Highlights |
Title VII
Research and Related Matters |
Reauthorizes and
establishes new agricultural research and extension
programs. Extends previous funding
provisions to fiscal year (FY) 2007, replacing dollar
amounts with "such sums as are necessary to carry
out" the research. Expresses the "sense of Congress" that
agricultural research funding double over the next
5 years. Increases funding for the Initiative
for Future Agriculture and Food Systems and increases
program level from $120 million a year to $200 million
annually in FY 2006. Establishes a biosecurity planning
and response program. Establishes grant programs
for biotechnology risk assessment research and biotechnology
research on
crops important for developing countries. |
Key
Provisions
Provisions |
1996-2001 farm legislation |
2002 Farm Bill |
Research and extension
funding
|
Grants for Federal agencies
and State Agricultural
Experiment Stations (SAES) |
Extended to fiscal year (FY) 1997 existing legislation
that authorized $850 million annually for agricultural
research.
Authorized annually through FY 1997:
• $310 million for research at State Agricultural
Experiment Stations (SAES),
• $460 million for extension education,
• Approximately $200 million for other special
programs (Food and Nutrition Education Program, etc.),
and
• $500 million for competitive grants.
For FY 1998-2002, appropriations were authorized for
all areas "as necessary," subject to funds
specifically being provided in an appropriation act. |
Most funding provisions in earlier U.S. code are amended
in 2 ways: 1) they are extended to 2007, and 2) dollar
amounts for authorized appropriations are replaced with
"such sums as are necessary to carry out"
the research indicated in a given section.
Also includes a "Sense of Congress" that
funding for agricultural research, which has been essentially
constant for 20 years, should be doubled over the next
5 fiscal years. This would restore the balance between
public and private research, and maintain the scientific
base for food and agricultural advances. |
Initiative
for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS) competitive
grant program |
1998 Agricultural Research,
Education and Extension Reform (AREER) Act created the
Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS),
funded at $120 million annually from FY 1998-2002. |
IFAFS funding levels set at
$120 million in FY 2004, $140 million in FY 2005, $160
million in FY 2006, $200 million in FY 2007, and $200
million in each year thereafter. |
Top of page
Provisions |
1996-2001 farm legislation |
2002 Farm Bill |
High-priority research
|
IFAFS program initiatives |
1998 AREER Act authorized
IFAFS funds for critical emerging research related to:
• future food production,
• environmental quality/natural resource management,
• farm income, and
• activities carried out under the Alternative Agricultural
Research and Commercialization Act. Also funded new initiatives through IFAFS on these
priority areas:
• food safety,
• agricultural genome,
• natural resource management,
• agricultural biotechnology,
• alternative commodity production, and
• farm profitability.
Other high priorities include:
• partnerships for high-value agricultural product
quality;
• precision agriculture;
• biobased products;
• crop diversification;
• integrated research;
• education and extension competitive grants program;
• improve viability of small and medium size dairy,
livestock, and poultry operations; and
• research regarding diseases of wheat and barley.
|
Adds "rural, economic,
and business and community development" to critical
emerging areas addressed by IFAFS. |
Precision farming provisions |
1998 AREER Act authorized the
Secretary of Agriculture to make competitive grants for
research, education, or information dissemination related
to precision
agriculture. Defined precision agriculture, precision
agriculture technologies, agricultural inputs, and systems
research. |
The scope of precision agriculture
projects is expanded to include horticulture, energy inputs,
and product variability. |
Initiatives for competitive
grants. |
1998 AREER Act amended 1990
Farm Act (sec. 1672 e) to designate high-priority research
and extension areas:
• brown citrus aphid and citrus tristeza virus,
• ethanol,
• aflatoxin,
• mesquite,
• prickly pear,
• deer tick ecology,
• red meat safety,
• grain sorghum ergot,
• peanut market enhancement,
• dairy financial risk management,
• cotton,
• methyl bromide,
• potato,
• wood use,
• low-bush blueberry,
• wetlands use,
• wild pampas grass control,
• food safety,
• financial risk management,
• ornamental tropical fish,
• sheep scrapie,
• gypsy moth,
• forestry, and
• tomato spotted wilt virus. Also included imported fire ant control and Formosan
termite research and eradication.
The 1996 Farm Act encouraged the use of remote sensing
data and other data to anticipate potential food, feed,
and fiber shortages/excesses and to assist farmers with
planting decisions.
|
Adds additional research areas
including:
• genetically modified agriculture products,
• wind erosion,
• crop loss modeling,
• land use management,
• water and air quality,
• revenue and insurance tools,
• agrotourism,
• harvesting productivity for fruits and vegetables,
• nitrogen fixation,
• agricultural marketing (extension grants for education
and outreach),
• private land and the environment,
• livestock research,
• plant gene expression,
• animal infectious diseases,
• program to combat childhood obesity,
• integrated pest management
• beef cattle genetics,
• dairy pipeline cleaner,
• development of publicly held plant and animal varieties,
and
• sugarcane genetics. The Assistive Technology Program for farmers with disabilities
is added to ensure new applicants receive full consideration
for these grants.
|
Bovine Johne's Disease Control
Program |
No similar provisions. |
Establishes a Bovine Johne's
Disease Control Program for research, testing, and evaluation
of programs for control and management. Authorizes appropriations
as deemed necessary. |
Karnal bunt research |
No similar provisions. |
Karnal bunt is added to the
diseases of wheat, triticale, and barley research. |
Top of page
Provisions |
1996-2001 farm legislation |
2002 Farm Bill |
Research management |
Methyl bromide alternatives
under the planned phaseout
|
1998 AREER Act designated
methyl bromide as a high-priority research and extension
area (see above). Specific activities designated were:
• developing and evaluating chemical and nonchemical
alternatives, and use- and emission-reduction strategies,
for pre-planting and postharvest uses of methyl bromide;
and
• transferring the results of the research for use
by agricultural producers. "Sense of Congress" that the Secretary should
use a substantial portion of Agricultural Research Service
(ARS) methyl bromide research funding for research on
real field conditions, especially pre-planting and post-harvest
conditions, to expedite the development and commercial
use of methyl bromide alternatives.
1996 Farm Act stated the "Sense of the Congress"
that the Department should continue to make methyl bromide
alternative research and extension activities a high
priority.
|
Amends the Plant Protection Act (Title IV of the Agricultural
Risk Protection Act of 2000) giving the Secretary power
to authorize methyl bromide treatments required by State,
local, or tribal authorities to prevent the introduction,
establishment, or spread of plant pests or noxious weeds
as official controls or requirements. (As a result,
these treatments might be exempt from the methyl bromide
phaseout.)
Requires USDA to review such requests and make a determination
within 90 days. Treatments cannot be classified as official
controls or requirements unless no registered, effective,
and economically feasible alternative is available.
Establishes a program to make such determinations and
requires a registry listing authorization be published
before November 9, 2002.
USDA must also establish a program to identify alternatives
and to initiate research programs to develop alternatives
for uses currently lacking registered, effective, economically
feasible alternatives. |
Pest and noxious weed loss
compensation |
2000 Plant Protection Act allowed
non-USDA Federal Government officials, such as OMB, to
review USDA decisions to carry out the Act, including
those to compensate growers for economic losses resulting
from actions to address emergencies caused by plant pests
or noxious weeds. |
Amends the 2000 Plant Protection
Act to limit non-USDA Federal Government officials to
no longer than 60 days to review USDA decisions to carry
out the Act, including decisions to compensate for economic
losses from actions to address emergencies caused by plant
pests or noxious weeds. |
Joint requests for proposals
to reduce duplication of research |
No similar provisions. |
Authorizes and encourages USDA
to jointly issue requests for proposals (RFPs),
peer review proposals, and award grants with other Federal
agencies to reduce duplication of research and administrative
functions. |
Competitive grant management |
Building on 6 "high-priority
areas" detailed in previous legislation, the
1998 AREER Act authorized specialized competitive
research
and extension grants. The Secretary could make competitive
grants to support research and extension activities
specified by the legislation, in consultation with
the National
Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and
Economics Advisory Board. |
The Secretary determines national
and multi-State research (and research transfer) needs
in consultation with the National Agricultural Research,
Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board by July
1 for the following fiscal year. |
Agricultural Research Service
(ARS) review |
No similar provisions. |
The Agricultural Research Service
(ARS) must undergo a comprehensive review of its purpose,
efficiency, effectiveness, and impact on agricultural
research. Secretary will appoint a task force, to report
before June 2003. |
Indirect costs |
1998 AREER Act set 19% cap
for indirect costs charged to competitive agricultural
research, education, or extension grants through Research,
Education, and Extension agencies. |
Provides exception to 19% indirect
cost cap for Small Business Act competitive grants. |
Agricultural research facility
funding |
1996 Farm Act appropriated
such funds as necessary, as approved by the Secretary.
50% of funding required from non-Federal sources. |
The Secretary may make
competitively awarded "Research Equipment Grants" of
$500,000 or less per institution, for special research
equipment
to colleges, universities, and SAES engaged in food
and agricultural science. Appropriates necessary
sums through
FY 2007. Purchases through these grants cannot be
charged as indirect costs for Federal grants or accounting
purposes. |
Advisory boards for research,
extension, and education to the USDA research system |
Consolidated 3 advisory boards (a review board, a joint
council, and an extension advisory board) to create
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education,
and Economics Advisory Board.
The Secretary was authorized to appoint 30 members
with specifically designated expertise to represent
a broad array of agricultural interests. The Board was
charged with reviewing and providing consulting on national
research, education, economic, and extension policies
for the Secretary and Land
Grant institutions. |
Requires the National Research, Extension, Education,
and Economic Advisory Board to review policy and provide
expertise to House and Senate committees related to
agriculture and forestry.
Adds an additional Board member from a non-Land Grant
institution. Adds USDA agencies to the list of groups
from which the Advisory Board shall solicit opinions. |
Top of page
Provisions |
1996-2001 farm legislation |
2002 Farm Bill |
Bioterrorism/biosecurity |
Planning and response programs |
No similar provisions. |
Establishes programs, authorizing such funds as are
necessary, for each of FY 2002-07. Funds are to be appropriated
for agricultural research, education, and extension
activities related to reducing the vulnerability of
the U.S. food and agricultural system to chemical or
biological attack.
Emphasizes long-term partnerships to enhance U.S. biosecurity,
including planning, training, outreach, and research
activities related to vulnerability analyses, incident
response, and detection and prevention technologies.
Funds can also be awarded through competitive grants.
"Sense of Congress" that funding for ARS,
Animal and Plant Heath Inspection Service (APHIS), and
other USDA agencies with biosecurity responsibilities
be increased as necessary to improve research and response
to bioterrorism and animal and plant diseases. |
Research facilities |
No similar provisions. |
Establishes a program to expand
and upgrade security at agricultural research facilities
to enhance security of U.S. agriculture against bioterrorism
threats. The Secretary can competitively award grants
for expansions or security upgrades to colleges and universities.
Grants cannot exceed $10 million to any recipient in any
fiscal year, and are limited to 50% Federal cost-share. |
Top of page
Provisions |
1996-2001 farm legislation |
2002 Farm Bill |
Biotechnology |
Risk assessment research |
No similar provisions. |
Authorizes a Cooperative State
Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) and
ARS grant program on the environmental effects of biotechnology,
including research to help regulators develop long-term
policies concerning the introduction of genetically engineered
animals, plants, and microorganisms into the environment.
Funding priority given to:
• appropriate management practices to minimize physical
and biological risks associated with genetically
engineered animals, plants, and microorganisms;
• methods for monitoring the dispersal of genetically
engineered animals, plants, and microorganisms;
• characteristics, rates, and methods of gene transfer
that may occur between genetically engineered animals,
plants, and microorganisms and related wild and agricultural
organisms;
• relative impacts of animals, plants, and microorganisms
modified through genetic engineering to other types
of production systems; and
• other areas of research to further the section's
purpose. Requires the Secretary
to consult with APHIS and the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education,
and Economics Advisory Board, and coordinate with
the
Environmental Protection Agency. Appropriates sums
as are necessary, and requires at least 2% of outlays for
grants. |
Research and development
for developing countries |
No similar provisions. |
Establishes a competitive
grants program through the Foreign Agricultural Service
for research and development in agricultural biotechnology
for developing countries. Eligible grantees include universities
with an agriculture or biosciences curriculum, nonprofit
organizations, or consortia of for-profit and agricultural
institutions. Funds biotechnology to develop crops for
developing countries. Priority projects include using
biotechnology to:
• enhance the nutritional content of agricultural
products,
• increase the yield and safety of agricultural products,
• increase the yield of agricultural products that
are drought- and stress-resistant,
• extend the growing range of crops,
• enhance the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables,
• develop environmentally sustainable agricultural
products, and
• develop vaccines to immunize against life-threatening
illnesses and other medications that can be administered
by consuming genetically engineered agricultural
products. Authorizes funds as are necessary for each of FY 2002-07. |
Top of page
Provisions |
1996-2001
farm legislation |
2002
Farm Bill |
Other research provisions |
Industrial products |
Extended grants for research
on production and marketing of alcohols and industrial
hydrocarbons from agricultural commodities and forest
products. |
Extends to FY 2007 research
on agricultural commodities and forestry products
as sources of alcohols and industrial hydrocarbons.
Adds "animal
fats and oils" to list of potential sources
of industrial hydrocarbons. |
Alternative crops and new
commercial products |
Added additional authority
to research for supplemental and alternative crops to
include research on the development of new commercial
products from natural plant materials. |
Extends alternative crops language
to FY 2007. Adds plant gene expression research for application
to alternative crops. |
Environmental and natural
resources research and extension priorities |
1998 AREER Act set wetlands
use and forest land use policies and multiple-use forest
management research as high-priority research and extension
initiatives. |
Adds the following high-priority
research and extension initiatives:
• wind erosion research,
• land use management tools research,
• water and air quality research,
• research on private land use and the environment,
and
• integrated pest management research. |
Top of page
Provisions |
1996-2001
farm legislation |
2002
Farm Bill |
Organic agriculture
|
Competitive grants and
research priorities |
1998 AREER Act authorized
the Secretary to make competitive grants to support research
and extension activities for organically grown and processed
agricultural commodities to:
• facilitate the development of organic agriculture
production and processing methods,
• evaluate potential economic benefits to producers
and processors who use organic methods, and
• explore international trade opportunities for organically
grown and processed agricultural commodities. |
Funding totals $3 million
annually, out of "funds not already appropriated." New
features for organic agriculture research include:
• using advanced genomics, field trials, and other
methods to identify desirable traits,
• classical and marker-assisted breeding to develop
public varieties optimized for organic systems,
• identifying marketing and policy constraints on
the expansion of organic agriculture, and
• advanced onfarm research of organic farms, including
production and socioeconomic conditions. |
Data collection and research |
No similar provisions. |
Includes segregated data on
the production and marketing of organic agricultural products
in ongoing data collection on agricultural production
and marketing. Facilitates access by research and extension
professionals, farmers, and others to organic research
conducted outside the U.S. Requires the Secretary to report
within 1 year on research and promotion of organic agricultural
products. |
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Provisions |
1996-2001 farm legislation |
2002 Farm Bill |
Rural development |
Competitive grants research |
The 1996 Farm Act established the Fund for Rural America
for rural development activities, including research,
education, and extension. Established competitive grants
for research on:
• Increasing international competitiveness, efficiency,
and farm profitability;
• Reducing economic and health risks;
• Conserving and enhancing natural resources;
• Developing new crops, new crop uses, and new
agricultural applications of biotechnology;
• Enhancing animal agricultural resources;
• Preserving plant and animal germplasm;
• Increasing economic opportunities in farming
and rural communities; and
• Expanding locally owned, value-added processing.
The 1996 Act authorized $100 million in funding annually
for FY 1997-99. 1998 AREER Act reduced Fund for Rural America (FRA)
funding from $100 million to $60 million per year, and
provided funding for FY 1998-2002.
|
Repeals Fund for Rural America, but adds an amendment
to the 1996 Farm Act that further prioritizes funding
under the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research
Grant Act to colleges, universities, or research foundations
maintained by a college or university that rank in the
lowest one-third of funding for such institutions.
Although the FRA has been repealed, IFAFS now contains
a high-priority research initiative addressing "rural,
economic, and business and community development."
(See IFAFS provisions above.) |
Beginning farmer and rancher
development program |
No similar provisions. |
Establishes a training, education, outreach, and technical
assistance competitive grants program for beginning
farmers or ranchers (who have not operated a farm or
operated a farm for 10 years or less). Provides 3-year
grants, with matching funds, for local and regional
training, education, outreach, and technical assistance
initiatives.
Collaborative State, tribal, local, or regionally based
network or partnership of public or private entities
are eligible. Funds will be set aside specifically for
limited-resource farms, socially disadvantaged farms,
or farmworkers wishing to farm. Authorizes necessary
funds for each of FY 2002-07. |
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Provisions |
1996-2001
farm legislation |
2002
Farm Bill |
Education and administration
of Land Grant institutions |
Education, including resident
instruction and distance education |
No similar provisions. |
Establishes a grant program to promote and strengthen
teaching programs of higher education in the food and
agricultural sciences at institutions of higher education
using digital network technologies.
Covers institutions in the insular areas of the U.S.
(Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of
the United States, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States
of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands,
and the Republic of Palau).
The Secretary may establish a matching fund requirement.
Authorizes necessary funds for each of FY 2002-07. |
Carryover funds for Land
Grant institutions |
Restricted carryover from 1
fiscal year to the next to 5% of funds allocated to an
institution. |
Remaining balance of unexpended
funds to Land Grant institutions may be carried over to
the next fiscal year only. |
1994
Institutions |
No similar provisions. |
Adds provisions affecting 1994
institutions, specifically a technical amendment for name
changes and appropriation of funds, and establishment
of 1994 institution eligibility for competitive grants
program. |
1890
Institutions |
Provided grants of $15 million
annually to upgrade agricultural and food sciences facilities
at 1890 Land Grant colleges, including Tuskegee University.
Matching funds requirement for 1890s institutions were
set at 50% for 2002 and subsequent fiscal years. This
requirement could be waived by the Secretary. |
Increases grants to upgrade agricultural and food
sciences facilities at 1890 Land Grant colleges, including
Tuskegee University, to $25 million annually. Revises
matching funds requirement for research and extension
activities with funding formulas intended to increase
the matching requirement for 1890s institutions to 100%
by FY 2007. This requirement can be waived by the Secretary. |
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Provisions |
1996-2001
farm legislation |
2002
Farm Bill |
Miscellaneous provisions |
Repeals and terminations |
National Advisory Board on
Agricultural Weather established in 1990. Task Force on
the 10-year strategic plan for agricultural research facilities
was to be established not less than 6 months after enactment
of the 1996 Farm Bill. Pesticide Resistance Study and
Expansion of Education Study were established in 1985. |
Repeals the National Advisory
Board on Agricultural Weather, intended to advise the
Director of the Agricultural Weather Office. Repeals the
Task Force on the 10-year strategic plan for agricultural
research facilities, and its review responsibilities.
Repeals the Pesticide Resistance Study and the Expansion
of Education Study. Certain Schedule A appointments are
terminated. |
Youth grants |
No similar provisions. |
Appropriates $8 million in
grants for Youth Organizations (e.g., 4H, Boy/Girl Scouts,
and Future Farmers of America). |
Senior Scientific Research
Service |
No similar provisions. |
Establishes a Senior Scientific
Research Service within USDA. |
|
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