
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC5832]

 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
                          CHAPTER 88--RESEARCH
 
      SUBCHAPTER I--SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
 
  Part C--Sustainable Agriculture Technology Development and Transfer 
                                 Program
 
Sec. 5832. National Training Program


(a) In general

    The Secretary shall establish a National Training Program in 
Sustainable Agriculture to provide education and training for 
Cooperative Extension Service agents and other professionals involved in 
the education and transfer of technical information concerning 
sustainable agriculture in order to develop their understanding, 
competence, and ability to teach and communicate the concepts of 
sustainable agriculture to Cooperative Extension Service agents and to 
farmers and urban residents who need information on sustainable 
agriculture.

(b) Administration

    The National Training Program shall be organized and administered by 
the Extension Service, in coordination with other appropriate Federal 
agencies. The Secretary shall designate an individual from the 
Cooperative Extension Service in each State to coordinate the National 
Training Program within that State. The coordinators shall be 
responsible, in cooperation with appropriate Federal and State agencies, 
for developing and implementing a statewide training program for 
appropriate field office personnel.

(c) Required training

                       (1) Agricultural agents

        The Secretary shall ensure that all agricultural agents of the 
    Cooperative Extension Service have completed the National Training 
    Program not later than the end of the five-year period beginning on 
    November 28, 1990. Such training may occur at a college or 
    university located within each State as designated by the 
    coordinator designated under this section.

                        (2) Proof of training

        Beginning three years after November 28, 1990, the Secretary 
    shall ensure that all new Cooperative Extension Service agents 
    employed by such Service are able to demonstrate, not later than 18 
    months after the employment of such agents, that such agents have 
    completed the training program established in subsection (a) of this 
    section.

(d) Regional training centers

                           (1) Designation

        The Secretary shall designate not less than two regional 
    training centers to coordinate and administer educational activities 
    in sustainable agriculture as provided for in this section.

                        (2) Training program

        Such centers shall offer intensive instructional programs 
    involving classroom and field training work for extension 
    specialists and other individuals who are required to transmit 
    technical information.

                   (3) Prohibition on construction

        Such centers shall be located at existing facilities, and no 
    funds appropriated to carry out this part shall be used for facility 
    construction.

                         (4) Administration

        Such centers should be administered by entities that have a 
    demonstrated capability relating to sustainable agriculture. The 
    Secretary should consider utilizing existing entities with expertise 
    in sustainable agriculture to assist in the design and 
    implementation of the training program under paragraph (2).

                    (5) Coordination of resources

        Such centers shall make use of information generated by the 
    Department of Agriculture and the State agricultural experiment 
    stations, and the practical experience of farmers, especially those 
    cooperating in on-farm demonstrations and research projects, in 
    carrying out the functions of such centers.

(e) Competitive grants

                           (1) In General

        The Secretary shall establish a competitive grants program to 
    award grants to organizations, including land-grant colleges and 
    universities, to carry out sustainable agricultural training for 
    county agents and other individuals that need basic information 
    concerning sustainable agriculture practices.

                          (2) Short courses

        The purpose of the grants made available under paragraph (1) 
    shall be to establish, in various regions in the United States, 
    training programs that consist of workshops and short courses 
    designed to familiarize participants with the concepts and 
    importance of sustainable agriculture.

(f) Regional specialists

    To assist county agents and farmers implement production practices 
developed under this subchapter, chapter 86 of this title,\1\ and other 
appropriate research programs of the Department, regional sustainable 
agriculture specialists may be designated within each State who shall 
report to the State coordinator of that State. The specialists shall be 
responsible for developing and coordinating local dissemination of 
sustainable agriculture information in a manner that is useful to 
farmers in the region.
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    \1\ See References in Text note below.
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(g) Information availability

    The Cooperative Extension Service within each State shall transfer 
information developed under this subchapter, chapter 86 of this 
title,\1\ and other appropriate research programs of the Department 
through a program that shall--
        (1) assist in developing farmer-to-farmer information exchange 
    networks to enable farmers making transitions to more sustainable 
    farming systems to share ideas and draw on the experiences of other 
    farmers;
        (2) help coordinate and publicize a regular series of 
    sustainable agriculture farm tours and field days within each State;
        (3) plan for extension programming, including extensive farmer 
    input and feedback, in the design of new and ongoing research 
    endeavors related to sustainable agriculture;
        (4) provide technical assistance to individual farmers in the 
    design and implementation of farm management plans and strategies 
    for making a transition to more sustainable agricultural systems;
        (5) consult and work closely with the Soil Conservation Service 
    and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service in 
    carrying out the information, technical assistance, and related 
    programs;
        (6) develop, coordinate, and direct special education and 
    outreach programs in areas highly susceptible to groundwater 
    contamination, linking sustainable agriculture information with 
    water quality improvement information;
        (7) develop information sources relating to crop 
    diversification, alternative crops, on-farm food or commodity 
    processing, and on-farm energy generation;
        (8) establish a well-water testing program designed to provide 
    those persons dependent upon underground drinking water supplies 
    with an understanding of the need for regular water testing, 
    information on sources of testing, and an understanding of how to 
    interpret test results and provide for the protection of underground 
    water supplies;
        (9) provide specific information on water quality practices 
    developed through the research programs in chapter 86 of this title; 
    \1\
        (10) provide specific information on nutrient management 
    practices developed through the research programs in chapter 86 of 
    this title; \1\ and
        (11) provide information concerning whole-farm management 
    systems integrating research results under this subchapter, chapter 
    86 of this title,\1\ and other appropriate research programs of the 
    Department.

(h) ``Appropriate field office personnel'' defined

    For purposes of this section, the term ``appropriate field office 
personnel'' includes employees of the Extension Service, Soil 
Conservation Service, and other appropriate Department of Agriculture 
personnel, as determined by the Secretary, whose activities involve the 
provision of agricultural production and conservation information to 
agricultural producers.

(i) Authorization of appropriations

    There are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each fiscal 
year to carry out the National Training Program.

(Pub. L. 101-624, title XVI, Sec. 1629, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3741; 
Pub. L. 102-237, title IV, Sec. 407(4), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1864; 
Pub. L. 104-127, title VIII, Sec. 862(b)(4), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 
1174; Pub. L. 105-185, title VI, Sec. 606(f), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 
604.)

                       References in Text

    Chapter 86 of this title, referred to in subsecs. (f) and (g), was 
in the original ``subtitle G of title XIV'', meaning subtitle G 
(Secs. 1481-1485) of title XIV of Pub. L. 101-624, which was repealed by 
Pub. L. 105-185, title III, Sec. 302(c), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 563.


                               Amendments

    1998--Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 105-185 struck out ``section 5881 of this 
title,'' before ``and other appropriate research'' in introductory 
provisions.
    1996--Subsecs. (f), (g)(11). Pub. L. 104-127 struck out ``section 
5881 of this title,'' before ``and other appropriate''.
    1991--Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 102-237 substituted ``ensure'' for 
``insure''.
