US Code

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

7 U.S.C. § 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—
(1)
research programs under—
(A)
7 U.S.C. 361a the Act of ( et seq.), commonly known as the Hatch Act of 1887;
(B)
16 U.S.C. 582a the Act of ( et seq.), commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962;
(C)
subchapter V of this chapter; and
(D)
subchapter VI of this chapter;
(2)
7 U.S.C. 341 extension programs under subchapter VI of this chapter and the Act of ( et seq.), commonly known as the Smith-Lever Act;
(3)
teaching programs under—
(A)
7 U.S.C. 301 the Act of ( et seq.), commonly known as the First Morrill Act;
(B)
7 U.S.C. 321 the Act of ( et seq.), commonly known as the Second Morrill Act; and
(C)
7 U.S.C. 329 the Act of (), commonly known as the Bankhead-Jones Act; and
(4)
22 U.S.C. 2220a international agricultural programs under title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 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

(1)
To promote research for purposes of developing agricultural policy alternatives, the Secretary is encouraged—
(A)
to designate at least one State cooperative institution to conduct research in an interdisciplinary fashion; and
(B)
to report on a regular basis with respect to the effect of emerging technological, economic, sociological, and environmental developments on the structure of agriculture.
(2)
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

(1)

Public meetings

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.

(2)

Exemption

7 U.S.C. 2281Chapter 10 of title 5 and title XVIII of this Act [ et seq.] shall not apply to any entity described in paragraph (3).

(3)

Entities described

This subsection shall apply to any committee, board, commission, panel, or task force, or similar entity that—
(A)
is created for the purpose of cooperative efforts in agricultural research, extension, or teaching; and
(B)
consists entirely of—
(i)
full-time Federal employees; and
(ii)
one or more individuals who are employed by, or are officials of—
(I)
a State cooperative institution or State cooperative agency; or
(II)
a public college or university or other postsecondary institution.

Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1409APub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1410(a)95 Stat. 1301Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 140799 Stat. 1545Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1601(f)(1)(B)104 Stat. 3704Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 803110 Stat. 1159Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(33)136 Stat. 4308(, as added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

act Mar. 2, 1887, ch. 31424 Stat. 440section 361a of this titleAct of , referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(A), is , , popularly known as the Hatch Act of 1887, which is classified generally to sections 361a to 361i of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 87–78876 Stat. 806section 582a of Title 16Act of , referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(B), is , , , popularly known as the “McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962” and also as the “McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act”, which is classified generally to subchapter III (§ 582a et seq.) of chapter 3 of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

act May 8, 1914, ch. 7938 Stat. 372section 341 of this titleAct of , referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is , , popularly known as the Smith-Lever Act, which is classified generally to subchapter IV (§ 341 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 July 2, 1862, ch. 13012 Stat. 503section 301 of this titleAct of , referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(A), 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. (a)(3)(B), is , , 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.

act June 29, 1935, ch. 33849 Stat. 436section 3101 of this titleAct of , referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(C), is , , popularly known as the Bankhead-Jones Act and as the Agricultural Research Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1935 Amendment note under and Tables.

Pub. L. 87–19575 Stat. 424section 2151 of Title 22The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), is , , . Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 probably means title XII of chapter 2 of part I of the Act, which is classified generally to subpart XII (§ 2220a et seq.) of part II of subchapter I of chapter 32 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 95–11391 Stat. 1041section 1281 of this titleTitle XVIII of this Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(2), is title XVIII of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977, , , , which is classified generally to chapter 55A (§ 2281 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1977 Amendment note set out under and Tables.

Amendments

Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(33)(A)2022—Subsec. (e). , substituted “chapter 10 of title 5” for “Federal Advisory Committee Act” in heading.

Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(33)(B)Subsec. (e)(2). , substituted “Chapter 10 of title 5” for “The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)”.

Pub. L. 104–1271996—Subsec. (e). added subsec. (e).

Pub. L. 101–624section 3101 of this title1990—Subsecs. (c) to (e). redesignated subsecs. (d) and (e) as (c) and (d), respectively, and struck out former subsec. (c) which read as follows: “In order to meet the increasing needs of consumers and to promote the health and welfare of people, the Secretary shall ensure that the cooperative research, extension, and teaching programs of the various States adequately address the challenges described in paragraph (10) of . The Secretary may implement new cooperative initiatives in home economics and related disciplines to address such challenges.”

Pub. L. 99–198, § 1407(a)1985—Subsec. (a)(4). , added par. (4).

Pub. L. 99–198, § 1407(b)Subsecs. (d), (e). , added subsecs. (d) and (e).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

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