7 U.S.C. § 3291: International agricultural research, extension, and teaching

exchanging research materials and results with the institutions or persons; conducting with the institutions or persons joint or coordinated research, extension, and teaching activities that address problems of significance to food and agriculture in the United States; and giving priority to those institutions with existing memoranda of understanding, agreements, or other formal ties to United States institutions, or Federal or State agencies; enter into cooperative arrangements with Departments and Ministries of Agriculture in other nations to conduct research, extension, and teaching activities in support of the development of a viable and sustainable global agricultural system, including efforts to establish a global system for plant genetic resources conservation; the development of a viable and sustainable global agricultural system; antihunger and improved international nutrition efforts; and increased quantity, quality, and availability of food; further develop within the Department highly qualified and experienced science and education experts who specialize in international programs, to be available to carry out the activities described in this section; work with transitional and more advanced countries in food, agricultural, and related research, development, teaching, and extension (including providing technical assistance, training, and advice to persons from the countries engaged in the activities and the stationing of scientists and other specialists at national and international institutions in the countries); expand collaboration and coordination with the Agency for International Development regarding food and agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs in developing countries; the provision of support to State universities, land-grant colleges and universities, and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities to do collaborative research with other countries on issues relevant to United States agricultural competitiveness; the provision of support for cooperative extension education in global agriculture and to promote the application of new technology developed in foreign countries to United States agriculture; and the provision of support for the internationalization of resident instruction programs of the universities and colleges described in subparagraph (A); continue, in cooperation with the Secretary of State, a program, coordinated through the International Arid Land Consortium, to enhance collaboration and cooperation between institutions possessing research, extension, and teaching capabilities applied to the development, management, and reclamation of arid lands; involve Federal scientists or scientists from land-grant colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities, or other colleges and universities with scientists at international agricultural research centers in other nations, including the international agricultural research centers of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research; increasing the production of food and fiber, while safeguarding the environment worldwide and enhancing the global competitiveness of United States agriculture; or training scientists; are mutually beneficial to the United States and other countries; and encourage private sector involvement and the leveraging of private sector funds; establish a program, to be coordinated by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Foreign Agricultural Service, to place interns from United States colleges and universities at Foreign Agricultural Service field offices overseas; and establish a program for the purpose of providing fellowships to United States or foreign students to study at foreign agricultural colleges and universities working under agreements provided for under paragraph (3). The Secretary shall draw upon and enhance the resources of the land-grant colleges and universities, and other colleges and universities, for developing linkages among these institutions, the Federal Government, international research centers, and counterpart research, extension, and teaching agencies and institutions in both the developed and less-developed countries to serve the purposes of agriculture and the economy of the United States and to make a substantial contribution to the cause of improved food and agricultural progress throughout the world. The Secretary may provide specialized or technical services, on an advance of funds or a reimbursable basis, to United States colleges and universities and other nongovernmental organizations carrying out international food, agricultural, and related research, extension, and teaching development projects and activities. All funds received in payment for furnishing such specialized or technical services shall be deposited to the credit of the appropriation from which the cost of providing such services has been paid or is to be charged. to coordinate international agricultural research within the Federal Government; and to more effectively link the activities of domestic and international agricultural researchers, particularly researchers of the Agricultural Research Service. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the full amount of any funds appropriated or otherwise made available to carry out cooperative projects under the arrangement entered into between the Secretary and the Government of Israel to support the United States-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (referred to in this subsection as the “BARD Fund”) shall be paid directly to the Fund. accelerate the demonstration, development, and application of agricultural solutions resulting from or relating to BARD Fund programs, including BARD Fund-sponsored research and innovations in drip irrigation, pesticides, aquaculture, livestock, poultry, disease control, and farm equipment; and encourage research carried out by governmental, nongovernmental, and private entities, including through collaboration with colleges and universities, research institutions, and the private sector.