
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC5812]

 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
                          CHAPTER 88--RESEARCH
 
      SUBCHAPTER I--SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
 
           Part A--Best Utilization of Biological Applications
 
Sec. 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 Cooperative State 
    Research Service in close cooperation with the Extension Service, 
    Agricultural Research Service, and other appropriate agencies;
        (2) establish a minimum of four Regional Administrative Councils 
    in accordance with subsection (b) of this section; 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 Cooperative State Research Service;
            (C) the Extension Service;
            (D) State cooperative extension services;
            (E) State agricultural experiment stations;
            (F) the Soil Conservation Service;
            (G) State departments engaged in sustainable agriculture 
        programs;
            (H) nonprofit organizations with demonstrable expertise;
            (I) farmers utilizing systems and practices of sustainable 
        agriculture;
            (J) agribusiness;
            (K) the State or United States Geological Survey; and
            (L) 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, Sec. 1622, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3736; 
Pub. L. 104-127, title VIII, Sec. 860(a), (b), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 
1173.)


                               Amendments

    1996--Subsec. (a)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 104-127, Sec. 860(b)(1), 
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;''.
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104-127, Sec. 860(a), (b)(3), redesignated 
subsec. (e) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which required 
Secretary, not later than Apr. 1, 1991, 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.
    Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 104-127, Sec. 860(b)(4), 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;''.
    Subsecs. (c) to (e). Pub. L. 104-127, Sec. 860(b)(2), (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.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 5813, 5814 of this title.
