Title VII: Research and Related Matters

No similar provision.

Establishes NIFA to administer research funds and programs that have been administered by USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). Includes capacity and infrastructure programs, competitive programs, cooperative State research programs, cooperative extension programs, education programs, and all other CSREES authorities. NIFA replaces CSREES as of Oct 1, 2009.

NIFA Director is appointed by President to 6-year term and can be reappointed to additional 6-year term. Director is responsible for:

• organizing offices within NIFA to administer research, extension, and education programs
• carrying out research, education, and extension activities of USDA
• ensuring that NIFA carries out research priorities of Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE)
• determining appropriate balance between fundamental and applied research
• promoting use of competitive grants

Authorized and encouraged Secretary of Agriculture to jointly issue requests for proposals, establish joint peer review panels, and award grants with other Federal agencies to reduce duplication of research and administrative functions.

Authorizes REE Under Secretary, who holds the title Chief Scientist of the Department and is an appointee with training or experience in agricultural research, education, and economics, to perform the following research coordination duties:

• identify, address, and prioritize REE needs
• coordinate REE programs across disciplines, agencies, and institutions and among applicable beneficiaries
• promote collaborative use of REE resources
• foster communication among REE beneficiaries

To assist in these duties, requires Chief Scientist to establish REEO out of existing appropriations. REEO allocates no more than 30 full-time equivalent staff among following 6 divisions:

• renewable energy, natural resources, and environment
• food safety, nutrition, and health
• plant health and production and plant products
• animal health and production and animal products
• agricultural systems and technology
• agricultural economics and rural communities

Requires each division to be led by Division Chief, selected for a term of no more than 4 years in a way that promotes professional development of USDA employees, interaction among USDA agencies, and rotation between REEO and USDA agency employment.

Required USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to undergo comprehensive review of its purpose, efficiency, effectiveness, and impact on agricultural research. Secretary was to appoint task force, to report before June 2003.

Directs REE Under Secretary to prepare roadmap for agricultural research, education, and extension. Requires roadmap to identify current trends and constraints in research, identify major research opportunities and gaps, and recommend funding levels for research, education, and extension. Limits review of roadmap to Secretary. Requires preparation of roadmap to commence within 90 days of enactment with help of REEO, and publication and implementation of roadmap within 1 year.

Required NAREEEAB to review policy and provide consulting to Secretary and land grant institutions, as well as provide expertise to House and Senate committees related to agriculture and forestry.

Added board member from non-Land Grant college or university with food and agriculture commitments.

Reduces number of board members from 31 to 25, and eliminates members representing:

• national animal commodity organization
• national crop commodity organization
• scientific community not closely associated with agriculture
• USDA agency lacking research capabilities
• non-USDA Federal research agency
• national organization directly concerned with agricultural research, education, and extension

Increases limit on necessary expenses for board from $350,000 to $500,000.

Authorized Secretary to make competitively awarded "Research Equipment Grants" of $500,000 or less per institution for special research equipment to colleges, universities, and State agricultural extension services engaged in food and agricultural science. Purchases through these grants could not be charged as indirect costs for Federal grants or accounting purposes.

Provisions extended until 2012.

No similar provision.

Allows Secretary to establish 5-year pilot program to lease nonexcess real property at Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and National Agricultural Library. Secretary to provide biennial reports on this program beginning no later than 1 year after enactment of this Act.

Authorized annual appropriations of $500 million in National Research Initiative (NRI) competitive grants funding through fiscal year (FY) 2007.

Provided mandatory CCC funding for Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS) funding levels at $120 million/year in FY 2004, $140 million in FY 2005, $160 million in FY 2006, and $200 million/fiscal year thereafter. However, funding was not made available pursuant to subsequent direction from Congress.

Provides competitive grant funding under AFRI for fundamental and applied research, extension, and education to address food and agricultural sciences. AFRI combines authorities of previous NRI and IFAFS programs.

Authorizes annual appropriations of $700 million for grants in FY 2008-12. AFRI funds are available for obligation for 2-year period beginning in fiscal year for which funds are first made available, and will remain available until expended for obligations within that 2-year period. Secretary can retain no more than 4% for administrative costs.

Grants are awarded on basis of merit, quality, and relevance and limited to terms of 10 years. Priority areas for these grants include:

• plant health and production and plant products
• animal health and production and animal products
• food safety, nutrition, and health
• renewable energy, natural resources, and environment
• agriculture systems and technology
• agriculture economics and rural communities

Directs 60% of AFRI funds allocated to research activities toward grants for fundamental (or basic) research, and 40% of funds allocated to research toward applied research. Directs 30% of AFRI fundamental research grants toward research by multidisciplinary teams. Authorizes Secretary to direct AFRI funds for development of capabilities in agricultural, food, and environmental sciences through grants to:

• institutions to allow for improvement of research, development, technology transfer, and education capacity; with not less than 25% of funds set aside for fellowships for pre- and post-doctoral researchers in agricultural science
• beginning researchers fewer than 5 years from their initial career track positions
• small, mid-sized, and minority-serving institutions previously unsuccessful in obtaining competitive grants
• institutions in States that have been unsuccessful in obtaining grants based on 3-year rolling average of funding levels

Requires AFRI recipients to provide matching funds for applied research that is commodity specific and less than national in scope. Equipment purchases also require matching funds, but Secretary can waive this requirement for purchases under $25,000 by institutions in lower 1/3 of Federal funds received if equipment has multiple uses. Limits research equipment purchases to not more than 2% of AFRI funds for fundamental research and prohibits use of AFRI funds for construction.

Retained 19% cap on indirect costs for competitive grants, adding an exception for Small Business Act (SBA) competitive grants.

Raises cap on indirect costs for all competitive and noncompetitive grants to 22%, with exception of SBA competitive grants.

No similar provision.

Requires President to submit a single budget line item reflecting total amount requested for research, education, and extension activities as part of annual budget submission.

Added specific high-priority areas for research and extension grants.

Revises high-priority areas for research and extension grants.

Allowed funding priority for grant proposals involving cooperation of multiple entities at Secretary's discretion.

Sets criteria for regional centers of excellence established for specific agricultural commodities and funded through universities and colleges, and prioritizes regional centers of excellence for funding. Requires funding priority for grant proposals involving multiple entities.

No similar provision.

Authorizes annual appropriations of $10 million in research and extension grants for honey bees and other pollinators for FY 2008-12. Activities supported include:

• data collection on bee colony production and health, and investigation of pollinator biology
• research on factors that contribute to colony collapse disorder, including parasites and pathogens
• development of mitigative and preventive measures for pollinator health
• habitat conservation and best management practices

Authorizes annual appropriations of $7.25 million for FY 2008-12 for capacity and infrastructure spending to hire personnel and conduct research on pollinator issues at USDA facilities, subject to appropriations.

Authorizes annual appropriations of $2.75 million for honey bee pest and pathogen surveillance in FY 2008-12.

Requires Secretary to submit annual report to Congress on colony collapse disorder describing progress on research and strategies for reducing colony loss. Strategies include efforts supported under the Conservation Title in this Act. (See Title II, Encouragement of Pollinator Habitat Development and Protection.)

Allowed remaining balance of unexpended Smith-Lever extension grants to land grant institutions to be carried over without fiscal year limitation. (Unexpended Hatch Act funds were only to be carried over to next fiscal year).

Requires Smith-Lever 3(d) special emphasis extension funds to be awarded competitively.

Increased authorization level for grants to upgrade agricultural and food sciences facilities at 1890 land grant institutions, including Tuskegee University, to $25 million annually. Revised funding formulas to increase State's matching requirement for 1890 institutions to 100% by FY 2007. Secretary could waive this requirement above 50% level.

Reauthorizes grants to upgrade agricultural and food sciences facilities at 1890 institutions. Increases percentage of appropriations for formula funds authorized to 1890 institutions. Expands capacity-building grants to include extension funds. 1890 institutions can compete for all special emphasis grants under section 3(d) of Smith-Lever Act except for Nutrition Education Program (which is allocated by formula). 1890 institutions are eligible for McIntire-Stennis forestry program. Confirms eligibility of 1890 institutions to apply for animal health and disease research grants.

Established grant program to promote and strengthen resident instruction and distance education programs in food and agricultural sciences at institutions of higher education. Defined covered institutions in insular areas of U.S. (Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau).

Authorizes $8 million/fiscal year for grants to upgrade facilities at insular area land grant institutions.

Extended "Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program" to FY 2007.

Allocates "Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program" funding under new formula, with increasing amounts given to 1890 institutions. Authorizes $90 million/fiscal year; funds are allocated by formula, with each institution receiving $100,000. Remainder is distributed based on population living at or below 125% of poverty level. Before remainder is distributed, 10% of any funds appropriated in excess of FY 2007 levels is allocated to 1890 institutions. Percentage of funds allocated to 1890s increases annually to reach 15% in FY 2014.

Provisions added affecting 1994 institutions, specifically technical amendment for name changes and appropriation of funds.

Reauthorizes programs. Adds Ilisagvik College to list of tribal colleges with land grant status through 1994 Act. Allows equity and endowment funds not awarded to 1994 institutions to be redistributed to other 1994 institutions. Makes all funding under the 1994 Act subject to accreditation requirement.

No similar provision.

University of District of Columbia (UDC) is:

• eligible for food and agricultural science education grants and fellowships
• eligible for funding under section 3(d) of Smith-Lever Act
• authorized to receive $750,000 annually for grants to upgrade its agriculture and food sciences facilities

Authorizes Secretary to waive reduced matching funds requirement for UDC under Hatch Act. Amends matching funds requirement for UDC extension.

No similar provisions.

Authorizes competitive grants for education, outreach, and research capacity related to agriculture and renewable resources (see NIFA).

Extended Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program to FY 2007.

Removes ability of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to receive grant without competitive application process. Allows single institutions to receive grants. Increases authorization for appropriations from $20 million to $40 million/fiscal year.

No similar provision.

Authorizes funding to Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) for:

• endowment fund
• annual payments
• institutional capacity-building grant program
• competitive grant program in fundamental and applied research
• extension funding under Smith-Lever 3(b)

No similar provision.

Permits consortia of Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to allocate funds for members.

Established grant program to promote and strengthen distance instruction and education programs in food and agricultural sciences at institutions of higher education. Covered institutions in insular areas of U.S.

Extends resident instruction and distance education grants program for insular area institutions of higher education until FY 2012.

No similar provision.

Establishes Borlaug fellowship program for students, scientists, and leaders from developing countries.

No similar provision.

Expands International Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education, including authority to enter into agreements with land grant colleges and universities, HSACUs, U.S. Agency for International Development and international organizations to promote and support development of viable and sustainable global agricultural system; antihunger and international nutrition efforts; and increased quantity, quality, and availability of food.

National Food and Agricultural Sciences Teaching Awards extended to FY 2007.

Expands National Agriculture Teaching Awards to include research and extension.

National Veterinary Medical Service Act (NVMSA) authorized Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment program, which allowed student loan repayments to large animal veterinarians in exchange for service in veterinary shortage situations.

Amends NVMSA to:

• set deadline for rulemaking to implement loan repayment program and
• prioritize large and mixed animal practitioners serving in rural communities

Rescinds prior transfer of funds from CSREES to USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service using USDA's Federal Loan Repayment authority for recruitment of veterinarians to work in food safety.

Within Grants and Fellowships for Food and Agricultural Sciences Education, extended Secondary Education and 2-Year Postsecondary Education Teaching Programs until FY 2007.

As of Oct 1, 2008, expands programs for food and agricultural science education to include grades K-12. Also eligible are other institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations.

Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 added additional research area for purpose of improving efficiency, productivity, and profitability of specialty crop production.

Establishes Specialty Crop Research Initiative to provide research and extension grants to address specific crops and their regions. Grants awarded on competitive basis, and must be matched by non-Federal source. Gives priority to multistate, multidisciplinary, multi-institution efforts. Mandates Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding of $30 million in FY 2008, and $50 million annually in FY 2009-12. Authorizes additional annual appropriations of $100 million. Includes research addressing:

• plant breeding, genetics, and genomics:
• product taste, quality, and appearance
• environmental response and tolerance
• nutrient management, including uptake
• pest and disease management
• phytonutrient content
• pollination, pest, and disease issues
• productivity and profitability
• "new innovations" such as ripening technologies
• food safety, including that related to fresh produce

Amends Specialty Crop Committee Report to include economic analysis and applied information useful to specialty growers and policy research centers.

Required Secretary to establish program to identify alternatives to methyl bromide and to initiate research programs to develop alternatives for uses currently lacking registered, effective, economically feasible alternatives.

Directs transfer of $200,000 to Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances to conduct meta-analysis related to methyl bromide.

Funding totaled $3 million annually, out of "funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated." New features for organic agriculture research included:

• use of advanced genomics, field trials, and other methods to identify desirable traits
• classical and marker-assisted breeding to develop public varieties optimized for organic systems
• identification of marketing and policy constraints on expansion of organic agriculture
• advanced onfarm research into organic farms, including production and socioeconomic conditions
• segregation of data on organic sector in ongoing data collection on agricultural production and marketing
• facilitation of access to organic research conducted outside U.S.

Required Secretary to report within 1 year on research and promotion of organic products.

Adds new purposes to Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative:

• study conservation and environmental outcomes of organic practices
• develop new and improved seed varieties for use in organic production systems

Increases mandatory CCC funding to total of $78 million for FY 2009-12. Authorizes additional annual appropriations of $25 million for FY 2009-12.

Repealed Fund for Rural America.

Authorizes appropriations for competitive grants to support Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network providing stress assistance to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers. Grants may be used to support programs to provide behavioral counseling and referrals though help lines and websites, community education, support groups, outreach, and home delivery to homebound.

No similar provision.

Authorizes appropriations for Farm Business Management competitive research and extension grant program for:

• improving farm management knowledge and skills
• establishing national farm financial management database

No similar provision.

Authorizes appropriations for Agricultural and Rural Transportation Research and Education to address rural transport and logistical needs of agricultural sector, including:

• transport of biofuels
• export of agricultural products

Grant awards are to be made in areas that are regionally diverse and representative of U.S. needs. Priority is given to institutions of higher education that can coordinate research and education activities under program. 50% of project costs must be matched from non-Federal sources.

Training, education, outreach, and technical assistance competitive grants program established for beginning farmers or ranchers (who have not operated a farm or have operated a farm for 10 years or less). Provided 3-year grants, with matching funds, for local and regional training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives.

Collaborative State, tribal, local, or regionally based networks or partnerships of public or private entities became eligible. Funds were to be set aside specifically for limited-resource farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, or farmworkers wishing to farm. Authorized necessary funds for FY 2002-07.

Requires grant applications to be evaluated on relevancy, technical merit, achievability, expertise and track record, and applicability of results. Priority to be given to collaborations that include nongovernmental and community-based organizations and grants are to be regionally diverse. Maximum grant is $250,000/year. CCC funds shall be made available: $18 million for FY 2009 and $19 million annually for FY 2010-12. Additional appropriations of $30 million/year are authorized for FY 2008-12.

No similar provision.

Authorizes appropriations for New Era Rural Technology Program to award grants to community colleges in rural areas. Grants shall support fields of:

• bioenergy
• pulp and paper manufacturing
• agriculturally based renewable energy resources

Institutions should have proven records in these areas and be able to leverage partnerships.

Sun Grant Research Initiative Act of 2003 established Research, Extension, and Educational Programs on Biobased Energy Technologies and Products. No funds were appropriated in FY 2004 and FY 2006. However, legislation authorized appropriations of $25 million in FY 2005, $50 million in FY 2006, and $75 million annually in FY 2007-10.

Revises Sun Grant Research Initiative; authorizes grants to 5 regionally based Sun Grant Centers and 1 subcenter intended to:

• develop, distribute, and implement biobased technologies
• promote diversification and environmental sustainability through biobased energy and product technologies
• promote diversification of rural areas through biobased energy
• enhance efficiency of bioenergy and biomass research and development through collaborations among USDA, Department of Energy (DOE), and land grant universities

Directs centers to award 75% of funds to multi-institution and multistate research, extension, and education programs via competitive process:

• 30% of these funds to be used for technology development
• 30% of funds are for integrated programs for technology implementation
• 20% of project costs must be matched by non-Federal source, though this requirement can be waived
• limits administrative overhead costs of centers to 4%, portion of which is used to coordinate plan for addressing bioenergy, biomass, and gasification priorities of USDA and DOE, and coordinated gasification research with land grant universities
• remaining funds to be retained by centers to conduct research, extension, and education programs for technology development and implementation

Grant Information Analysis Center will support regional centers and produce annual report. Authorizes $75 million annually for FY 2008-12.

No similar provision.

Authorizes Agricultural Bioenergy Feedstock and Energy Efficiency Research and Extension Initiative intended to enhance production of biomass energy crops and energy efficiency of agricultural operations. Competitive grants to be used to:

• improve agricultural biomass production, conversion, and use
• research onfarm energy efficiency

Requires Secretary to develop a best practices database with information about production potential of different crops and best practices for production, collection and harvesting, storage, and transportation of biomass crops. Priority given to integrative efforts that include producer participation and are useful for commercialization of technologies. 100% of funding must be matched by non-Federal sources. Authorizes $50 million for each fiscal year.

Amended composition of National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board to add 1 member.

Renewable Energy Committee: Directs executive committee of NAREEAB to establish permanent renewable energy committee to assess scope and effectiveness of research, extension, and economics programs affecting renewable energy industry.

See New Era Rural Technology Program under Grants to Rural Community Colleges.

Established programs for FY 2002-07, authorizing such funds as necessary. Funds were to be appropriated for agricultural research, education, and extension activities for:

• reducing vulnerability of U.S. food and agricultural system to chemical or biological attack
• continuing partnerships with institutions to enhance biosecurity of U.S.
• making competitive grants for research on counterbioterrorism
• countering or otherwise responding to chemical or biological attack

Extends authorization for agricultural research, education, and extension activities for biosecurity planning and response through FY 2012.

No similar provision.

Directs Secretary to issue 1 permit to facility that replaces Plum Island facility with one overseen by Department of Homeland Security. This facility to research live foot-and-mouth disease. Successor facility charged with researching biological threats from zoonotic and foreign disease.

Authorized CSREES and ARS grant program on environmental effects of biotechnology, including research to help regulators develop long-term policies concerning introduction of genetically engineered organisms (animals, plants, and microorganisms) into environment.

Authorized such sums necessary. Required at least 2% of agency biotechnology base expenditures to be set aside for grants under program.

No amendments to program, which is a permanent authority.

Established competitive grants program through USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service for research and development in agricultural biotechnology for developing countries. Funded biotechnology to develop crops for developing countries.

Extends provisions through FY 2012.

See also Repeals and Terminations related provisions.

Extended Human Nutrition Intervention and Health Promotion Research Program through FY 2007.

Reauthorizes and amends program to include research on efficacy of agricultural policies in promoting health in disadvantaged populations.

No similar provision.

Requests study and report on food deserts to assess areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food, particularly lower income areas. Secretary to coordinate with Department of Health and Human Services, SBA, and Institute of Medicine. Authorizes $500,000 to carry out effort.

No similar provision.

Authorizes appropriations to establish competitive grant program to distribute vegetable seeds to underserved communities free of charge.

No similar provision.

Authorizes construction of Chinese garden at National Arboretum.

No similar provision.

Authorizes appropriations to establish competitive grants program to address antibiotic resistant bacteria in livestock, ecology of resistant bacteria, and use of antibiotics in veterinary and human medicine.

No similar provision.

Directs Secretary and university partners to work to streamline submission, reporting, and implementation of Plan of Work requirements.

No similar provision.

Authorizes indefinitely USDA-established demonstration project authority for temporary positions.

Established National Agricultural Weather Information System in 1990 to nationally coordinate system addressing research and education related to agricultural weather.  Private participation encouraged. Expired 1997.

Reauthorized for FY 2008-12.

Repealed certain authorities, including the following:

• National Advisory Board on Agricultural Weather
• task force on 10-year strategic plan for agricultural research facilities, and its review responsibilities
• pesticide resistance study and expansion of education study

Repeals the following:

• grants for research on alcohol and industrial hydrocarbons
• Agricultural Telecommunications Program
• research on diseases affecting honey bees (see Pollinator Protection)
• partnerships for high-value agricultural product quality research
• Precision Agriculture Initiative
• Thomas Jefferson Initiative for Crop Diversification
• Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems
• Facilities grants under the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act
• public education regarding use of biotechnology in producing food for human consumption

Provided $8 million of CCC funding for FY 2002 for grants for youth organizations (e.g., 4H, Boy/Girl Scouts, and Future Farmers of America). Authorized appropriations (such sums as are necessary) through FY 2007.

Reauthorizes appropriations through FY 2012. Adds flexibility to content delivery and management of youth grant funding.

Did not change existing provisions of Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database Program.

Amends Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database Program to authorize $2.5 million for each of FY 2008-12, in addition to any other funds.

Extended provisions of Nutrient Management Research and Extension Initiative through FY 2007.

Amends Nutrient Management Research and Extension Initiative to include renewable energy from animal waste and extends provisions through FY 2012.