Title 7AgricultureRelease 119-73

§178g Powers of Secretary of Agriculture

Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 8A— - RUBBER AND OTHER CRITICAL AGRICULTURAL MATERIALS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - CRITICAL AGRICULTURAL MATERIALS › § 178g

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture can take many actions to support research and development of native latex and similar crops. The Secretary can give grants and make contracts with States, schools, scientific groups, Indian tribes (as defined by law), and private firms. The Secretary can hire experts like biologists, engineers, and economists, and use Federal and State labs. The Secretary can set up research facilities and plantations, buy or license inventions, patents, land, water rights, and other property, and keep up-to-date research materials and publications. The Secretary can inspect promising projects at home or abroad, help run conferences, publish and share technical information, and work with Federal, State, local, and private partners.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §178g

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In carrying out the provisions of this subchapter, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to—
(a)make grants to States, education institutions, scientific organizations, and Indian tribes as defined in the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Public Law 93–638, 25 U.S.C. 450),11 See References in Text note below. and enter into contracts with such institutions and organizations and with industrial or engineering firms;
(b)acquire the services of biologists, agronomists, foresters, geneticists, chemists, engineers, economists, and other personnel by contract or otherwise;
(c)utilize the facilities of Federal and State scientific laboratories;
(d)establish and operate necessary facilities and plantations to carry out the continuous research, testing, development, and programing necessary to effectuate the purposes of this subchapter;
(e)acquire secret processes, technical data, inventions, patent applications, patents, licenses, land and interest in land (including water rights), facilities, and other property or rights by purchase, license, lease, or donation;
(f)assemble and maintain pertinent and current literature and publications, patents and licenses, land and interests in land;
(g)cause onsite inspections to be made of promising projects, domestic or foreign, and, in the case of projects located in the United States, cooperate and participate in their development when the Secretary determines that the purpose of this subchapter will be served thereby;
(h)foster and participate in regional, national, and international conferences relating to native latex culture or the culture of other native agricultural crops which could supply critical agricultural materials;
(i)coordinate, correlate, and publish information with a view to advancing the development of native latex technology or the technology of other native agricultural crops which could supply critical agricultural materials; and
(j)cooperate with other Federal departments and agencies, with State and local departments, agencies, and instrumentalities, and with interested persons, firms, institutions, and organizations.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Public Law 93–638, 25 U.S.C. 450), referred to in cl. (a), is Pub. L. 93–638, Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2203, which was classified principally to subchapter II (§ 450 et seq.) of chapter 14 of Title 25, Indians, prior to editorial reclassification as chapter 46 (§ 5301 et seq.) of Title 25. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 5301 of Title 25 and Tables.

Amendments

1984—Cl. (h). Pub. L. 98–284, § 9(1), inserted “or the culture of other native agricultural crops which could supply critical agricultural materials”. Cl. (i). Pub. L. 98–284, § 9(2), inserted “or the technology of other native agricultural crops which could supply critical agricultural materials”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 178g

Title 7Agriculture

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73