7 U.S.C. § 5812 | Program administration

(a)

Duties of Secretary

The Secretary shall—

(1)

administer the programs and projects conducted under sections 5811 and 5813 of this title through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, and other appropriate agencies;

(2)

establish a minimum of four Regional Administrative Councils in accordance with subsection (b); and

(3)

in conjunction with such Regional Administrative Councils, identify regional host institutions required to carry out such programs or projects.

(b)

Regional Administrative Councils

(1)

Membership

The membership of the Regional Administrative Councils shall include representatives of—

(A)

the Agricultural Research Service;

(B)

the National Institute of Food and Agriculture;

(C)

State cooperative extension services;

(D)

State agricultural experiment stations;

(E)

the Soil Conservation Service;

(F)

State departments engaged in sustainable agriculture programs;

(G)

nonprofit organizations with demonstrable expertise;

(H)

farmers utilizing systems and practices of sustainable agriculture;

(I)

agribusiness;

(J)

the State or United States Geological Survey; and

(K)

other persons knowledgeable about sustainable agriculture and its impact on the environment and rural communities.

(2)

Responsibilities

The Regional Administrative Councils shall—

(A)

promote the programs established under this subchapter at the regional level;

(B)

establish goals and criteria for the selection of projects authorized under this subchapter within the applicable region;

(C)

appoint a technical committee to evaluate the proposals for projects to be considered under this subchapter by such council;

(D)

review and act on the recommendations of the technical committee, and coordinate its activities with the regional host institution; and

(E)

prepare and make available an annual report concerning projects funded under sections 5811 and 5813 of this title, together with an evaluation of the project activity.

(3)

Conflict of interest

A member of the Regional Administrative Council or a technical committee may not participate in the discussion or recommendation of proposed projects if the member has or had a professional or business interest in, including the provision of consultancy services, the organization whose grant application is under review.

Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1622Nov. 28, 1990104 Stat. 3736 Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 860(a)Apr. 4, 1996110 Stat. 1173 Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7511(c)(15)May 22, 2008122 Stat. 1268 Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)June 18, 2008122 Stat. 1664(, , ; , (b), , ; , , ; , title VII, § 7511(c)(15), , , 2030.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

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

Amendments

Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(15)(A)2008—Subsec. (a)(1). , substituted “the National Institute of Food and Agriculture” for “the Cooperative State Research Service in close cooperation with the Extension Service”.

Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(15)(B)Subsec. (b)(1)(B) to (L). , added subpar. (B), redesignated former subpars. (D) to (L) as (C) to (K), respectively, and struck out former subpars. (B) and (C) which read as follows:

“(B) the Cooperative State Research Service;

“(C) the Extension Service;”.

Pub. L. 104–127, § 860(b)(1)1996—Subsec. (a)(2) to (4). , redesignated pars. (3) and (4) as (2) and (3), respectively, substituted “subsection (b)” for “subsection (e)” in par. (2), and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “establish the Advisory Council in accordance with subsection (c) of this section;”.

Pub. L. 104–127, § 860(a)Apr. 1, 1991Subsec. (b). , (b)(3), redesignated subsec. (e) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which required Secretary, not later than , and each April 1 thereafter, to prepare and submit to congressional committees and to Advisory Council report describing results of programs carried out under sections 5811, 5813, and 5821 of this title and report describing progress of projects conducted under this subchapter.

Pub. L. 104–127, § 860(b)(4)Subsec. (b)(2). , redesignated subpars. (B) to (F) as (A) to (E), respectively, and struck out former subpar. (A) which read as follows: “make recommendations to the Advisory Council concerning research and extension projects that merit funding under sections 5811 and 5813 of this title;”.

Pub. L. 104–127, § 860(b)(2)Subsecs. (c) to (e). , (3), redesignated subsec. (e) as (b) and struck out subsec. (c) which provided for membership of the National Sustainable Agriculture Advisory Council and subsec. (d) which set forth responsibilities of Advisory Council.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Pub. L. 110–234 Pub. L. 110–246May 22, 2008Pub. L. 110–234 section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246 section 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)(15) of Pub. L. 110–246Oct. 1, 2009section 7511(c) of Pub. L. 110–246 section 1522 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .