7 U.S.C. § 3157: Competitive, special, and facilities research grants

In order to promote research in food, agriculture, and related areas, a research grants program is hereby established in the Department of Agriculture. This section may be cited as the “Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act”. There is established in the Department of Agriculture an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative under which the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this subsection as “the Secretary”) may make competitive grants for fundamental and applied research, extension, and education to address food and agricultural sciences (as defined under section 3103 of this title ). plant genome structure and function; molecular and cellular genetics and plant biotechnology; conventional breeding, including cultivar and breed development, selection theory, applied quantitative genetics, breeding for improved food quality, breeding for improved local adaptation to biotic stress and abiotic stress, and participatory breeding; plant-pest interactions and biocontrol systems; crop plant response to environmental stresses; unproved nutrient qualities of plant products; and new food and industrial uses of plant products. aquaculture; cellular and molecular basis of animal reproduction, growth, disease, and health; animal biotechnology; conventional breeding, including breed development, selection theory, applied quantitative genetics, breeding for improved food quality, breeding for improved local adaptation to biotic stress and abiotic stress, and participatory breeding; identification of genes responsible for improved production traits and resistance to disease; improved nutritional performance of animals; improved nutrient qualities of animal products and uses; the development of new and improved animal husbandry and production systems that take into account production efficiency, animal well-being, and animal systems applicable to aquaculture; epizootic diseases in domestic livestock (including deer, elk, bison, and other animals of the family Cervidae); and zoonotic diseases (including bovine brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis) in domestic livestock or wildlife reservoirs that present a potential concern to public health; and the identification of animal drug needs and the generation and dissemination of data for safe and effective therapeutic applications of animal drugs for minor species and minor uses of such drugs in major species. microbial contaminants and pesticides residue relating to human health; links between diet and health; bioavailability of nutrients; postharvest physiology and practices; and improved processing technologies. fundamental structures and functions of ecosystems; biological and physical bases of sustainable production systems; soil health; minimizing soil and water losses and sustaining surface water and ground water quality; the effectiveness of conservation practices and technologies designed to address nutrient losses and improve water quality; global climate effects on agriculture; forestry; and biological diversity. new uses and new products from traditional and nontraditional crops, animals, byproducts, and natural resources; robotics, energy efficiency, computing, and expert systems; new hazard and risk assessment and mitigation measures; water quality and management; and tools that accelerate the use of automation or mechanization for labor-intensive tasks in the production and distribution of crops. strategies for entering into and being competitive in domestic and overseas markets; farm efficiency and profitability, including the viability and competitiveness of small and medium-sized dairy, livestock, crop and other commodity operations; new decision tools for farm and market systems; choices and applications of technology; the economic costs, benefits, and viability of producers adopting conservation practices and technologies designed to improve water quality; technology assessment; new approaches to rural development, including rural entrepreneurship; and barriers and bridges to entry and farm viability for young, beginning, socially disadvantaged, veteran, and immigrant farmers and ranchers, including farm succession, transition, transfer, entry, and profitability issues. The term of a competitive grant made under this subsection may not exceed 10 years. seek and accept proposals for grants; determine the relevance and merit of proposals through a system of peer and merit review in accordance with section 7613 of this title ; award grants on the basis of merit, quality, and relevance; solicit and consider input from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education in accordance with section 7612(b) of this title ; in seeking proposals for grants under this subsection and in performing peer review evaluations of such proposals, seek the widest participation of qualified individuals in the Federal Government, colleges and universities, State agricultural experiment stations, and the private sector; and establish procedures, including timelines, under which an entity established under a commodity promotion law (as such term is defined under section 7401(a) of this title ) or a State commodity board (or other equivalent State entity) may directly submit to the Secretary for consideration proposals for requests for applications that specifically address particular issues related to the priority areas specified in paragraph (2). not less than 30 percent is made available to make grants for research to be conducted by multidisciplinary teams; and not more than 2 percent is used for equipment grants under paragraph (6)(A); and not less than 40 percent is made available to make grants for applied research (as defined in subsection (f)(1) of section 6971 of this title ). to an institution to allow for the improvement of the research, development, technology transfer, and education capacity of the institution through the acquisition of special research equipment and the improvement of agricultural education and teaching, except that the Secretary shall use not less than 25 percent of the funds made available for grants under this subparagraph to provide fellowships to outstanding pre- and post-doctoral students for research in the agricultural sciences; to a single investigator or coinvestigators who are beginning research careers and do not have an extensive research publication record, except that, to be eligible for a grant under this subparagraph, an individual shall be within 5 years of the beginning of the initial career track position of the individual; to ensure that the faculty of small, mid-sized, and minority-serving institutions who have not previously been successful in obtaining competitive grants under this subsection receive a portion of the grants; to improve research, extension, and education capabilities in States (as defined in section 3103 of this title ) in which institutions have been less successful in receiving funding under this subsection, based on a 3-year rolling average of funding levels; to eligible entities to carry out the specific proposals submitted under procedures established under paragraph (4)(F) only if such specific proposals are consistent with a priority area specified in paragraph (2); and to an institution to carry out collaboration in biomedical and agricultural research using existing research models. State agricultural experiment stations; colleges and universities; university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; Federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations, foundations, or corporations; individuals; or any group consisting of 2 or more of the entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (H). Funds made available for grants under this subsection shall not be used for the construction of a new building or facility or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an existing building or facility (including site grading and improvement, and architect fees). Except as provided in clause (ii), in the case of a grant made under paragraph (6)(A), the amount provided under this subsection may not exceed 50 percent of the cost of the special research equipment or other equipment acquired using funds from the grant. The Secretary may waive all or part of the matching requirement under clause (i) in the case of a college, university, or research foundation maintained by a college or university that ranks in the lowest ⅓ of such colleges, universities, and research foundations on the basis of Federal research funds received, if the equipment to be acquired using funds from the grant costs not more than $25,000 and has multiple uses within a single research project or is usable in more than 1 research project. Subject to clause (ii), as a condition of funding a grant under paragraph (6)(E), the Secretary shall require that the grant be matched with an equal contribution of funds from the entities described in paragraph (4)(F) submitting proposals under procedures established under such paragraph. Contributions required by clause (i) shall be available to the Secretary for obligation and remain available until expended for the purpose of making grants under paragraph (6)(E). Of amounts contributed to the Secretary under clause (i), not more than 4 percent may be retained by the Secretary to pay administrative costs incurred by the Secretary in carrying out this subsection. Funds contributed to the Secretary by an entity under clause (i) in connection with a proposal submitted by that entity under procedures established under paragraph (4)(F) may only be used to fund grants in connection with that proposal. Funds contributed to the Secretary by an entity under clause (i) that remain unobligated at the time of grant closeout shall be returned to that entity. The indirect cost rate applicable to appropriated funds for a grant funded under paragraph (6)(E) shall apply to amounts contributed by an entity under clause (i). An entity receiving a grant under paragraph (5)(B) for applied research that is commodity-specific and not of national scope shall provide non-Federal matching funds equal to not less than the amount of the grant. To the maximum extent practicable, the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, shall allocate grants under this subsection to high-priority research, taking into consideration, when available, the determinations made by the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board (as established under section 3123 of this title ). not less than 30 percent shall be made available for integrated research pursuant to section 7626 of this title ; and not more than 5 percent may be retained by the Secretary to pay administrative costs incurred by the Secretary in carrying out this subsection. be available for obligation for a 2-year period beginning on October 1 of the fiscal year for which the funds are first made available; and remain available until expended to pay for obligations incurred during that 2-year period. to State agricultural experiment stations, all colleges and universities, other research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations or corporations, and individuals for the purpose of conducting research, extension, or education activities to facilitate or expand promising breakthroughs in areas of the food and agricultural sciences of importance to the United States; and promote excellence in research, extension, or education on a regional and national level; promote the development of regional research centers; promote the research partnership between the Department of Agriculture, colleges and universities, research foundations, and State agricultural experiment stations for regional research efforts; and facilitate coordination and cooperation of research, extension, or education among States through regional grants. The Secretary may not make a grant under this subsection for the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of a building or facility. Grants made under this subsection shall be made without regard to matching funds. ninety percent of such amounts shall be used for grants for regional research projects; and four percent of such amounts may be retained by the Secretary to pay administrative costs incurred by the Secretary to carry out this subsection. The Secretary shall make a grant under this subsection for a research activity only if the activity has undergone scientific peer review arranged by the grantee in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary. The Secretary shall make a grant under this subsection for an extension or education activity only if the activity has undergone merit review arranged by the grantee in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary. A recipient of a grant under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary on an annual basis a report describing the results of the research, extension, or education activity and the merit of the results. Except as provided in clause (ii), on request, the Secretary shall make the report available to the public. Clause (i) shall not apply to the extent that making the report, or a part of the report, available to the public is not authorized or permitted by section 552 of title 5 or section 1905 of title 18 . The purpose of this subsection is to encourage the design of adaptive prototype systems for improving extension and education that seek to advance the application, translation, and demonstration of scientific discoveries and other agricultural research for the adoption and understanding of food, agricultural, and natural resources practices, techniques, methods, and technologies using digital or other novel platforms. that leverage digital platforms or other novel means of translating, delivering, or demonstrating agricultural research; and to adapt, apply, translate, or demonstrate scientific findings, data, technology, and other research outcomes to producers, the agricultural industry, and other interested persons or organizations; and to demonstrate, by incorporating analytics and specific metrics, the value, impact, and return on the Federal investment of a prototype system designed under subparagraph (A) as a model for use by other eligible entities described in paragraph (3) for improving, modernizing, and adapting applied research, demonstration, and extension services. a State agricultural experiment station (as defined in section 3103 of this title ); a cooperative extension service (as defined in such section); and a land-grant college or university (as defined in such section). The Secretary shall award grants under paragraph (2) to not fewer than 2 and not more than 5 eligible entities described in paragraph (3) that represent a diversity of regions, commodities, and agricultural or food production issues. The term of a grant awarded under paragraph (2) shall be not longer than 5 years. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, to remain available until expended. the registration or reregistration of pesticides for minor agricultural use and for use on specialty crops (as defined in section 3 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 ( 7 U.S.C. 1621 note)), under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act ( 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.); and tolerances for residues of minor use chemicals in or on raw agricultural commodities under sections 346a and 348 of title 21. The Secretary shall carry out the IR–4 Program in cooperation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, State agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, extension services, private industry, and other interested parties. In carrying out the IR–4 Program, the Secretary shall give priority to registrations, reregistrations, and tolerances for pesticide uses related to the production of agricultural crops for food use. participate in research activities aimed at reducing residues of pesticides registered for minor agricultural use and for use on specialty crops; develop analytical techniques applicable to residues of pesticides registered for minor agricultural use, including automation techniques and validation of analytical methods; prioritize potential pest management technology for minor agricultural use and for use on specialty crops; conduct research to develop the data necessary to facilitate pesticide registrations, reregistrations, and associated tolerances; assist in removing trade barriers caused by residues of pesticides registered for minor agricultural use and for use on domestically grown specialty crops; assist in the registration and reregistration of pest management technologies for minor agricultural use and for use on specialty crops; and coordinate with other programs within the Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency designed to develop and promote biological and other alternative control measures. a listing of all registrations, reregistrations, and tolerances for which data has been collected in the preceding year; a listing of all registrations, reregistrations, and tolerances for which data collection is scheduled to occur in the following year, with an explanation of the priority system used to develop this list; and a listing of all activities the IR–4 Program has carried out pursuant to paragraph (4). an analysis of possible benefits to the IR–4 Program of such a recoupment; an analysis of the impact of such a payment on the availability of registrants to pursue registrations or reregistrations of minor use pesticides; and recommendations for implementation of such a recoupment policy. There are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1991, and such sums as are necessary for subsequent fiscal years to carry out this subsection. Each recipient of assistance under this section shall keep such records as the Secretary of Agriculture shall, by regulation, prescribe, including records which fully disclose the amount and disposition by such recipient of the proceeds of such grants, the total cost of the project or undertaking in connection with which such funds are given or used, and the amount of that portion of the costs of the project or undertaking supplied by other sources, and such other records as will facilitate an effective audit. The Secretary of Agriculture and the Comptroller General of the United States or any of their duly authorized representatives shall have access for the purpose of audit and examination to any books, documents, papers, and records of the recipients that are pertinent to the grants received under this section. The Secretary of Agriculture shall limit allowable overhead costs, with respect to grants awarded under this section, to those necessary to carry out the purposes of the grants. Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b), (d), and (e), there are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section. The Secretary of Agriculture may issue such rules and regulations as the Secretary deems necessary to carry out this section. Chapter 10 of title 5 and title XVIII of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 ( 7 U.S.C. 2281 et seq.) shall not apply to a panel or board created for the purpose of reviewing applications or proposals submitted under this section. The Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure that grants made under subsections (b) and (c) are, where appropriate, consistent with the development of systems of sustainable agriculture. For purposes of this section, the term “sustainable agriculture” has the meaning given that term in section 3103 of this title .