§7627 Coordinated program of research, extension, and education to improve viability of small and medium size dairy, livestock, and poultry operations

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture can run a coordinated research, education, and outreach program to help small and medium dairy, livestock, and poultry farms become more competitive, financially stable, and environmentally sustainable. The program can fund research and on-farm teaching about low-cost buildings, better management, and genetics; study grazing systems for dairy and livestock to cut feed and capital costs; develop combined crop-and-animal systems to save energy, lower costs, and reduce pollution; do economic and market studies to find new or better sales options like cooperatives and value-added products; and compare technologies used by large farms with what smaller farms need so useful tools can be shared. "Operations" means small and medium dairy, livestock, and poultry farms. The Secretary may use staff, labs, and funding from the Agricultural Research Service, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and other available USDA funds, but not money from the Commodity Credit Corporation.