(d) SOURCE OF FUNDS.—To carry out this section, the
Secretary may use—
(1) funds appropriated to carry out this section;
and
(2) funds available for cooperative research and
development agreements (as described in subsection
(b)).
(e) SALE OF DEVELOPED PRODUCTS.—The Secretary
shall authorize the private partner or partners in a cooper-
ative agreement consistent with this section to sell new
biobased products produced at a pilot plant under the
agreement for the purpose of determining the market poten-
tial for the products.
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec-
essary to carry out this section.
SEC. 427. THOMAS JEFFERSON INITIATIVE FOR CROP DI-
VERSIFICATION.
(a) INITIATIVE REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture shall provide for a research initiative (to be known
as the ‘‘Thomas Jefferson Initiative for Crop Diversifica-
tion’’) for the purpose of conducting research and develop-
ment, in cooperation with other public and private entities,
on the production and marketing of new and nontraditional
crops needed to strengthen and diversify the agricultural
100
production base of the United States. The initiative shall
include research and education efforts regarding new and
nontraditional crops designed—
(1) to identify and overcome agronomic barriers
to profitable production;
(2) to identify and overcome other production
and marketing barriers; and
(3) to develop processing and utilization tech-
nologies for new and nontraditional crops.
(b) PURPOSES.—The initiative is established—
(1) to develop a focused program of research and
development at the regional and national level to
overcome barriers to development of new crop oppor-
tunities for farmers and related value-added enter-
prise development in rural communities; and
(2) to ensure a broad-based effort encompassing
research, education, market development, and support
of entrepreneurial activity leading to increased agri-
cultural diversification.
(c) ESTABLISHMENT OF INITIATIVE.—The Secretary
shall coordinate the initiative through a nonprofit center
or institute that will coordinate research and education pro-
grams in cooperation with other public and private entities.
The Secretary shall administer research and education
grants made under this section.
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(d) REGIONAL EMPHASIS.—The Secretary shall sup-
port development of multi-State regional efforts in crop di-
versification. Of funding made available to carry out the
initiative, 50 percent shall be used for regional efforts cen-
tered at land-grant colleges and universities in order to fa-
cilitate site-specific crop development efforts.
(e) ELIGIBLE GRANTEE.—The Secretary may award
funds under this section to colleges or universities, nonprofit
organizations, or public agencies.
(f) ADMINISTRATION.—
(1) GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.—Grants awarded
through the initiative shall be selected on a competi-
tive basis. The recipient of a grant may use a portion
of the grant funds for standard contracts with private
businesses, such as for test processing of a new or
nontraditional crop.
(2) TERMS.—The term of a grant awarded
through the initiative may not exceed five years.
(3) MATCHING FUNDS.—The Secretary shall re-
quire the recipient of a grant awarded through the
initiative to contribute an amount of funds from non-
Federal sources at least equal to the amount provided
by the Federal Government.
102
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec-
essary to carry out this section.
SEC. 428. INTEGRATED RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EX-
TENSION COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM.
(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this section to au-
thorize the Secretary of Agriculture to establish an inte-
grated research, education, and extension competitive grant
program to provide funding for integrated, multi-functional
research, education, and extension activities.
(b) COMPETITIVE GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—Subject to
the appropriation of funds to carry out this section, the Sec-
retary may award grants to colleges and universities (as
defined in section 1404(4) of the National Agricultural Re-
search, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7
U.S.C. 3103(4))) on a competitive basis for integrated re-
search, education, and extension projects in accordance with
the provisions of this section.
(c) CRITERIA FOR GRANTS.—Grants under this section
shall be awarded to address priorities in United States ag-
riculture, determined by the Secretary in consultation with
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education,
and Economics Advisory Board, which involve integrated
research, education, and extension activities.
(d) MATCHING OF FUNDS.—
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(1) GENERAL REQUIREMENT.—If a grant under
this section is to the particular benefit of a specific
agricultural commodity, the Secretary shall require
the recipient of the grant to provide funds or in-kind
support to match the amount of funds provided by the
Secretary in the grant.
(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the
matching funds requirement specified in paragraph
(1) with respect to a grant if the Secretary determines
that—
(A) the results of the project, while of par-
ticular benefit to a specific agricultural commod-
ity, are likely to be applicable to agricultural
commodities generally; or
(B) the project involves a minor commodity,
deals with scientifically important research, and
the grant recipient would be unable to satisfy the
matching funds requirement.
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec-
essary for each of the fiscal years 1998 through 2002 to
carry out this section.
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SEC. 429. RESEARCH GRANTS UNDER EQUITY IN EDU-
CATIONAL LAND-GRANT STATUS ACT OF 1994.
The Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of
1994 (Public Law 103–382; 7 U.S.C. 301 note) is amended
by adding at the end the following new section—
‘‘SEC. 536. RESEARCH GRANTS.
‘‘(a) RESEARCH GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Sec-
retary of Agriculture may make grants under this section
on the basis of a competitive application process (and in
accordance with such regulations that the Secretary may
promulgate) to a 1994 Institution to assist the 1995 Institu-
tion to conduct agricultural research that addresses high
priority concerns of tribal, national, or multi-state signifi-
cance.
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Grant applications submitted
under this section shall certify that the research to be con-
ducted will be performed under a cooperative agreement
with at least one other land-grant college or university (ex-
clusive of another 1994 Institution).
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.—There are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec-
essary to carry out this section for each of the fiscal years
1998 through 2002. Amounts appropriated shall remain
available until expended.’’.