105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2534
AN ACT
To reform, extend, and repeal certain agricultural
research, extension, and education programs, and
for other purposes.
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reau-
thorization Act of 1997’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I—COORDINATION, PLANNING, AND DEFINITIONS
REGARDING 
AGRICULTURAL 
RESEARCH, 
EXTENSION,
AND EDUCATION
Sec. 101. Priorities and management principles for federally supported and
conducted agricultural research, education, and extension.
Sec. 102. Principal definitions regarding agricultural research, education, and
extension.
Sec. 103. Consultation with National Agricultural Research, Extension, Edu-
cation, and Economics Advisory Board.
Sec. 104. Relevance and merit of federally funded agricultural research, exten-
sion, and education.
Sec. 105. Expansion of authority to enter into cost-reimbursable agreements.
Sec. 106. Evaluation and assessment of agricultural research, extension, and
education programs.
TITLE II—REFORM OF EXISTING RESEARCH, EXTENSION,
AND EDUCATION AUTHORITIES
Subtitle A—Smith-Lever Act and Hatch Act of 1887
Sec. 201. Adoption of short titles for Smith-Lever Act and Hatch Act of 1887.
Sec. 202. Consistent matching funds requirements under Hatch Act of 1887
and Smith-Lever Act.
Sec. 203. Plans of work to address critical research and extension issues and
use of protocols to measure success of plans.
Subtitle B—National Agricultural Research, Extension, and
Teaching Policy Act of 1977
Sec. 211. Plans of work for 1890 land-grant colleges to address critical re-
search and extension issues and use of protocols to measure
success of plans.
Sec. 212. Matching funds requirement for research and extension activities at
1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University.
Sec. 213. International research, extension, and teaching.
Sec. 214. Task force on 10-year strategic plan for agricultural research facili-
ties.
Subtitle C—Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of
1990
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Sec. 231. Agricultural genome initiative.
Subtitle D—National Research Initiative
Sec. 241. Waiver of matching requirement for certain small colleges and univer-
sities.
Subtitle E—Other Existing Laws
Sec. 251. Findings, authorities, and competitive research grants under Forest
and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978.
TITLE III—EXTENSION OR REPEAL OF RESEARCH,
EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES
Subtitle A—Extensions
Sec. 301. National Research Initiative under Competitive, Special, and Facili-
ties Research Grant Act.
Sec. 302. Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994.
Sec. 303. Education grants programs for Hispanic-serving institutions.
Sec. 304. General authorization for agricultural research programs.
Sec. 305. General authorization for extension education.
Sec. 306. Grants and fellowships for food and agricultural sciences education.
Sec. 307. Grants for research on the production and marketing of alcohols and
industrial hydrocarbons from agricultural commodities and for-
est products.
Sec. 308. Policy research centers.
Sec. 309. Human nutrition intervention and health promotion research pro-
gram.
Sec. 310. Pilot research program to combine medical and agricultural research.
Sec. 311. Food and nutrition education program.
Sec. 312. Animal health and disease continuing research.
Sec. 313. Animal health and disease national or regional research.
Sec. 314. Grant program to upgrade agricultural and food sciences facilities at
1890 land-grant colleges.
Sec. 315. National research and training centennial centers.
Sec. 316. Supplemental and alternative crops research.
Sec. 317. Aquaculture research and extension.
Sec. 318. Rangeland research.
Sec. 319. Federal agricultural research facilities.
Sec. 320. Water quality research, education, and coordination.
Sec. 321. National genetics resources program.
Sec. 322. Agricultural telecommunications program.
Sec. 323. Assistive technology program for farmers with disabilities.
Sec. 324. National Rural Information Center Clearinghouse.
Sec. 325. Critical Agricultural Materials Act.
Subtitle B—Repeals
Sec. 341. Aquaculture research facilities.
Sec. 342. Agricultural research program under National Agricultural Research,
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act Amendments of 1981.
Sec. 343. Livestock product safety and inspection program.
Sec. 344. Generic authorization of appropriations.
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TITLE IV—NEW RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION
INITIATIVES
Subtitle A—Partnerships for High-Value Agricultural Product
Quality Research.
Sec. 401. Definitions.
Sec. 402. Establishment and characteristics of partnerships.
Sec. 403. Elements of grant making process.
Sec. 404. Authorization of appropriations and related provisions.
Subtitle B—Precision Agriculture
Sec. 411. Definitions.
Sec. 412. Competitive grants to promote precision agriculture.
Sec. 413. Reservation of funds for education and information dissemination
projects.
Sec. 414. Precision agriculture partnerships.
Sec. 415. Miscellaneous provisions.
Sec. 416. Authorization of appropriations.
Subtitle C—Other Initiatives
Sec. 421. High-priority research and extension initiatives.
Sec. 422. Organic agriculture research and extension initiative.
Sec. 423. United States-Mexico joint agricultural research.
Sec. 424. Competitive grants for international agricultural science and edu-
cation programs.
Sec. 425. Food animal residue avoidance database program.
Sec. 426. Development and commercialization of new biobased products.
Sec. 427. Thomas Jefferson Initiative for Crop Diversification.
Sec. 428. Integrated research, education, and extension competitive grants pro-
gram.
Sec. 429. Research grants under Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act
of 1994.
TITLE V—MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Sec. 501. Role of Secretary of Agriculture regarding food and agricultural
sciences research, education, and extension.
Sec. 502. Office of Pest Management Policy.
Sec. 503. Food Safety Research Information Office and national conference.
Sec. 504. Nutrient composition data.
Sec. 505. Availability of funds received or collected on behalf of National Arbo-
retum.
Sec. 506. Retention and use of Agricultural Research Service patent culture
collection fees.
Sec. 507. Reimbursement of expenses incurred under Sheep Promotion, Re-
search, and Information Act of 1994.
Sec. 508. Designation of Kika de la Garza Subtropical Agricultural Research
Center, Weslaco, Texas.
Sec. 509. Sense of Congress regarding Agricultural Research Service emphasis
on in field research regarding methyl bromide alternatives.
Sec. 510. Sense of Congress regarding importance of school-based agricultural
education.
Sec. 511. Sense of Congress regarding designation of Department Crisis Man-
agement Team.
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TITLE I—COORDINATION, PLAN-
NING, AND DEFINITIONS RE-
GARDING AGRICULTURAL RE-
SEARCH, 
EXTENSION, 
AND
EDUCATION
SEC. 101. PRIORITIES AND MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES FOR
FEDERALLY SUPPORTED AND CONDUCTED
AGRICULTURAL 
RESEARCH, 
EDUCATION,
AND EXTENSION.
(a) PRIORITY SETTING PROCESS.—Section 1402 of
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101) is amend-
ed—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a) PURPOSES.—’’ before
‘‘The purposes’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(b) PRIORITY SETTING PROCESS.—Consistent with
subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish priorities for
agricultural research, extension, and education activities
conducted or funded by the Department. In establishing
such priorities, the Secretary shall solicit and consider
input and recommendations from the Advisory Board and
persons who conduct or use agricultural research, exten-
sion, or education.’’.
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(b) MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES.—Such section is fur-
ther amended by adding after subsection (b), as added by
subsection (a)(2), the following new subsection:
‘‘(c) MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES.—To the maximum
extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that agricul-
tural research, education, and extension activities con-
ducted or funded by the Department are accomplished in
a manner that—
‘‘(1) integrates agricultural research, education,
and extension functions to better link research to
technology transfer and information dissemination
activities;
‘‘(2) encourages multi-State and multi-institu-
tional programs to address relevant issues of com-
mon concern and to better leverage scarce resources;
and
‘‘(3) achieves agricultural research, education,
and extension objectives through multi-institutional
and multifunctional approaches and by conducting
research at facilities and institutions best equipped
to achieve those objectives.’’.
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The heading of such
section is amended by inserting ‘‘, PRIORITIES, AND
MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES’’ after ‘‘PURPOSES’’.
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SEC. 102. PRINCIPAL DEFINITIONS REGARDING AGRICUL-
TURAL RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTEN-
SION.
(a) FOOD
AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES.—Para-
graph (8) of section 1404 of the National Agricultural Re-
search, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7
U.S.C. 3103) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(8) FOOD
AND
AGRICULTURAL
SCIENCES.—
The term ‘food and agricultural sciences’ means
basic, applied, and developmental research, exten-
sion, and teaching activities in food and fiber, agri-
cultural, renewable natural resources, forestry, and
physical and social sciences, including (but not lim-
ited to) activities relating to the following:
‘‘(A) Animal health, production, and well-
being.
‘‘(B) Plant health and production.
‘‘(C) Animal and plant germ plasm collec-
tion and preservation.
‘‘(D) Aquaculture.
‘‘(E) Food safety.
‘‘(F) Soil and water conservation and im-
provement.
‘‘(G) Forestry, horticulture, and range
management.
‘‘(H) Nutritional sciences and promotion.
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‘‘(I) Farm enhancement, including finan-
cial management, input efficiency, and profit-
ability.
‘‘(J) Home economics.
‘‘(K) Rural human ecology.
‘‘(L) Youth development and agricultural
education, including 4–H.
‘‘(M) Expansion of domestic and inter-
national markets for agricultural commodities
and products, including agricultural trade bar-
rier identification and comprehension.
‘‘(N) Information management and tech-
nology transfer related to agriculture.
‘‘(O) 
Biotechnology 
related 
to 
agri-
culture.’’.
(b) REFERENCES TO TEACHING OR EDUCATION.—
Paragraph (14) of such section is amended by striking
‘‘the term ‘teaching’ means’’ and inserting ‘‘TEACHING
AND EDUCATION.—The terms ‘teaching’ and ‘education’
mean’’.
(c) APPLICATION
OF DEFINITIONS
TO AGRICUL-
TURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION.—Such
section is further amended by striking the section heading
and all that follows through the matter preceding para-
graph (1) and inserting the following:
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‘‘SEC. 1404. PRINCIPAL DEFINITIONS REGARDING AGRICUL-
TURAL RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTEN-
SION.
‘‘When used in this title or any other law relating
to any research, extension, or education activities of the
Department of Agriculture regarding the food and agricul-
tural sciences (unless the context requires otherwise):’’.
(d) IN-KIND SUPPORT.—Such section is further
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(18) IN-KIND
SUPPORT.—The term ‘in-kind
support’, with regard to a requirement that the re-
cipient of funds provided by the Secretary match all
or some portion of the amount of the funds, means
contributions such as office space, equipment, and
staff support.’’.
(e) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section is
further amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘the term’’ in paragraphs (1),
(2), (3), (5), (6), (7), (10) through (13), and (15),
(16), and (17) and inserting ‘‘The term’’;
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘the terms’’
and inserting ‘‘The terms’’;
(3) in paragraph (9), by striking ‘‘the term’’
the first place it appears and inserting ‘‘The term’’;
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(4) by striking the semicolon at the end of
paragraphs (1) through (7) and (9) through (15)
and inserting a period; and
(5) in paragraph (16)(F), by striking ‘‘; and’’
and inserting a period.
SEC. 103. CONSULTATION WITH NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL
RESEARCH, EXTENSION, EDUCATION, AND
ECONOMICS ADVISORY BOARD.
Subsection (d) of section 1408 of the National Agri-
cultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of
1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(d) CONSULTATION.—
‘‘(1) AS AFFECTING ADVISORY BOARD.—In car-
rying out this section, the Advisory Board shall so-
licit opinions and recommendations from persons
who will benefit from and use federally funded agri-
cultural research, extension, education, and econom-
ics.
‘‘(2) AS AFFECTING SECRETARY.—To comply
with a provision of this title or any other law that
requires the Secretary to consult or cooperate with
the Advisory Board or that authorizes the Advisory
Board to submit recommendations to the Secretary,
the Secretary shall—
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‘‘(A) solicit the written opinions and rec-
ommendations of the Advisory Board; and
‘‘(B) provide a written response to the Ad-
visory Board regarding the manner and extent
to which the Secretary will implement rec-
ommendations 
submitted 
by 
the 
Advisory
Board.’’.
SEC. 104. RELEVANCE AND MERIT OF FEDERALLY FUNDED
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND
EDUCATION.
(a) REVIEW OF RELEVANCE AND MERIT.—Subtitle
K of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 is amended by inserting be-
fore section 1463 (7 U.S.C. 3311) the following new sec-
tion:
‘‘SEC. 1461. RELEVANCE AND MERIT OF FEDERALLY FUND-
ED AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION,
AND EDUCATION.
‘‘(a) REVIEW OF COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH,
EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION SERVICE.—
‘‘(1) PEER REVIEW OF RESEARCH GRANTS.—
The Secretary shall establish procedures that pro-
vide for scientific peer review of each agricultural re-
search grant administered, on a competitive basis,
•HR 2534 EH1S
by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service of the Department.
‘‘(2) MERIT REVIEW OF EXTENSION AND EDU-
CATION.—The Secretary shall establish procedures
that provide for merit review of each agricultural ex-
tension or education grant administered, on a com-
petitive basis, by the Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service. The Secretary
shall consult with the Advisory Board in establishing
such merit review procedures.
‘‘(b) REQUESTS
FOR PROPOSALS: REQUEST
AND
CONSIDERATION OF INPUT.—When formulating a request
for proposals involving an agricultural research, extension,
or education activity to be funded by the Secretary on a
competitive basis, the Secretary shall solicit and consider
input from the Advisory Board and users of agricultural
research, extension, and education regarding the request
for proposals for the preceding year. If an agricultural re-
search, extension, or education activity has not been the
subject of a previous request for proposals, the Secretary
shall solicit and consider input from the Advisory Board
and users of agricultural research, extension, and edu-
cation before publication of the first request for proposals
regarding the activity.
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‘‘(c) SCIENTIFIC PEER REVIEW OF AGRICULTURAL
RESEARCH.—
‘‘(1) PEER
REVIEW
PROCEDURES.—The Sec-
retary shall establish procedures that ensure sci-
entific peer review of all research activities con-
ducted by the Department of Agriculture.
‘‘(2) REVIEW
PANEL
REQUIRED.—As part of
the procedures established under paragraph (1), a
review panel shall verify, at least once every three
years, that each research activity of the Department
and research conducted under each research pro-
gram of the Department have scientific merit and
relevance. If the research activity or program to be
reviewed is included in the research, educational,
and economics mission area of the Department, the
review panel shall consider—
‘‘(A) the scientific merit and relevance of
the activity or research in light of the priorities
established pursuant to section 1402(b) ; and
‘‘(B) the national or multi-State signifi-
cance of the activity or research.
‘‘(3) COMPOSITION OF REVIEW PANEL.—A re-
view panel shall be composed of individuals with sci-
entific expertise, a majority of whom are not employ-
ees of the agency whose research is being reviewed.
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To the extent possible, the Secretary shall use sci-
entists from colleges and universities to serve on the
review panels.
‘‘(4) SUBMISSION OF RESULTS.—The results of
the panel reviews shall be submitted to the Advisory
Board.
‘‘(5) APPLICABILITY
OF
OTHER
LAWS.—The
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)
and title XVIII of this Act (7 U.S.C. 2281 et seq.)
shall not apply to a review panel.
‘‘(d) MERIT REVIEW OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY
RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) LAND-GRANT
INSTITUTIONS.—Effective
beginning October 1, 1998, to be eligible to obtain
agricultural research or extension funds from the
Secretary for an activity, a land-grant college or uni-
versity shall—
‘‘(A) establish a process for merit review of
the activity; and
‘‘(B) review the activity in accordance with
the process.
‘‘(2) 1994 INSTITUTIONS.—Effective beginning
October 1, 1998, to obtain agricultural extension
funds from the Secretary for an activity, each 1994
Institution (as defined in section 532 of the Equity
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in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994
(Public Law 103–382; 7 U.S.C. 301 note)) shall—
‘‘(A) establish a process for merit review of
the activity; and
‘‘(B) review the activity in accordance with
the process.’’.
(b) REPEAL
OF PROVISIONS
FOR WITHHOLDING
FUNDS.—
(1) SMITH-LEVER
ACT.—Section 6 of the
Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 346) is repealed.
(2) HATCH
ACT
OF
1887.—Section 7 of the
Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361g) is amended by
striking the last paragraph.
(3) NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EX-
TENSION, AND TEACHING POLICY ACT OF 1977.—The
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 is amended—
(A) in section 1444 (7 U.S.C. 3221)—
(i) by striking subsection (f); and
(ii) by redesignating subsection (g) as
subsection (f);
(B) in section 1445(g) (7 U.S.C. 3222(g)),
by striking paragraph (3); and
(C) by striking section 1468 (7 U.S.C.
3314).
•HR 2534 EH1S
SEC. 105. EXPANSION OF AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO
COST-REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENTS.
Section 1473A of the National Agricultural Research,
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
3319a) is amended in the first sentence by inserting ‘‘or
other colleges and universities’’ after ‘‘institutions’’.
SEC. 106. EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT OF AGRICUL-
TURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDU-
CATION PROGRAMS.
(a) EVALUATION.—The Secretary shall conduct a
performance evaluation to determine whether agricultural
research, extension, and education programs conducted or
funded by the Department of Agriculture result in public
benefits that have national or multi-State significance.
(b) GUIDELINES
FOR
PERFORMANCE
MEASURE-
MENT.—The Secretary shall develop practical guidelines
for measuring the performance of agricultural research,
extension and education programs evaluated under sub-
section (a).
•HR 2534 EH1S
TITLE II—REFORM OF EXISTING
RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND
EDUCATION AUTHORITIES
Subtitle A—Smith-Lever Act and
Hatch Act of 1887
SEC. 201. ADOPTION OF SHORT TITLES FOR SMITH-LEVER
ACT AND HATCH ACT OF 1887.
(a) SMITH-LEVER ACT.—The Act of May 8, 1914
(commonly known as the Smith-Lever Act; 7 U.S.C. 341
et seq.), is amended by adding at the end the following
new section:
‘‘SEC. 11. SHORT TITLE.
‘‘This Act may be cited as the ‘Smith-Lever Act’.’’.
(b) HATCH ACT OF 1887.—The Act of March 2,
1887 (commonly known as the Hatch Act of 1887; 7
U.S.C. 361a et seq.), is amended by adding at the end
the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 10. SHORT TITLE.
‘‘This Act may be cited as the ‘Hatch Act of 1887’.’’.
(c) COORDINATION WITH OTHER AMENDMENTS.—
For purposes of executing amendments made by provi-
sions of this Act (other than this section), this section
shall be treated as having been enacted immediately before
the other provisions of this Act.
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SEC. 202. CONSISTENT MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENTS
UNDER HATCH ACT OF 1887 AND SMITH-
LEVER ACT.
(a) HATCH ACT OF 1887.—Subsection (d) of section
3 of the Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361c) is amended
to read as follows:
‘‘(d) MATCHING FUNDS.—
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT.—Except as provided in
paragraph (4), no allotment shall be made to a State
under subsections (b) and (c), and no payments of
such allotment shall be made to a State, in excess
of the amount which the State makes available out
of non-Federal funds for agricultural research and
for the establishment and maintenance of facilities
for the performance of such research.
‘‘(2) 
FAILURE
TO
PROVIDE
MATCHING
FUNDS.—If a State fails to comply with the require-
ment to provide matching funds for a fiscal year
under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Agriculture
shall withhold from payment to the State for that
fiscal year an amount equal to the difference be-
tween—
‘‘(A) the amount that would be allotted
and paid to the State under subsections (b) and
(c) (if the full amount of matching funds were
provided by the State); and
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‘‘(B) the amount of matching funds actu-
ally provided by the State.
‘‘(3) REAPPORTIONMENT.—The Secretary shall
reapportion amounts withheld under paragraph (2)
for a fiscal year among the States satisfying the
matching requirement for that fiscal year. Any re-
apportionment of funds under this paragraph shall
be subject to the matching requirement specified in
paragraph (1).
‘‘(4) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not
apply to funds provided to a State from the Regional
research fund, State agricultural experiment sta-
tions.’’.
(b) SMITH-LEVER ACT.—Section 3 of the Smith-
Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 343) is amended—
(1) in subsection (c)2, by striking ‘‘That pay-
ments’’ and all that follows through ‘‘Provided fur-
ther,’’; and
(2) by striking subsections (e) and (f) and in-
serting the following new subsections:
‘‘(e) MATCHING FUNDS.—
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT.—No allotment shall be
made to a State under subsections (b) and (c), and
no payments of such allotment shall be made to a
State, in excess of the amount which the State