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cent of the cost of the special research equip-
ment or other equipment acquired. The Sec-
retary may waive all or part of the matching re-
quirement under this subparagraph in the case 
of a college, university, or research foundation 
maintained by a college or university that ranks 
in the lowest one-third of such colleges, univer-
sities, and research foundations on the basis of 
Federal research funds received if the equip-
ment 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 re-
search project. 
‘‘(10) INITIATIVE FOR FUTURE AGRICULTURAL 
AND FOOD SYSTEMS MATCHING FUNDS.—As a con-
dition of making a grant under this paragraph, the 
Secretary shall require the funding of the grant be 
matched with equal matching funds from a non-Fed-
eral source if the grant is— 
‘‘(A) for applied research that is com-
modity-specific; and 
‘‘(B) not of national scope. 
‘‘(11) RESEARCH
PRIORITIES.—The research 
priorities for the programs established in paragraph 
(8) shall be consistent with the priorities in effect
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for the National Research Initiative (7 U.S.C. 
450i(b)) and Initiative for Future Agricultural and 
Food Systems (7 U.S.C. 7621) on the day before the 
date of enactment of this subsection. Priorities 
under the Initiative for Future Agricultural and 
Food Systems shall include classical plant and ani-
mal breeding. 
‘‘(12) PROGRAM
ADMINISTRATION.—To the 
greatest extent possible, the Under Secretary for Re-
search, Education, and Economics, in conjunction 
with the Directors of the National Agricultural Re-
search Program Offices established in section 7104 
of the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007, 
shall allocate these grants to high priority research 
taking into consideration, when available, the deter-
minations made by the National Agricultural Re-
search, Extension, Education, and Economics Advi-
sory Board (as established under section 1408 of the 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123). 
‘‘(13) SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS.—In addition 
to making research grants under paragraph (9), the 
Secretary may conduct a program to improve re-
search capabilities in the agricultural, food, and en-
vironmental sciences and award the following cat-
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egories of competitive grants. Grants may be award-
ed— 
‘‘(A) to a single investigator or coinvestiga-
tors within the same discipline; 
‘‘(B) to teams of researchers from dif-
ferent areas of agricultural research and sci-
entific disciplines; 
‘‘(C) to multidisciplinary teams that are 
proposing research on long-term applied re-
search problems, with technology transfer a 
major component of all such grant proposals; 
‘‘(D) to an institution to allow for the im-
provement of the research, development, tech-
nology transfer, and education capacity of the 
institution through the acquisition of special re-
search equipment and the improvement of agri-
cultural education and teaching; however the 
Secretary shall use not less than 25 percent of 
the funds made available for grants under this 
subparagraph to provide fellowships to out-
standing pre- and post-doctoral students for re-
search in the agricultural sciences; 
‘‘(E) to a single investigator or coinvestiga-
tors who are beginning their research careers 
and do not have an extensive research publica-
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tion record; however, to be eligible for a grant 
under this subparagraph, an individual shall be 
within 5 years of the individual’s initial career 
track position; 
‘‘(F) to ensure that the faculty of small 
and mid-sized institutions who have not pre-
viously been successful in obtaining competitive 
grants under this subsection receive a portion 
of the grants; and 
‘‘(G) to improve research capabilities in 
States (as defined in the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act 
of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.)) in which insti-
tutions have been less successful in receiving 
funding under this subsection, based on a 3- 
year rolling average of funding levels. 
‘‘(14) DIVISION OF FUNDS.—Of the funds made 
available to carry out this subsection, 60 percent 
shall be used to fund programs under paragraph (9) 
and 40 percent shall be used to fund programs 
under paragraph (10). 
‘‘(15) TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM THE INITIA-
TIVE FOR FUTURE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYS-
TEMS.—Funds made available pursuant to section 
401(b)(3)(D) of the Agricultural Research, Exten-
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sion, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 
7621 (b)(3)(D)) shall be transferred to the program 
established under this subsection. 
‘‘(16) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) There is authorized to be appro-
priated 
to 
carry 
out 
this 
subsection 
$500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 
through 2012. 
‘‘(B) Funds made available in each fiscal 
year shall remain available until expended to 
pay for obligations incurred in that fiscal 
year.’’. 
(b) REPEALS.—The following provisions are hereby 
repealed: 
(1) Section 401 of the Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 
U.S.C. 7621), except that section 401(b)(3) of such 
Act shall not be repealed and shall remain in effect. 
(2) Subsection (2)(d) of the Competitive, Spe-
cial, and Facilities Research Grant Act of 1965 (7 
U.S.C. 450i(d)). 
SEC. 7107. CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS FOR ASCARR IN-
STITUTIONS. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make 
competitive grants to ASCARR Institutions to assist 
the ASCARR Institutions in maintaining and ex-
panding the capacity of the ASCARR Institutions to 
conduct education, research, and outreach activities 
relating to— 
(A) agriculture; 
(B) renewable resources; and 
(C) other similar disciplines. 
(2) USE OF FUNDS.—An ASCARR Institution 
that receives a grant under subsection (a)(1) may 
use the funds made available through the grant to 
maintain and expand the capacity of the ASCARR 
Institution— 
(A) to successfully compete for funds from 
Federal grants and other sources to carry out 
educational, research, and outreach activities 
that address priority concerns of national, re-
gional, State, and local interest; 
(B) to disseminate information relating to 
priority concerns to— 
(i) interested members of the agri-
culture, renewable resources, and other rel-
evant communities; 
(ii) the public; and
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(iii) any other interested entity; 
(C) to encourage members of the agri-
culture, renewable resources, and other relevant 
communities to participate in priority edu-
cation, research, and outreach activities by pro-
viding matching funding to leverage grant 
funds; and 
(D) through— 
(i) the purchase or other acquisition 
of equipment and other infrastructure (not 
including alteration, repair, renovation, or 
construction of buildings); 
(ii) the professional growth and devel-
opment of the faculty of the ASCARR In-
stitution; and 
(iii) the development of graduate 
assistantships. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
such sums as are necessary for each fiscal year 2008 
through 2012. 
SEC. 7108. ESTABLISHMENT OF RESEARCH LABORATORIES 
FOR ANIMAL DISEASES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section—
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(1) ANIMAL DISEASE.—The term ‘‘animal dis-
ease’’ has the meaning given the term by the Sec-
retary. 
(2) IMPORT.—The term ‘‘import’’ means to 
move from a place outside the territorial limits of 
the United States to a place within the territorial 
limits of the United States. 
(3) LIVE VIRUS.—The term ‘‘live virus’’ means 
a live virus of foot-and-mouth disease or a live virus 
of any other animal disease that is a threat to the 
health of livestock, as determined by the Secretary. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any of 
the States, the District of Columbia, the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands of 
the United States, or any territory or possession of 
the United States. 
(6) 
UNITED
STATES.—The 
term 
‘‘United 
States’’ means all of the States. 
(b) ANIMAL DISEASE RESEARCH.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
RESEARCH
FACILI-
TIES.—The Secretary is authorized to establish re-
search laboratories, including the acquisition of nec-
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essary land, buildings, or facilities, for research on 
animal diseases in the United States. 
(2) ACTIVITIES
AUTHORIZED
WHEN
DISEASE 
THREATENS
LIVESTOCK.—To the extent the Sec-
retary determines that an animal disease constitutes 
a threat to the livestock industry, the Secretary is 
authorized to conduct research, diagnostics, and 
other activities related to the animal disease. 
(c) RESTRICTIONS REGARDING LIVE VIRUS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graphs (2), (3), and (4), a person or State or Fed-
eral agency may not— 
(A) import a live virus into the United 
States; 
(B) transport a live virus within the 
United States; and 
(C) store and maintain a live virus at a re-
search facility. 
(2) AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY.—The Sec-
retary of Agriculture may— 
(A) import a live virus into the United 
States; 
(B) transport a live virus within the 
United States; and
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(C) store and maintain a live virus at a re-
search facility. 
(3) PERMITS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary deter-
mines that it is in the public interest to do so, 
the Secretary may issue a permit to allow a pri-
vate person or a State or Federal agency to— 
(i) import a live virus into the United 
States; 
(ii) transport a live virus within the 
United States; and 
(iii) store and maintain a live virus at 
a research facility. 
(B) PERMIT
TERMS.—A permit issued 
under this paragraph shall be subject to terms 
and conditions prescribed by the Secretary. 
(4) LIMITATION.—Nothing in this section shall 
apply to the importation, transportation, storage, 
and maintenance of any live virus governed by regu-
lations promulgated pursuant to section 351A of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262a) or the 
Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 (7 
U.S.C. 8401). 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In addi-
tion to funds otherwise available for the control or eradi-
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cation of animal diseases, there are authorized to be ap-
propriated such sums as necessary to carry out this sec-
tion. 
SEC. 7109. GRAZINGLANDS RESEARCH LABORATORY. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, without 
specific authorization by an Act of Congress, the Federal 
land and facilities at El Reno, Oklahoma, currently admin-
istered 
by 
the 
Secretary 
of 
Agriculture 
as 
the 
Grazinglands Research Laboratory, shall not at any time, 
in whole or part, be declared to be excess or surplus Fed-
eral property under chapter 5 of subtitle I of title 40, 
United States Code, or otherwise be conveyed or trans-
ferred in whole or in part. 
SEC. 7110. RESEARCHER TRAINING. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary shall require that 
persons receiving funds under section 1668(g)(2) of the 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 
(7 U.S.C. 5921(g)(2)) to conduct research concerning ge-
netically engineered plants, including seed and other prop-
agative materials, complete a training program approved 
by the Secretary. 
(b) CERTIFICATION OF THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS.— 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a system for ap-
proving individuals and entities to provide training under
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subsection (a), including criteria for the evaluation of 
trainers or potential trainers. 
(c) EXPERTISE.—In establishing criteria for the eval-
uation of potential trainers, the Secretary shall ensure 
that individuals and entities with expertise in quality man-
agement systems, plant breeding and genetics, and the 
technical aspects of the Federal regulatory process for ag-
ricultural biotechnology, are eligible to become approved 
trainers under subsection (b). 
SEC. 7111. FORT RENO SCIENCE PARK RESEARCH FACIL-
ITY. 
The Secretary of Agriculture may lease land to the 
University of Oklahoma at the Grazinglands Research 
Laboratory at El Reno, Oklahoma, on such terms and con-
ditions as the University and the Secretary may agree in 
furtherance of cooperative research and existing easement 
arrangements. 
SEC. 7112. ASSESSING THE NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF 
BEEF PRODUCTS. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall award a 
grant, contract, or other agreement with an appropriate 
land-grant university to update the Department of Agri-
culture’s Nutrient Composition Handbook for Beef, also 
known as Handbook #8–13. The Handbook shall incor-
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•HR 2419 EH1S 
porate accurate and current data collected by the univer-
sity to be used by Federal agencies, private industries, 
health organizations, and consumers to determine impor-
tant diet and health-related issues associated with the con-
sumption of beef and beef products. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-
essary to carry out this section to be available until ex-
pended. 
SEC. 7113. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING FUNDING FOR 
HUMAN NUTRITION RESEARCH. 
It is the sense of the Congress that— 
(1) human nutrition research has the potential 
for improving the health status of the American 
public through studies that help determine— 
(A) the food and beverage intakes of 
Americans and the nutrient composition of the 
food supply; 
(B) the relationship between diet and obe-
sity, particularly to prevent childhood obesity; 
(C) 
the 
authoritative, 
peer-reviewed, 
science-based evidence that forms the basis for 
Federal nutrition policy, dietary guidelines and 
programs; and
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•HR 2419 EH1S 
(D) the nutrient requirements for individ-
uals at various stages in the lifespan and for 
vulnerable populations, particularly children 
and the elderly; 
(2) human nutrition research holds the poten-
tial for identifying factors in crops and livestock that 
provide nutrition benefits to humans and add value 
for producers; 
(3) the potential cost savings to Federal health 
programs, combined with the boost in revenues for 
farmers who produce nutritionally enhanced foods, 
justifies an increase in funding to a level sufficient 
to conduct this essential research; and 
(4) the USDA regional human nutritional re-
search centers have unique value in linking producer 
and consumer interests into investigations of food 
and human nutrition issues and conducting long- 
term nutrition studies; and activities at these centers 
should be preserved and coordinated with other 
human nutrition research activities.
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Subtitle B—National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teach-
ing Policy Act of 1977 
SEC. 7201. ADVISORY BOARD. 
Section 1408(g)(1) of the National Agricultural Re-
search, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 
U.S.C. 3123(g)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘$350,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$500,000’’. 
SEC. 7202. ADVISORY BOARD TERMINATION. 
Section 1408(h) of the National Agricultural Re-
search, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 
U.S.C. 3123(h)) is amended by striking ‘‘2007’’ and in-
serting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 7203. RENEWABLE ENERGY COMMITTEE. 
The National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 is amended by inserting after 
section 1408A the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1408B. RENEWABLE ENERGY COMMITTEE. 
‘‘(a) INITIAL MEMBERS.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the execu-
tive committee of the Advisory Board shall establish and 
appoint the initial members of a permanent renewable en-
ergy committee that shall be responsible for studying the 
scope and effectiveness of research, extension, and eco-
nomics programs affecting the renewable energy industry.
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‘‘(b) NON-ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS.—Individuals 
who are not members of the Advisory Board may be ap-
pointed as members of the renewable energy committee. 
Members of the renewable energy committee shall serve 
at the discretion of the executive committee. 
‘‘(c) REPORT
BY
RENEWABLE
ENERGY
COM-
MITTEE.—Not later than 180 days after the establishment 
of the renewable energy committee, and annually there-
after, the renewable energy committee shall submit to the 
Advisory Board a report containing the findings of its 
study under subsection (a). The renewable energy com-
mittee shall include in each report its recommendations. 
‘‘(d) COORDINATION OF FUNCTIONS.—In carrying 
out its functions, the Renewable Energy Committee shall 
coordinate with the Biomass Research and Development 
Act Committee. 
‘‘(e) MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED IN BUDGET REC-
OMMENDATION.—In preparing the annual budget rec-
ommendations for the Department, the Secretary shall 
take into consideration those findings and recommenda-
tions contained in the most recent report of the renewable 
energy committee that are adopted by the Advisory Com-
mittee. 
‘‘(f) REPORT BY THE SECRETARY.—In the budget 
material submitted to Congress by the Secretary in con-
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•HR 2419 EH1S 
nection with the budget submitted pursuant to section 
1105 of title 31, United States Code, for a fiscal year, 
the Secretary shall include a report describing how the 
Secretary addressed each recommendation of the renew-
able energy committee described in subsection (e) of this 
section.’’. 
SEC. 7204. SPECIALTY CROP COMMITTEE REPORT. 
Section 1408A(c) of the National Agricultural Re-
search, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 
U.S.C. 3123a(c)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(4) Analyses of the specialty crop sector, in-
cluding the impact of changes in domestic and inter-
national markets, production and new product tech-
nologies, alternative policies and macroeconomic con-
ditions on specialty crop production, use, farm and 
retail prices, and farm income and financial stability 
from a national, regional, and farm-level perspective. 
‘‘(5) Review of the economic state of the spe-
cialty crop industry from a regional perspective. 
‘‘(6) Development of data that provides applied 
information useful to specialty crop growers, their 
associations, and other interested beneficiaries in 
evaluating that industry from a regional and na-
tional perspective.’’.
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SEC. 7205. INCLUSION OF UDC IN GRANTS AND FELLOW-
SHIPS 
FOR 
FOOD 
AND 
AGRICULTURAL 
SCIENCES EDUCATION. 
Section 1417 of the National Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3152) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘including 
the University of the District of Columbia,’’ after 
‘‘universities,’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d)(2), by inserting ‘‘, includ-
ing the University of the District of Columbia,’’ 
after ‘‘universities’’. 
SEC. 7206. GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS FOR FOOD AND AG-
RICULTURAL SCIENCES EDUCATION. 
(a) EDUCATION
TEACHING
PROGRAMS.—Section 
1417(j) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(j)) is 
amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘SEC-
ONDARY EDUCATION AND 2-YEAR POSTSECONDARY 
EDUCATION TEACHING PROGRAMS’’ and inserting 
‘‘SECONDARY EDUCATION, 2-YEAR POSTSECONDARY 
EDUCATION, AND
AGRICULTURE
IN
THE
K–12 
CLASSROOM’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3)—
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(A) by striking ‘‘secondary schools, and in-
stitutions of higher education that award an as-
sociate’s degree’’ and inserting ‘‘secondary 
schools, institutions of higher education that 
award an associate’s degree, other institutions 
of higher education, and nonprofit organiza-
tions’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(C) in subparagraph (F), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(G) to support current agriculture in the 
classroom programs for grades K–12.’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
1417(l) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(l)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
(c) REPORT.—Section 1417 of the National Agricul-
tural Research, Extension and Teaching Policy Act of 
1977 is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(m) REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit an an-
nual report to the Committee on Agriculture of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nu-
trition and Forestry of the Senate detailing the distribu-