US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

7 U.S.C. § 2662

Programs authorized

The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this subchapter as the “Secretary”) may conduct, in cooperation and coordination with colleges and universities, the following programs to carry out the purposes and achieve the goals of this subchapter.
(a)

Rural development extension programs

Rural development extension programs shall consist of the collection, interpretation, and dissemination of useful information and knowledge from research and other sources to units of multistate regional agencies, State, county, municipal, and other units of government, multicounty planning and development districts, organizations of citizens contributing to community and rural development, businesses, Indian tribes on Federal or State reservations or other federally recognized Indian tribal groups, and industries that employ or may employ people in rural areas. The rural development extension programs shall also promote coordinated and integrated rural community initiatives that advance and empower capacity building through leadership development, entrepreneurship, business development and management training, and strategic planning to increase jobs, income, and quality of life in rural communities. These programs also shall include technical services and educational activities, including instruction for persons not enrolled as students in colleges or universities, to facilitate and encourage the use and practical application of this information. These programs may also include feasibility studies and planning assistance.

(b)

Rural development research

Rural development research shall consist of research, investigations, and basic feasibility studies in any field or discipline that may develop principles, facts, scientific and technical knowledge, new technology, and other information that may be useful to agencies of Federal, State, and local government, industries in rural areas, Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations or other federally recognized Indian tribal groups, and other organizations involved in community and rural development programs and activities in planning and carrying out such programs and activities or otherwise be practical and useful in achieving the purposes and goals of this subchapter.

(c)

Small farm research programs

Small farm research programs shall consist of programs of research to develop new approaches for initiating and upgrading small farm operations through management techniques, agricultural production techniques, farm machinery technology, new products, new marketing techniques, and small farm finance; to develop new enterprises that can use labor, skills, or natural resources available to the small farm family; or that will help to increase the quality and availability of services and facilities needed by the small farm family.

(d)

Small farm extension programs

Small farm extension programs shall consist of extension programs to improve small farm operations, including management techniques, agricultural production techniques, farm machinery technology, marketing techniques and small farm finance; to increase use by small farm families of existing services offered by the Department of Agriculture and other public and private agencies and organizations; to assist small farm families in establishing and operating cooperatives for the purpose of improving their family income from farming or other economic activities; to increase the quality and availability of services and facilities needed by small farm families; and to develop new enterprises that can use labor, skills, or natural resources available to the small farm family.

(e)

Special grants programs

Special grants programs shall consist of extension and research programs to strengthen research and education on national and regional issues in rural development, including the assessment of alternative policies and strategies for rural development and balanced growth; to develop alternative strategies for national and regional investment, and the creation of employment, in rural areas; to develop alternative energy policies to meet rural development needs; and to strengthen rural development programs of agencies of the Department of Agriculture and those in other Federal departments and agencies.

(f)

Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 792(a)110 Stat. 1152, (g) Repealed. , title VIII, § 871, , , 1175

(h)

Rural development extension work

(1)

National program

The Secretary shall establish a national program, to be administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, to provide rural citizens with training in, technical and management assistance regarding, and educational opportunities to enhance their knowledge of—
(A)
beginning businesses through entrepreneurship;
(B)
the procedures necessary to establish new businesses in rural areas;
(C)
self-employment opportunities in rural areas;
(D)
the uses of modern telecommunications and computer technologies;
(E)
business and financial planning; and
(F)
such other training, assistance, and educational opportunities as the Secretary determines are necessary to carry out the program established under this subsection.
(2)

Leadership abilities

The program established under this subsection shall provide assistance designed to increase the leadership abilities of residents in rural areas. Such assistance shall include—
(A)
information relevant to the development of community goals;
(B)
instruction regarding the methods by which State or Federal funding for rural development projects might be obtained;
(C)
instruction regarding the successful writing of applications for loan or grant funds from government and private sources;
(D)
an updated listing of State, Federal, and other economic development programs available to rural areas; and
(E)
such other training, information, and assistance as the Secretary determines necessary to increase the leadership abilities of residents in rural areas.
(3)

Catalog of programs

The National Rural Information Center Clearinghouse of the National Agricultural Library, in cooperation with the Extension Service in each State, should develop, maintain, and provide to each community, and make accessible to any other interested party, a catalog of available State, Federal, or private programs that provide leadership training or other information or services similar or complementary to the training or services required by this subsection. Such catalog should include, at a minimum, the following entities within the State that provide such training or services:
(A)
Any rural electric cooperative.
(B)
Any nonprofit company development corporation.
(C)
Any economic development district that serves a rural community.
(D)
Any nonprofit subsidiary of any private entity.
(E)
Any nonprofit organization whose principal purpose is to promote economic development in rural areas.
(F)
Any investor or publicly owned electric utility.
(G)
Any small business development center or small business investment company.
(H)
Any regional development organization.
(I)
Any vocational or technical school.
(J)
Any Federal, State, or local government agency or department.
(K)
Any other entity that the Secretary deems appropriate.
The extension service in each State should include in the catalog information on the specific training or services provided by each entity in the catalog.
(4)

Employee training

The Secretary shall provide training for appropriate State extension service employees, assigned to programs other than rural development, to ensure that such employees understand the availability of rural development programs in their respective States and the availability of National Institute of Food and Agriculture staff qualified to provide to rural citizens and to State extension staff training and materials for technical, management, and educational assistance.

(5)

Coordination of assistance

The Secretary shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that assistance provided under this subsection is coordinated with and delivered in cooperation with similar services or assistance provided by other Federal agencies or programs for rural residents.

(i)

Rural health and safety education programs

(1)

Programs authorized

(A)

Individual and family health education

The Secretary may make grants for the establishment of individual and family health education programs that shall provide individuals and families with—
(i)
information concerning the value of good health;
(ii)
information to increase the individual or families motivation to take more responsibility for their own health;
(iii)
access to health promotion activities; and
(iv)
training for volunteers and health services providers concerning health promotion and health care services, in cooperation with the Department of Health and Human Services.
(B)

Farm safety education

The Secretary may make grants for the establishment of farm safety education programs that shall provide information and training to farm workers, timber harvesters, and farm families concerning safety in the work place, including information and training concerning—
(i)
the reduction of occupational injury and death rates;
(ii)
the reduction and prevention of exposure to farm chemicals;
(iii)
1
1 So in original. Probably should be “dermatitis;”.
the reduction of agricultural respiratory diseases and dermititis; 
(iv)
the reduction and prevention of noise induced hearing loss;
(v)
the occupational rehabilitation of farmers and timber harvesters with physical disabilities; and
(vi)
farm accident rescue procedures.
(C)

Rural health leadership development

The Secretary, in consultation with the Office of Rural Health Policy of the Department of Health and Human Services, may make grants to academic medical centers or land grant colleges and universities, or any combination thereof, for the establishment of rural health leadership development education programs that shall assist rural communities in developing health care services and facilities that will provide the maximum benefit for the resources invested and assist community leaders and public officials in understanding their roles and responsibilities relative to rural health services and facilities, including—
(i)
community decisions regarding funding for and retention of rural hospitals;
(ii)
rural physician and allied health professionals recruitment and retention;
(iii)
the aging rural population and senior services required to care for the population;
(iv)
the establishment and maintenance of rural emergency medical services systems; and
(v)
the application of computer-assisted capital budgeting decision aids for rural health services and facilities.
(2)

Coordination of programs

Educational programs conducted with grants awarded under this subsection shall be coordinated with the State offices of rural health and other appropriate programs of the Department of Health and Human Services.

(3)

Dissemination of information

Educational programs conducted with grants awarded under this subsection shall provide leadership within the State for the dissemination of appropriate rural health and safety information resources possessed by the Rural Information Center established at the National Agricultural Library.

(4)

Procedures and limitations

7 U.S.C. 3017 U.S.C. 321The Secretary shall establish policies, procedures and limitations that shall apply to States or entities described in paragraph (1)(C) that desire to receive a grant under this subsection. In States with land-grant colleges and universities that are eligible to receive funds under the Act of ( et seq.), and the Act of ( et seq.), including Tuskegee University, and universities which receive Rural Health Research Center grants, such eligible institutions shall mutually determine the type of rural health and safety education program needed in the State within which such institutions reside.

(5)

Limitations on authorization of appropriations

For grants under this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1991, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1993, and $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and each subsequent fiscal year. Amounts appropriated under this subsection shall remain available until expended.

Pub. L. 92–419, title V, § 502Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1444(a)95 Stat. 1323Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1440(a)99 Stat. 1560Pub. L. 100–219, § 2101 Stat. 1456Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII104 Stat. 4032Pub. L. 102–237, title IV, § 403(a)105 Stat. 1863Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 792(a)110 Stat. 1152Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7511(c)(6)122 Stat. 1267Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)122 Stat. 1664Pub. L. 115–334, title VI, § 6101(a)(3)132 Stat. 4727(, as added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , §§ 2346, 2349, 2389(a)–(c)(1), 2390(b)(1), , , 4037, 4053–4055; , title VII, § 704, , , 1881; , title VIII, §§ 871, 886, , , 1175, 1180; , , ; , title VII, § 7511(c)(6), , , 2029; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

act July 2, 1862, ch. 13012 Stat. 503section 301 of this titleAct of , referred to in subsec. (i)(4), is , , popularly known as the “Morrill Act” and also as the “First Morrill Act”, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 301 et seq.) of chapter 13 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

act Aug. 30, 1890, ch. 84126 Stat. 417section 321 of this titleAct of , referred to in subsec. (i)(4), is , , as amended, popularly known as the “Agricultural College Act of 1890” and also as the “Second Morrill Act”, which is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 321 et seq.) of chapter 13 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Codification

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

Prior Provisions

Pub. L. 92–419, title V, § 50286 Stat. 671Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 144091 Stat. 1005Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1444(a)95 Stat. 1326A prior section 2662, , , ; , , , related to programs authorization and cooperation and coordination with colleges and universities, prior to repeal by , , .

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–334, § 6101(a)(3)(A)2018—, inserted “(referred to in this subchapter as the ‘Secretary’)” after “Agriculture” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 115–334, § 6101(a)(3)(B)Subsec. (h)(1). , substituted “Secretary” for “Secretary of Agriculture” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(6)(A)2008—Subsec. (h)(1). , substituted “National Institute of Food and Agriculture” for “Extension Service” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(6)(B)Subsec. (h)(4). , substituted “National Institute of Food and Agriculture staff” for “Extension Service staff”.

Pub. L. 104–127, § 8861996—Subsec. (a). , inserted after first sentence “The rural development extension programs shall also promote coordinated and integrated rural community initiatives that advance and empower capacity building through leadership development, entrepreneurship, business development and management training, and strategic planning to increase jobs, income, and quality of life in rural communities.”

Pub. L. 104–127, § 792(a)Subsec. (f). , struck out subsec. (f), which related to competitive grants for financially stressed farmers, dislocated farmers, and rural families.

Pub. L. 104–127, § 871Subsec. (g). , struck out subsec. (g), which authorized establishment of Extension Service rural economic and business development program to enable States or counties to employ specialists as Cooperative Extension Service staff to assist individuals in creating new businesses, or to assist existing businesses.

Pub. L. 104–127, § 871Subsec. (j). , struck out subsec. (j), which authorized program to award competitive grants to carry out rural development research.

Pub. L. 102–237, § 403(a)(2)(A)1991—Subsec. (b). , redesignated subsec. (b), relating to rural development extension work, as (h).

Pub. L. 102–237, § 403(a)(1)Subsec. (f). , amended heading generally and in par. (2) substituted “until” for “during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on”.

Pub. L. 102–237, § 403(a)(2)Subsec. (h). , redesignated subsec. (b), relating to rural development extension work, as (h), redesignated former subsec. (h), relating to rural health and safety education programs, as (i) and former subsec. (h), relating to research grants, as (j), and moved such subsecs. to appear in proper order.

Pub. L. 102–237, § 403(a)(2)(B)Subsec. (i). , (D), redesignated subsec. (h), relating to rural health and safety education programs, as (i) and moved such subsec. to appear in proper order.

Pub. L. 102–237, § 704(a)Subsec. (i)(1)(C). , added subpar. (C).

Pub. L. 102–237, § 704(b)Subsec. (i)(4). , inserted “or entities described in paragraph (1)(C)” after “to States”.

Pub. L. 102–237, § 403(a)(2)(C)Subsec. (j). , (D), redesignated subsec. (h), relating to research grants, as (j) and moved such subsec. to appear in proper order.

Pub. L. 101–624, § 23461990—Subsec. (b). , added subsec. (b), relating to rural development extension work, following subsec. (g).

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(c)(1)Subsec. (f). , substituted “Competitive” for “Special” in heading.

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(1)Subsec. (f)(1)(A). , substituted “competitive grants for programs that meet the criteria specified in subparagraph (B) to develop counseling, retraining, and educational” for “special grants for programs to develop educational, retraining, and counseling”.

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(3)Subsec. (f)(1)(B). , (4), added subpar. (B), struck out heading, introductory provisions, and cl. (i) of former subpar. (B), and redesignated cls. (ii) to (viii) of former subpar. (B) as cls. (i) to (vii) of subpar. (D). Prior to amendment, introductory provisions and cl. (i) read as follows: “Such programs shall provide the following services:

“(i) Clinical outreach counseling and crisis management assistance through appropriate State officials.”

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(2)Subsec. (f)(1)(C). , (4), added subpar. (C) and redesignated former subpar. (C) as (E).

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(2)Subsec. (f)(1)(D). , (4), added heading and introductory provisions of subpar. (D) and redesignated former subpar. (D) as (F).

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(3)(B)Subsec. (f)(1)(D)(i) to (vii). , redesignated former subpar. (B)(ii) to (viii) as subpar. (D)(i) to (vii).

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(5)Subsec. (f)(1)(D)(viii). , added cl. (viii).

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(2)Subsec. (f)(1)(E). , redesignated former subpar. (C) as (E).

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(6)Subsec. (f)(1)(F). , substituted “shall work with the appropriate State office of rural health, State department or agency of mental health, and other” for “is encouraged to work with” and “an annual comprehensive plan” for “a comprehensive plan”, struck out “special” before “grant funds”, and inserted at end “For recipients in a State to be eligible for a grant under this subsection in any fiscal year, the Cooperative Extension Service within the State must develop and sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the appropriate State department or agency of mental health and other State agencies as may be appropriate to carry out the comprehensive plan. Such agreement and plan must emphasize the development and delivery of counseling and outreach programs as provided under subparagraph (B).”

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(2), redesignated former subpar. (D) as (F).

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(a)Subsec. (f)(2). , inserted “to eligible applicants in any State applying for such grants” after “under paragraph (1)”, and substituted “1995” for “1990”.

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2346Subsec. (g). , added subsec. (g).

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2349Subsec. (h). , added subsec. (h) relating to research grants.

Pub. L. 101–624, § 2390(b)(1), added subsec. (h) relating to rural health and safety education programs.

Pub. L. 100–2191987—Subsec. (f). amended subsec. (f) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (f) read as follows:

“(1)(A) The Secretary shall provide special grants for programs to develop income alternatives for farmers who have been adversely affected by the current farm and rural economic crisis and those displaced from farming.

“(B) Such programs shall consist of educational and counseling services to farmers to—

“(i) assess human and nonhuman resources;

“(ii) assess income earning alternatives;

“(iii) identify resources and opportunities available to the farmer in the local community, county, and State;

“(iv) implement financial planning and management strategies; and

“(v) provide linkages to specific resources and opportunities that are available to the farmer, such as reentering agriculture, new business opportunities, other off-farm jobs, job search programs, and retraining skills.

“(C) The Secretary also may provide support to mental health officials in developing outreach programs in rural areas.

“(2) Grants may be made under paragraph (1) during the period beginning on , and ending 3 years after such date.”

Pub. L. 99–1981985—Subsec. (f). added subsec. (f).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Pub. L. 110–234Pub. L. 110–246Pub. L. 110–234section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246section 8701 of this titleAmendment of this section and repeal of by effective , the date of enactment of , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as an Effective Date note under .

section 7511(c)(6) of Pub. L. 110–246section 7511(c) of Pub. L. 110–246section 1522 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date

section 1801 of Pub. L. 97–98section 4301 of this titleSection effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effect of Amendments on Current Grant Recipients

Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2389(d)104 Stat. 40557 U.S.C. 2662(f)Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 792(b)(1)100 Stat. 1152, , , provided that 8 States receiving grants under during fiscal year 1990 could continue to be eligible to receive grants (in an amount not to exceed the amount received during that fiscal year) under that section notwithstanding that such grants be awarded competitively, so long as such States complied with requirement that not less than one-half of such grant amount was to be used for clinical outreach counseling and crisis management assistance, prior to repeal by , , .

Rural Health Infrastructure Improvement

Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2391104 Stat. 4057Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 709110 Stat. 1112, , , provided for award of grant for establishment of project to demonstrate model approach to improving rural health infrastructure, which was to carry out systematic, community-based rural health needs assessments, identify and coordinate available health services resources, improve community infrastructure through health education and information and leadership development and training, and develop community generated health improvement strategies, and further provided for project implementation and limitations on authorization of appropriations, prior to repeal by , , .