956 
(2) STATUS.—The Foundation shall not be an 
agency or instrumentality of the United States Gov-
ernment. 
(c) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Foundation 
shall be— 
(1) to advance the research mission of the De-
partment by supporting agricultural research activi-
ties focused on addressing key problems of national 
and international significance including— 
(A) plant health, production, and plant 
products; 
(B) animal health, production, and prod-
ucts; 
(C) food safety, nutrition, and health; 
(D) renewable energy, natural resources, 
and the environment; 
(E) agricultural and food security; 
(F) agriculture systems and technology; 
and 
(G) agriculture economics and rural com-
munities; and 
(2) to foster collaboration with agricultural re-
searchers from the Federal Government, institutions 
of higher education, industry, and nonprofit organi-
zations. 
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957 
(d) DUTIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Foundation shall— 
(A) award grants to, or enter into con-
tracts, memoranda of understanding, or cooper-
ative agreements with, scientists and entities, 
which may include agricultural research agen-
cies in the Department, university consortia, 
public-private partnerships, institutions of high-
er education, nonprofit organizations, and in-
dustry, to efficiently and effectively advance the 
goals and priorities of the Foundation; 
(B) in consultation with the Secretary— 
(i) identify existing and proposed Fed-
eral intramural and extramural research 
and development programs relating to the 
purposes of the Foundation described in 
subsection (c); and 
(ii) coordinate Foundation activities 
with those programs so as to minimize du-
plication of existing efforts; 
(C) identify unmet and emerging agricul-
tural research needs after reviewing the Road-
map for Agricultural Research, Education and 
Extension as required by section 7504 of the 
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958 
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 7614a); 
(D) facilitate technology transfer and re-
lease of information and data gathered from the 
activities of the Foundation to the agricultural 
research community; 
(E) promote and encourage the develop-
ment of the next generation of agricultural re-
search scientists; and 
(F) carry out such other activities as the 
Board determines to be consistent with the pur-
poses of the Foundation. 
(2) AUTHORITY.—Subject to paragraph (3), the 
Foundation shall be the sole entity responsible for 
carrying out the duties enumerated in this sub-
section. 
(3) RELATIONSHIP
TO
OTHER
ACTIVITIES.— 
The activities described in paragraph (1) shall be 
supplemental to any other activities at the Depart-
ment and shall not preempt any authority or respon-
sibility of the Department under another provision 
of law. 
(e) BOARD OF DIRECTORS.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Foundation shall 
be governed by a Board of Directors. 
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959 
(2) COMPOSITION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Board shall be 
composed of appointed and ex-officio, nonvoting 
members. 
(B) EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS.—The ex-officio 
members of the Board shall be the following in-
dividuals or designees: 
(i) The Secretary. 
(ii) The Under Secretary of Agri-
culture for Research, Education, and Eco-
nomics. 
(iii) The Administrator of the Agricul-
tural Research Service. 
(iv) The Director of the National In-
stitute of Food and Agriculture. 
(v) The Director of the National 
Science Foundation. 
(C) APPOINTED MEMBERS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The ex-officio mem-
bers of the Board under subparagraph (B) 
shall, by majority vote, appoint to the 
Board 15 individuals, of whom— 
(I) 8 shall be selected from a list 
of candidates to be provided by the 
National Academy of Sciences; and 
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