457 
(I) Food and Agriculture Sciences National 
Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship 
Grants (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(6)). 
(J) International Science and Education 
Competitive Grants (7 U.S.C. 3292b). 
(K) Community Food Projects Competitive 
Grants (7 U.S.C. 2034). 
(L) Risk Management Education (7 U.S.C. 
1524). 
(M) High Priority Research and Extension 
Areas (7 U.S.C. 5925). 
(N) Such other programs or parts of pro-
grams as determined appropriate by the Sec-
retary. 
(3) CAPACITY PROGRAM CRITICAL BASE FUND-
ING.—The term ‘‘capacity program critical base fund-
ing’’ means the aggregate amount of Federal funds 
made available for all or individual capacity pro-
grams for fiscal year 2007, as appropriate. 
(4) COMPETITIVE
PROGRAM
CRITICAL
BASE 
FUNDING.—The term ‘‘competitive program critical 
base funding’’ means the aggregate amount of Federal 
funds made available for all or individual competitive 
programs for fiscal year 2007, as appropriate. 
(5) ASCARR INSTITUTION.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘ASCARR In-
stitution’’ means a public college or university 
offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the 
study of agriculture. 
(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘ASCARR In-
stitution’’ does not include Hispanic-serving ag-
ricultural colleges or any institution designated 
under— 
(i) the Act of July 2, 1862 (commonly 
known as the ‘‘First Morrill Act’’; 7 U.S.C. 
301 et seq.); 
(ii) the Act of August 30, 1890 (com-
monly known as the ‘‘Second Morrill Act’’; 
7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.); or 
(iii) the Equity in Educational Land- 
Grant Status Act of 1994 (Public Law 103– 
382; 7 U.S.C. 301 note). 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(7) DIRECTORS.—The term ‘‘Directors’’ refers to 
those directors appointed under section 7104. 
(8) UNDER SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Under Sec-
retary’’ means the Under Secretary of Agriculture for 
Research, Education, and Economics. 
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459 
(9) 
HISPANIC-SERVING
AGRICULTURAL
COL-
LEGE.—The term ‘‘Hispanic-serving agricultural col-
lege’’ means a college or university that— 
(A) qualifies as a ‘‘Hispanic-serving insti-
tution’’ as defined in section 502(a)(5) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1101a(a)(5)); and 
(B) offers a baccalaureate degree program 
in an agricultural or food science-related dis-
cipline. 
SEC. 7102. BUDGET SUBMISSION AND FUNDING. 
(a) BUDGET REQUEST.—The President shall submit to 
Congress, together with the annual budget submission of the 
President, a single budget line item reflecting the total 
amount requested by the President for funding for capacity 
programs, and a single budget line item reflecting the total 
amount requested by the President for funding for competi-
tive programs for that fiscal year and for the previous 5 
fiscal years. 
(b) CAPACITY PROGRAM REQUEST.— 
(1) CRITICAL
BASE
FUNDING.—Up to the 
amount of the capacity program critical base funding 
level, any funds requested for capacity programs in 
the budget submission single line item shall be appor-
tioned among the capacity programs based on prior-
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460 
ities established by the Under Secretary in conjunc-
tion with the Directors. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
FUNDING.—Of the funds re-
quested for capacity programs in excess of the capac-
ity program critical base funding level, budgetary em-
phasis should be placed on enhancing funding for the 
1890, 1994, ASCARR Institutions, Hispanic-serving 
agricultural colleges, and small 1862 institutions. 
(c) COMPETITIVE PROGRAM REQUEST.— 
(1) CRITICAL
BASE
FUNDING.—Up to the 
amount of the competitive program critical base fund-
ing level, any funds requested for competitive pro-
grams in the budget submission single line item shall 
be apportioned among the competitive programs based 
on priorities established by the Under Secretary in 
conjunction with the Directors. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
FUNDING.—Of the funds re-
quested for competitive programs in excess of the com-
petitive program critical base funding level, budg-
etary emphasis shall be placed on enhancing funding 
for emerging problems and their solutions. 
(d) FUNDING.— 
(1) CRITICAL BASE FUNDING.—Up to the total 
aggregate amount of the capacity program critical 
base funding level and the competitive program crit-
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461 
ical base funding level, funds appropriated or other-
wise made available shall be apportioned among each 
of the capacity programs and the competitive pro-
grams based on priorities established by the Under 
Secretary in conjunction with the Directors. 
(2) ADDITIONAL FUNDING.— 
(A) CAPACITY FUNDING.—Of the funds ap-
propriated or otherwise made available for ca-
pacity programs in excess of the capacity pro-
gram critical base funding level, funding empha-
sis should be placed on enhancing funding for 
the 1890, 1994, ASCARR Institutions, Hispanic- 
serving agricultural colleges, and small 1862 in-
stitutions. 
(B) COMPETITIVE FUNDING.—Of the funds 
appropriated or otherwise made available for 
competitive programs in excess of the competitive 
program critical base funding level, budgetary 
emphasis shall be placed on enhancing funding 
for emerging problems and solutions. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are 
authorized to be appropriated such sums as necessary to 
carry out this section. 
(f) COMPETITIVE PROGRAMS.—For the purposes of this 
section, the term ‘‘competitive programs’’ includes only 
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those programs for which annual appropriations are re-
quested in the President’s budget. 
SEC. 7103. ADDITIONAL PURPOSES OF AGRICULTURAL RE-
SEARCH AND EXTENSION. 
Section 1403 of the National Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3102) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (7), by striking the period and 
inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding after paragraph (7) the following: 
‘‘(8) to integrate and organize the administra-
tion of the agricultural research, extension, education, 
and related programs administered by the Secretary 
of Agriculture to respond to 21st century challenges 
and continue to meet the needs of society from a local, 
tribal, State, national, and international perspective; 
‘‘(9) to minimize duplication, and maximize co-
ordination and integration, among all of the pro-
grams at all levels through a solution-based approach; 
and 
‘‘(10) to position the agricultural research, exten-
sion, education, and related programs system to in-
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crease the contribution of the system to society 
through the expansion of the portfolio of the system.’’. 
SEC. 7104. NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH PROGRAM 
OFFICE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Under Secretary shall or-
ganize within the office of the Under Secretary 6 research 
Program Offices to be known collectively as the National 
Agricultural Research Program Office, which shall coordi-
nate the programs and activities of the research agencies 
within the mission area in an integrated, multidisci-
plinary, interdisciplinary, interagency, and interinstitu-
tional manner, to the maximum extent practicable. The 
Program Offices within the National Agricultural Research 
Program Office are as follows: 
(1) Renewable energy, natural resources, and en-
vironment. 
(2) Food safety, nutrition, and health. 
(3) Plant health and production. 
(4) Animal health and production and animal 
products. 
(5) Agriculture systems and technology. 
(6) Agriculture economics and rural commu-
nities. 
(b) QUALIFICATIONS OF DIRECTORS.— 
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(1) APPOINTMENT
AND
CLASSIFICATION.—The 
Under Secretary shall appoint a Director for each 
Program Office as a senior level position in the com-
petitive service. 
(2) QUALIFICATIONS.—To be eligible for appoint-
ment as a Director, an individual shall have— 
(A) conducted outstanding research, edu-
cation, or extension in the field of agriculture or 
forestry; 
(B) earned a doctoral level degree at an in-
stitution of higher education (as defined in sec-
tion 101 of Public Law 89–329 (20 U.S.C. 
1001)); and 
(C) met qualification standards prescribed 
by the Director of the Office of Personnel Man-
agement for appointment to a senior level posi-
tion of the competitive service. 
(c) DUTIES OF DIRECTORS.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided in this Act, each Director as appointed by the Sec-
retary shall— 
(1) formulate programs in consultation with the 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, Edu-
cation, and Economics Advisory Board (7 U.S.C. 
3123) (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Board’’); 
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(2) assess strategic workforce needs of research, 
education, extension, and other fields; 
(3) cooperate with the Board to plan programs 
that assist in meeting the future personnel needs of 
disciplines and programs; 
(4) develop strategic planning for department- 
wide research, education, extension, and related ac-
tivities; 
(5) establish department-wide priorities for re-
search, education, extension, and related programs; 
(6) communicate with research, education, and 
extension beneficiaries to identify their needs; and 
(7) perform such other duties deemed necessary 
by the Secretary. 
(d) ADMINISTRATION.—The Under Secretary, in con-
junction with the Directors and in consultation with the 
Board, shall direct and coordinate research, education, and 
extension programs within the relevant agencies of the De-
partment of Agriculture to focus those programs, and the 
participants, grantees, and other beneficiaries of those pro-
grams, on— 
(1) understanding important problem areas and 
opportunities relating to a program; 
(2) discovering and implementing solutions to 
address those problem areas; 
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(3) exploring other opportunities provided under 
the programs; and 
(4) national, regional and local priorities. 
(e) PROGRAM INTEGRATION AND COORDINATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with applicable 
law (including regulations), the Under Secretary, in 
coordination with the Director of each Program Office 
and taking into consideration the advice of the Board, 
shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that 
the research, education, and extension programs are 
administered, funded, and carried out— 
(A) in an integrated, multidisciplinary, 
interdisciplinary, interagency, and interinstitu-
tional manner that ensures— 
(i) the most efficient collaborative use 
of resources; and 
(ii) the focus of all resources and ac-
tivities on strategic, priority, problem, op-
portunity, and solution areas identified by 
the Under Secretary and the Directors, tak-
ing into consideration the advice of the 
Board; and 
(B) among applicable participants, grant-
ees, and beneficiaries, in a coordinated manner 
that encourages and ensures— 
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(i) the most efficient collaborative ap-
plication of resources; and 
(ii) the focus of all resources and ac-
tivities on strategic, priority, problem, op-
portunity, and solution areas on a local, 
State, tribal, regional, national, and inter-
national basis, as the Under Secretary and 
each Director, taking into consideration the 
advice of the Board, determine to be appro-
priate. 
(2) SCOPE.—Each Director, in consultation with 
the Under Secretary and the Board, shall ensure, 
through the integration and coordination under para-
graph (1), that opportunities are maximized with re-
spect to— 
(A) the use of appropriate authorities, agen-
cies, institutions, disciplines, and activities; and 
(B) the inclusion of appropriate partici-
pants and other beneficiaries in those activities, 
including intramural, extramural, Government, 
university, extension, and international, as de-
termined by the Under Secretary. 
(f) FUNDING.—The Under Secretary shall fund each 
Program Office through the appropriations available to the 
various agencies within the mission area. The aggregate 
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staff for all Program Offices shall not exceed 30 full-time 
equivalent positions and shall be filled by current full-time 
equivalent positions. 
(g) ORGANIZATION.—The Under Secretary shall inte-
grate leadership functions of the national program staff of 
the research agencies into the National Agricultural Re-
search Program Office in such form as required to ensure 
that the Directors of the Program Offices are the primary 
program leaders for the mission areas of the integrated 
agencies and that administrative duplication does not 
occur. 
(h) PRIORITIZING FEDERAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES 
FOR SPECIALTY CROPS.—The Under Secretary, in coordi-
nation with the Directors of relevant Program Offices, 
shall— 
(1) coordinate with and assist producers and or-
ganizations comprised of program beneficiaries work-
ing together to develop and implement applied re-
search and extension related to the United States spe-
cialty crop industry; 
(2) facilitate in the delivery of information to 
beneficiaries in a user-friendly form, in addition to 
a standard research publication, and reward pro-
viders for their abilities to deliver information to both 
the scientific community and the end-user; and 
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469 
(3) ensure coordination among research initia-
tives funded and sponsored by the Department of Ag-
riculture. 
SEC. 7105. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMPETITIVE GRANT PRO-
GRAMS UNDER THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE 
FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. 
Any office established to administer competitive pro-
grams under section 7101(b)(2), including the Agricultural 
Bioenergy and Biobased Products Research Initiative, the 
Specialty Crop Research Initiative, and Fresh Cut Produce 
Safety Grants created by this Act, shall be referred to as 
the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 
SEC. 7106. MERGING OF IFAFS AND NRI. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Subsection (b) of the Competitive, 
Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 
450i(b)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMS.— 
‘‘(1) COMPETITIVE BASIS.—The Secretary of Ag-
riculture is authorized to make competitive grants for 
the purposes and priorities established under this sub-
section. 
‘‘(2) TERM.—The term of a competitive grant 
made under this subsection may not exceed 10 years. 
‘‘(3) GENERAL
ADMINISTRATION.—In making 
grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall— 
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‘‘(A) seek and accept proposals for grants; 
‘‘(B) determine the relevance and merit of 
proposals through a system of peer and merit re-
view in accordance with section 103 of the Agri-
cultural Research, Extension, and Education Re-
form Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613); 
‘‘(C) award grants on the basis of merit, 
quality, and relevance to advancing the purposes 
and priorities established under paragraphs (8) 
and (12) of this subsection; 
‘‘(D) solicit and consider input from per-
sons who conduct or use agricultural research, 
extension, or education in accordance with sec-
tion 102(b) of the Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 
U.S.C. 7612(b)); and 
‘‘(E) in seeking proposals for grants under 
this subsection and in performing peer review 
evaluations of such proposals, seek the widest 
participation of qualified scientists in the Fed-
eral Government, colleges and universities, State 
agricultural experiment stations, and the private 
sector. 
‘‘(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The Secretary may 
make a grant under this subsection to State agricul-
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tural experiment stations, all colleges and univer-
sities, university research foundations, other research 
institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, na-
tional laboratories, private organizations or corpora-
tions, and individuals, for research to further the pro-
grams of the Department of Agriculture. 
‘‘(5) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Not more than 4 
percent of funds made available pursuant to this sub-
section may be retained by the Secretary to pay ad-
ministrative costs incurred by the Secretary in car-
rying out this subsection. 
‘‘(6) CONSTRUCTION PROHIBITED.—Funds made 
available for grants under this subsection shall not be 
used for the construction of a new building or facility 
or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or alter-
ation of an existing building or facility (including 
site grading and improvement and architect fees). 
‘‘(7) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the programs 
established under paragraph (8) shall reflect the pur-
poses and additional purposes of agricultural re-
search, extension, and education reflected in sections 
1402 and 1403 of the National Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3101 and 3102). 
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472 
‘‘(8) BASIC
AND
APPLIED
RESEARCH
PRO-
GRAMS.—The Secretary shall establish 2 distinct pro-
grams of agricultural research, one to fund funda-
mental, basic research pursuant to paragraph (9) to 
be known as the National Research Initiative and one 
to fund applied, integrated research, education, and 
extension pursuant to paragraph (10) to be known as 
the Initiative for Future Agricultural and Food Sys-
tems. 
‘‘(9) NATIONAL RESEARCH INITIATIVE.— 
‘‘(A) ALLOCATION.—The allocation of funds 
to the National Research Initiative shall be as 
follows: 
‘‘(i) Not less than 30 percent shall be 
available to make grants for research to be 
conducted by multidisciplinary teams. 
‘‘(ii) Not less than 20 percent shall be 
available to make grants for research to be 
conducted by persons conducting mission- 
linked systems research. 
‘‘(iii) Not less than 10 percent shall be 
available to make grants under subpara-
graphs (D), (F), and (G) of paragraph (13) 
for research and education strengthening 
and research opportunity. 
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‘‘(iv) Not more than 2 percent may be 
used for equipment grants under paragraph 
(13)(D). 
‘‘(B) MATCHING
FUNDS.—Except as pro-
vided in this subparagraph, the Secretary may 
not take the offer or availability of matching 
funds into consideration in making a grant 
under this subsection. In the case of grants under 
paragraph (13)(D), the amount provided under 
this subsection may not exceed 50 percent of the 
cost of the special research equipment or other 
equipment acquired. The Secretary may waive 
all or part of the matching requirement under 
this subparagraph in the case of a college, uni-
versity, or research foundation maintained by a 
college or university that ranks in the lowest one- 
third of such colleges, universities, and research 
foundations on the basis of Federal research 
funds received if the equipment to be acquired 
costs not more than $25,000 and has multiple 
uses within a single research project or is usable 
in more than 1 research project. 
‘‘(10) INITIATIVE
FOR
FUTURE
AGRICULTURAL 
AND FOOD SYSTEMS MATCHING FUNDS.—As a condi-
tion of making a grant under this paragraph, the 
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