7 U.S.C. § 5923 (AGRICULTURE)
§ 5923. Rural electronic commerce extension program
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Development center
The term “development center” means—
(A) the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development;
(B) the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development or its designee;
(C) the Southern Rural Development Center; and
(D) the Western Rural Development Center or its designee.
(2) Extension program
The term “extension program” means the rural electronic commerce extension program established under subsection (b) of this section.
(3) Microenterprise
The term “microenterprise” means a commercial enterprise that has 5 or fewer employees, 1 or more of whom own the enterprise.
(4) Secretary
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
(5) Small business
The term “small business” has the meaning given the term “small-business concern” by section 632(a) of title 15.
(b) Establishment
The Secretary shall establish a rural electronic commerce extension program to expand and enhance electronic commerce practices and technology to be used by small businesses and microenterprises in rural areas.
(c) Grants
(1) In general
The Secretary shall carry out the program established under subsection (b) of this section by making—
(A) grants to each of the development centers; and
(B) competitive grants to land-grant colleges and universities (or consortia of land-grant colleges and universities) and to colleges and universities (including community colleges) with agricultural or rural development programs—
(i) to develop and facilitate innovative rural electronic commerce business strategies; and
(ii) to assist small businesses and microenterprises in identifying, adapting, implementing, and using electronic commerce business practices and technologies.
(2) Eligibility
The selection criteria established for grants awarded under paragraph (1)(B) shall include—
(A) the ability of an applicant to provide training and education on best practices, technology transfer, adoption, and use of electronic commerce in rural communities by small businesses and microenterprises;
(B) the extent and geographic diversity of the area served by the proposed project or activity under the extension program;
(C) in the case of a land-grant college or university, the extent of participation of the land-grant college or university in the extension program (including any economic benefits that would result from that participation);
(D) the percentage of funding and in-kind commitments from non-Federal sources that would be needed by and available for a proposed project or activity under the extension program; and
(E) the extent of participation of low-income and minority businesses or microenterprises in a proposed project or activity under the extension program.
(3) Non-Federal share
(A) In general
As a condition of the receipt of funds under this section, a development center or grant applicant shall agree to obtain from non-Federal sources (including State, local, nonprofit, or private sector sources) contributions of an amount equal to 50 percent of the grant amount.
(B) Form
The non-Federal share required under subparagraph (A) may be provided in the form of in-kind contributions.
(C) Exception
The non-Federal share required under subparagraph (A) may be reduced to 25 percent if the grant recipient serves low-income or minority-owned businesses or microenterprises, as determined by the Secretary.
(d) Report
Not later than 2 years after May 13, 2002, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that describes—
(1) 1 the policies, practices, and procedures used to assist rural communities in efforts to adopt and use electronic commerce techniques; and
(e) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2007, of which not less than ⅓ of the amount made available for each fiscal year shall be used to carry out activities under subsection (c)(1)(A) of this section.
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1670, as added Pub. L. 107–171, title VI, § 6202, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 419; amended Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7511(c)(22), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1269; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7511(c)(22), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2031.)
heading: Codification
text: Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.
heading: Prior Provisions
text: A prior section 5923, Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1670, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3769; Pub. L. 102–237, title IV, § 407(10), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1865; Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 834, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1169, authorized establishment of livestock product safety and inspection program, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–185, title III, § 302(c), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 563.
heading: Amendments
text: 2008—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(22), substituted “Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture” for “Administrator of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service”.
heading: Effective Date of 2008 Amendment
text: Amendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of this title.
Amendment by section 7511(c)(22) of Pub. L. 110–246 effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 7511(c) of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 1522 of this title.