§7631 Agricultural biotechnology research and development for developing countries

Summary

The Secretary, using the Foreign Agricultural Service, must set up and run a program that awards competitive grants to eligible entities to create agricultural biotechnology for developing countries. Eligible entities are: colleges that teach agriculture or biosciences; nonprofit groups; or partnerships of for‑profit companies and agricultural research institutions. Grant money can pay for biotech projects that make crops more nutritious, raise yields and food safety, increase yields of drought- and stress‑resistant crops, let crops be grown in new areas, make fruits and vegetables last longer, create environmentally sustainable crops, or produce edible vaccines and medicines from genetically engineered plants. Funding was authorized as needed for each fiscal year from 2002 through 2012.