Title 7AgricultureRelease 119-73

§5812 Program administration

Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 88— - RESEARCH › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION › Part Part A— - Best Utilization of Biological Applications › § 5812

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture must run the programs under sections 5811 and 5813 through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Agricultural Research Service, and other agencies. The Secretary must set up at least four Regional Administrative Councils and, with those councils, pick regional host institutions to carry out the projects. Each Regional Administrative Council must include people from the Agricultural Research Service, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, state cooperative extension services, state agricultural experiment stations, the Soil Conservation Service, state sustainable‑ag departments, qualified nonprofit groups, farmers using sustainable methods, agribusiness, the State or U.S. Geological Survey, and others with sustainable‑ag knowledge. Councils must promote the programs, set goals and project selection rules, create a technical committee to review proposals, act on that committee’s recommendations while working with the host institution, and publish an annual report and evaluation of funded projects. A council or technical committee member cannot take part in reviewing or recommending a project if they have or had a business or professional interest, including consulting, with the applicant.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §5812

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall—
(1)administer the programs and projects conducted under section 5811 and 5813 of this title through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, and other appropriate agencies;
(2)establish a minimum of four Regional Administrative Councils in accordance with subsection (b); and
(3)in conjunction with such Regional Administrative Councils, identify regional host institutions required to carry out such programs or projects.
(b)(1)The membership of the Regional Administrative Councils shall include representatives of—
(A)the Agricultural Research Service;
(B)the National Institute of Food and Agriculture;
(C)State cooperative extension services;
(D)State agricultural experiment stations;
(E)the Soil Conservation Service;
(F)State departments engaged in sustainable agriculture programs;
(G)nonprofit organizations with demonstrable expertise;
(H)farmers utilizing systems and practices of sustainable agriculture;
(I)agribusiness;
(J)the State or United States Geological Survey; and
(K)other persons knowledgeable about sustainable agriculture and its impact on the environment and rural communities.
(2)The Regional Administrative Councils shall—
(A)promote the programs established under this subchapter at the regional level;
(B)establish goals and criteria for the selection of projects authorized under this subchapter within the applicable region;
(C)appoint a technical committee to evaluate the proposals for projects to be considered under this subchapter by such council;
(D)review and act on the recommendations of the technical committee, and coordinate its activities with the regional host institution; and
(E)prepare and make available an annual report concerning projects funded under section 5811 and 5813 of this title, together with an evaluation of the project activity.
(3)A member of the Regional Administrative Council or a technical committee may not participate in the discussion or recommendation of proposed projects if the member has or had a professional or business interest in, including the provision of consultancy services, the organization whose grant application is under review.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification 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.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(15)(A), substituted “the National Institute of Food and Agriculture” for “the Cooperative State Research Service in close cooperation with the Extension Service”. Subsec. (b)(1)(B) to (L). Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(15)(B), added subpar. (B), redesignated former subpars. (D) to (L) as (C) to (K), respectively, and struck out former subpars. (B) and (C) which read as follows: “(B) the Cooperative State Research Service; “(C) the Extension Service;”. 1996—Subsec. (a)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 104–127, § 860(b)(1), redesignated pars. (3) and (4) as (2) and (3), respectively, substituted “subsection (b)” for “subsection (e)” in par. (2), and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “establish the Advisory Council in accordance with subsection (c) of this section;”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–127, § 860(a), (b)(3), redesignated subsec. (e) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which required Secretary, not later than Apr. 1, 1991, and each April 1 thereafter, to prepare and submit to congressional committees and to Advisory Council report describing results of programs carried out under section 5811, 5813, and 5821 of this title and report describing progress of projects conducted under this subchapter. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 104–127, § 860(b)(4), redesignated subpars. (B) to (F) as (A) to (E), respectively, and struck out former subpar. (A) which read as follows: “make recommendations to the Advisory Council concerning research and extension projects that merit funding under section 5811 and 5813 of this title;”. Subsecs. (c) to (e). Pub. L. 104–127, § 860(b)(2), (3), redesignated subsec. (e) as (b) and struck out subsec. (c) which provided for membership of the National Sustainable Agriculture Advisory Council and subsec. (d) which set forth responsibilities of Advisory Council.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2008 AmendmentAmendment 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)(15) 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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 5812

Title 7Agriculture

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73