§ 3101. Purposes of agricultural research, extension, and education

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

1. 1990

   National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977

   Pub. L. 95–113 title XIV § 1402 · 91 Stat. 913

   Enacted · 7 U.S.C. § 3101

   Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1402, as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1602(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3705

   Source evidence

   Code source credit
   Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1402, as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1602(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3705

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   Sec. 1402. findings Congress finds that— 7 USC 3101. (1) the Federal Government of the United States has provided funding support for agricultural research and extension for many years in order to promote and protect the general health and welfare of the people of the United States, and this support has significantly contributed to the development of the Nation’s agricultural system; (2) the agencies conducting such federally supported research were established at different times in response to different and specific needs and their work is not fully coordinated; (3) these agencies have only been partially successful in responding to the needs of all persons affected by their research, and useful information produced through such federally supported research is not being efficiently transferred to the people of the United States; (4) expanded agricultural research and extension are needed to meet the rising demand for food and fiber caused by increases in worldwide population and food shortages due to short-term, localized, and adverse climatic conditions; (5) increased research is necessary to alleviate inadequacies of the marketing system (including storage, transportation, and distribution of agricultural and forest products) which have impaired United States agricultural production and utilization; (6) advances in food and agricultural sciences and technology have become increasingly limited by the concentration upon the thorough development and exploitation of currently known scientific principles and technological approaches at the expense of more fundamental research, and a strong research effort in the basic sciences is necessary to achieve breakthroughs in knowledge that can support new and innovative food and agricultural technologies; (7) Federal funding levels for agricultural research and extension in recent years have not been commensurate with needs stemming from changes in United States agricultural practices and the world food and agricultural situation; (8) new Federal initiatives are needed in the areas of— (A) research to find alternatives to technologies based on fossil fuels; (B) research and extension on human nutrition and food consumption patterns in order to improve the health and vitality of the people of the United States; (C) research to find solutions to environmental problems caused by technological changes in food and agricultural production; (D) aquacultural research and extension; (E) research and extension directed toward improving the management and use of the Nation’s natural and renewable resources, in order to meet the increased demand for forest products, conserve water resources (through irrigation management, tail water reuse, desalination, crop conversion, and other water conservation techniques), conserve soil resources, and properly manage rangelands; (F) improving and expanding the research and extension programs in home economics; (G) extension programs in energy conservation; (H) extension programs in forestry and natural resources, with special emphasis to be given to improving the productivity of small private woodlands, modernizing wood harvesting and utilization, developing and disseminating reliable multiple-use resource management information to all landowners and consumers, and the general public, wildlife, watershed, and recreational management, and cultural practices (including reforestation, protection, and related matters); (I) research on climate, drought, and weather modification as factors in food and agricultural production; (J) more intensive agricultural research and extension programs oriented to the needs of small farmers and their families and the family farm system, which is a vital component of the agricultural production capacity of this country; (K) research to expand export markets for agricultural commodities; (L) development and implementation, through research, of more efficient, less wasteful, and environmentally sound methods of producing, processing, marketing, and utilizing food, fiber, waste products, other nonfood agricultural products, and forest and rangeland products; (M) expanded programs of animal disease and health care research and extension; (N) research to develop new crops, in order to expand our use of varied soils and increase the choice of nutritional and economically viable crops available for cultivation; and (O) investigation and analysis of the practicability, desirability, and feasibility of using organic waste materials to improve soil tilth and fertility, and extension programs to disseminate practical information resulting from such investigations and analyses; and (9) the existing agricultural research system consisting of the Federal Government, the land-grant colleges and universities, other colleges and universities engaged in agricultural research, the agricultural experiment stations, and the private sector constitute an essential national resource which must serve as the foundation for any further strengthening of agricultural research in the United States.

2. 1996

   Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996

   Pub. L. 104–127 title VIII § 801 · 110 Stat. 888

   1. Amended · 7 U.S.C. § 3101

      Pub. L. 104–127 amended section generally

   2. Substituted · 7 U.S.C. § 3101

      Pub. L. 104–127 substituting present provisions for provisions which set out six purposes of federally funded agricultural research and extension programs

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 104–127 amended section generally, substituting present provisions for provisions which set out six purposes of federally funded agricultural research and extension programs.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   SEC. 801. PURPOSES OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION. Section 1402 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101) is amended to read as follows: “SEC. 1402. PURPOSES OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION. “The purposes of federally supported agricultural research, extension, and education are to— “(1) enhance the competitiveness of the United States agriculture and food industry in an increasingly competitive world environment; “(2) increase the long-term productivity of the United States agriculture and food industry while maintaining and enhancing the natural resource base on which rural America and the United States agricultural economy depend; “(3) develop new uses and new products for agricultural commodities, such as alternative fuels, and develop new crops; “(4) support agricultural research and extension to promote economic opportunity in rural communities and to meet the increasing demand for information and technology transfer throughout the United States agriculture industry; “(5) improve risk management in the United States agriculture industry; “(6) improve the safe production and processing of, and adding of value to, United States food and fiber resources using methods that maintain the balance between yield and environmental soundness; “(7) support higher education in agriculture to give the next generation of Americans the knowledge, technology, and applications necessary to enhance the competitiveness of United States agriculture; and “(8) maintain an adequate, nutritious, and safe supply of food to meet human nutritional needs and requirements.

3. 2018

   Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018

   Pub. L. 115–334 title VII § 7101 · 132 Stat. 4490

   Added · 7 U.S.C. § 3101(9)

   Pub. L. 115–334 added par. (9)

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Par. (9). Pub. L. 115–334 added par. (9).

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   SEC. 7101. PURPOSES OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION.   Section 1402 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101) is amended— (1) in paragraph (7), by striking “and” at the end; (2) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and (3) by adding at the end the following: “(9) support international collaboration that leverages resources and advances priority food and agricultural interests of the United States, such as— “(A) addressing emerging plant and animal diseases; “(B) improving crop varieties and animal breeds; and “(C) developing safe, efficient, and nutritious food systems.” .

4 of 4 references resolved to an enrolled provision