 Program; development, purposes, scope, etc.

The Secretary may develop and implement a cooperative rangeland research program in coordination with the program carried out under the Renewable Resources Extension Act of 1978 [ 16 U.S.C. 1671 et seq.], to improve the production and quality of desirable native forages or introduced forages which are managed in a similar manner to native forages for livestock and wildlife. The program shall include studies of: (1) management of rangelands and agricultural land as integrated systems for more efficient utilization of crops and waste products in the production of food and fiber; (2) methods of managing rangeland watersheds to maximize efficient use of water and improve water yield, water quality, and water conservation, to protect against onsite and offsite damage of rangeland resources from floods, erosion, and other detrimental influences, and to remedy unsatisfactory and unstable rangeland conditions; (3) revegetation and rehabilitation of rangelands including the control of undesirable species of plants; and (4) such other matters as the Secretary considers appropriate. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1479 , as added Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1440(a) , Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1318 .)

§ 3333 Rangeland research grants

(a) In general The Secretary may make grants to— land-grant colleges and universities, State agricultural experiment stations, and colleges, universities, and Federal laboratories having a demonstrable capacity in rangeland research, as determined by the Secretary, to carry out rangeland research; and the Joe Skeen Institute for Rangeland Restoration for the purposes of facilitating and expanding ongoing State-Federal range management, animal husbandry, and agricultural research, education, and extension programs to meet the targeted, emerging, and future needs of western United States rangelands and associated natural resources.

(b) Matching requirements Except as provided in paragraph (2), this grant program shall be based on a matching formula of 50 percent Federal and 50 percent non-Federal funding (including funding from an agricultural commodity promotion, research, and information program). Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a grant to a Federal laboratory or a grant under subsection (a)(2).

§§ 3334, 3335 Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 857, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1173

§ 3336 Authorization of appropriations; allocation of funds

(a) There are authorized to be appropriated, to implement the provisions of this subchapter— 2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023.

(b) Funds appropriated under this section shall be allocated by the Secretary to eligible institutions for work to be done as mutually agreed upon between the Secretary and the eligible institution or institutions.

§ 3351 Special authorization for biosecurity planning and response

(a) Authorization of appropriations In addition to amounts for agricultural research, extension, and education under this chapter, there are authorized to be appropriated for agricultural research, education, and extension activities for biosecurity planning and response— such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2013; 30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(b) Use of funds Using any authority available to the Secretary, the Secretary shall use funds made available under this section to carry out agricultural research, education, and extension activities (including through competitive grants and cooperative agreements) for the following: To reduce the vulnerability of the United States food and agricultural system to chemical or biological attack. To continue partnerships with institutions of higher education and other institutions to help form stable, long-term programs to enhance the biosecurity of the United States, including the coordination of the development, implementation, and enhancement of diverse capabilities for addressing threats to the Nation’s agricultural economy and food supply with special emphasis on planning, training, outreach, and research activities related to vulnerability analyses, incident response, and detection and prevention technologies. To award competitive grants and cooperative agreements to universities and qualified research institutions for research on counterbioterrorism. To counter or otherwise respond to chemical or biological attack. To coordinate the tactical science activities of the Research, Education, and Economics mission area of the Department that protect the integrity, reliability, sustainability, and profitability of the food and agricultural system of the United States against biosecurity threats from pests, diseases, contaminants, and disasters.

§ 3352 Agriculture research facility expansion and security upgrades

(a) In general To enhance the security of agriculture in the United States against threats posed by bioterrorism, the Secretary shall make expansion or security upgrade grants on a competitive basis to colleges and universities (as defined in section 3103(4) of this title ).

(b) Limitation on grants Grants to a recipient under this section shall not exceed $10,000,000 in any fiscal year.

(c) Requirements for grants The Secretary shall make a grant under this section only if the grant applicant provides satisfactory assurances to the Secretary that— sufficient funds are available to pay the non-Federal share of the cost of the proposed expansion or security upgrades; and the proposed expansion or security upgrades meet such reasonable qualifications as may be established by the Secretary with respect to biosafety and biosecurity requirements necessary to protect facility staff, members of the public, and the food supply.

(d) Additional requirements for grants for facility expansion The Secretary shall make a grant under this section for the expansion, renovation, remodeling, or alteration (collectively referred to in this section as “expansion”) of a facility only if the grant applicant provides such assurances as the Secretary determines to be satisfactory to ensure the following: For not less than 20 years after the grant is awarded, the facility shall be used for the purposes of the research for which the facility was expanded, as described in the grant application. Sufficient funds will be available, as of the date of completion of the expansion, for the effective use of the facility for the purposes of the research for which the facility was expanded. The proposed expansion— will increase the capability of the applicant to conduct research for which the facility was expanded; or is necessary to improve the quality of the research of the applicant.

(e) Amount of grant The amount of a grant awarded under this section shall be determined by the Secretary.

(f) Federal share The Federal share of the cost of any expansion or security upgrade carried out using funds from a grant provided under this section shall not exceed 50 percent.

(g) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary for each fiscal year.

§ 3353 Agricultural biosecurity

(a) Security at colleges and universities The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) may award grants to covered entities to review security standards and practices at their facilities in order to protect against bioterrorist attacks. Covered entities under this subsection are colleges or universities that— are colleges or universities as defined in section 3103 of this title ; and have programs in food and agricultural sciences, as defined in such section. Each individual covered entity may be awarded one grant under paragraph (1), the amount of which shall not exceed $50,000. Colleges and universities receiving grants under paragraph (1) may use such grants to enter into contracts with independent private organizations with established and demonstrated security expertise to conduct the security reviews specified in such paragraph.

(b) Guidelines for agricultural biosecurity The Secretary may award grants to associations of food producers or consortia of such associations for the development and implementation of educational programs to improve biosecurity on farms in order to ensure the security of farm facilities against potential bioterrorist attacks. Each individual association eligible under paragraph (1) may be awarded one grant under such paragraph, the amount of which shall not exceed 100,000 per association participating in the consortium. Associations of food producers receiving grants under paragraph (1) may use such grants to enter into contracts with independent private organizations with established and demonstrated expertise in biosecurity to assist in the development and implementation of educational programs to improve biosecurity specified in such paragraph.

(c) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year.

§ 3354 Agricultural bioterrorism research and development

(a) In general The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) may utilize existing research authorities and research programs to protect the food supply of the United States by conducting and supporting research activities to— enhance the capability of the Secretary to respond in a timely manner to emerging or existing bioterrorist threats to the food and agricultural system of the United States; develop new and continue partnerships with institutions of higher education and other institutions to help form stable, long-term programs to enhance the biosecurity and food safety of the United States, including the coordination of the development, implementation, and enhancement of diverse capabilities for addressing threats to the nation’s agricultural economy and food supply, with special emphasis on planning, training, outreach, and research activities related to vulnerability analyses, incident response, detection, and prevention technologies; strengthen coordination with the intelligence community to better identify research needs and evaluate materials or information acquired by the intelligence community relating to potential threats to United States agriculture; expand the involvement of the Secretary with international organizations dealing with plant and animal disease control; continue research to develop rapid detection field test kits to detect biological threats to plants and animals and to provide such test kits to State and local agencies preparing for or responding to bioterrorism; develop an agricultural bioterrorism early warning surveillance system through enhancing the capacity of and coordination between State veterinary diagnostic laboratories, Federal and State agricultural research facilities, and public health agencies; and otherwise improve the capacity of the Secretary to protect against the threat of bioterrorism.

(b) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $190,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent fiscal year.

§ 3361 Definition

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term “eligible institution” means an institution of higher education (as defined in section 1001(a) of title 20 ) in an insular area that has demonstrable capacity to carry out teaching and extension programs in the food and agricultural sciences. ( Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1489 , as added Pub. L. 107–171, title VII, § 7503 , May 13, 2002 , 116 Stat. 464 .)

§ 3362 Distance education grants for insular areas

(a) In general The Secretary may make competitive grants to eligible institutions in insular areas to strengthen the capacity of such institutions to carry out distance food and agricultural education programs using digital network technologies.

(b) Use Grants made under this section shall be used— to acquire the equipment, instrumentation, networking capability, hardware and software, digital network technology, and infrastructure necessary to teach students and teachers about technology in the classroom; to develop and provide educational services (including faculty development) to prepare students or faculty seeking a degree or certificate that is approved by the State or a regional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of Education; to provide teacher education, library and media specialist training, and preschool and teacher aid certification to individuals who seek to acquire or enhance technology skills in order to use technology in the classroom or instructional process; to implement a joint project to provide education regarding technology in the classroom with a local educational agency, community-based organization, national nonprofit organization, or business; or to provide leadership development to administrators, board members, and faculty of eligible institutions with institutional responsibility for technology education.

(c) Limitation on use of grant funds Funds provided under this section shall not be used for the planning, acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, or repair of a building or facility.

(d) Administration of program The Secretary may carry out this section in a manner that recognizes the different needs and opportunities for eligible institutions in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

(e) Matching requirement The Secretary may establish a requirement that an eligible institution receiving a grant under this section shall provide matching funds from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to not less than 50 percent of the grant. If the Secretary establishes a matching requirement under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall retain an option to waive the requirement for an eligible institution for any fiscal year if the Secretary determines that the institution will be unlikely to meet the matching requirement for the fiscal year.

(f) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section— such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2013; and $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023.

§ 3363 Resident instruction grants for insular areas

(a) In general The Secretary of Agriculture shall make competitive grants to eligible institutions to— strengthen institutional educational capacities, including libraries, curriculum, faculty, scientific instrumentation, instruction delivery systems, and student recruitment and retention, in order to respond to identified State, regional, national, or international education needs in the food and agricultural sciences; attract and support undergraduate and graduate students in order to educate them in identified areas of national need in the food and agriculture sciences; facilitate cooperative initiatives between two or more insular area eligible institutions, or between those institutions and units of State Government or organizations in the private sector, to maximize the development and use of resources such as faculty, facilities, and equipment to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs; and conduct undergraduate scholarship programs to assist in meeting national needs for training food and agricultural scientists.

(b) Grant requirements The Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure that each eligible institution, prior to receiving grant funds under subsection (a), shall have a significant demonstrable commitment to higher education programs in the food and agricultural sciences and to each specific subject area for which grant funds under this section are to be used. The Secretary of Agriculture may require that any grant awarded under this section contain provisions that require funds to be targeted to meet the needs identified in section 3101 of this title .

(c) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section— such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2013; and $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023.

§ 3371 Repealed. Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7614(a), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4833