I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2343
To support research and development programs in agricultural biotechnology
and genetic engineering targeted to addressing the food and economic
needs of the developing world.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 27, 2001
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Mrs. CLAYTON, and Mr.
REYES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Agriculture
A BILL
To support research and development programs in agricul-
tural biotechnology and genetic engineering targeted to
addressing the food and economic needs of the developing
world.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Biotechnology and Ag-
riculture in the Developing World Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Portions of the developing world are facing
a 
pandemic 
of 
malnutrition 
and 
disease.
200,000,000 people on the African continent alone
are chronically malnourished. Traditional farming
practices cannot meet the growing needs of the de-
veloping world. Africa’s crop production is the lowest
in the world and even with about 2⁄3 of its labor
force engaged in agriculture, Africa currently im-
ports more than 25 percent of its grain for food and
feed.
(2) Biotechnology can help developing countries
produce higher crop yields while using fewer pes-
ticides and herbicides.
(3) Biotechnology can also promote sustainable
agriculture, leading to food and economic security.
(4) The quality and nutritional content of food
can be improved through biotechnology.
(5) Vitamin-enhanced foods, foods higher in
protein, and fruits and vegetables with a longer
shelf-life have been developed using biotechnology.
(6) Biotechnology offers the prospect of deliv-
ering vaccines to immunize against life-threatening
illnesses through agricultural products in a safe and
effective manner that overcomes the infrastructure
and cost limitations faced by traditional vaccination
methods in the developing world.
(7) Biotechnology can play a useful role in in-
creasing crop yields and thus reduce the amount of
land that needs to be farmed. Since most food pro-
duction and farming in the developing world is done
by women, such an increase in productivity enables
women to spend their time on other productive ac-
tivities and better care for their families.
(8) One obstacle for biotechnology in the devel-
oping world is the capacity of scientific organizations
and public funding for agricultural research. In-
creased funding for international research programs
from the United States would have a great impact.
(9) To get the full environmental, food, and
economic benefits of biotechnology for the developing
world, it must be available in the international mar-
ketplace.
SEC. 3. AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT 
FOR 
THE 
DEVELOPING
WORLD.
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Agriculture
shall establish a program to award grants to entities de-
scribed in subsection (b) for the development of agricul-
tural biotechnology with respect to the developing world.
The Secretary shall administer and oversee the program
through the Foreign Agricultural Service of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture.
(b) PARTNERSHIPS.—(1) In order to be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under this section, the grantee must be a
participating institution of higher education, a nonprofit
organization, or consortium of for profit institutions with
in-country agricultural research institutions.
(2) A participating institution of higher education
shall be an historically black or land-grant college or uni-
versity, an Hispanic serving institution, or a tribal college
or university that has agriculture or the biosciences in its
curricula.
(c) COMPETITIVE AWARD.—Grants shall be awarded
under this section on a merit-reviewed competitive basis.
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—The activities for which the
grant funds may be expended include the following:
(1) Enhancing the nutritional content of agri-
cultural products that can be grown in the devel-
oping world to address malnutrition through bio-
technology.
(2) Increasing the yield and safety of agricul-
tural products that can be grown in the developing
world through biotechnology.
(3) Increasing through biotechnology the yield
of agricultural products that can be grown in the de-
veloping world that are drought and stress-resistant.
(4) Extending the growing range of crops that
can be grown in the developing world through bio-
technology.
(5) Enhancing the shelf-life of fruits and vege-
tables grown in the developing world through bio-
technology.
(6) Developing environmentally sustainable ag-
ricultural products through biotechnology.
(7) Developing vaccines to immunize against
life-threatening illnesses and other medications that
can be administered by consuming genetically engi-
neered agricultural products.
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002 through
2006.
Æ