7 U.S.C. § 3293: Agricultural fellowship…

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture must set up the Cochran Fellowship Program to give study fellowships to people from certain foreign countries who work in agriculture. Fellows may study in the United States or at a college in their own country if that school has good science or technical facilities, a partnership with a U.S. college, and strong U.S. faculty involvement in the program. Eligible countries fall into five groups: middle-income countries that no longer qualify for U.S. bilateral aid; middle-income countries that never got such aid but have useful ongoing ties with the U.S.; countries moving from non-representative governments to representative democracies; independent states of the former Soviet Union as the Secretary decides; and emerging markets. The fellowships aim to teach skills to help countries feed their people and to build trade and sanitary or plant/animal health links with U.S. agriculture. Candidates are picked with help from U.S. agricultural counselors, trade officers, and commodity groups, and private farmers may take part. The Secretary will work with other U.S. agencies, universities, and agribusiness to run the program. Money may be appropriated as needed, but may not exceed $4,000,000 for middle-income countries under the first group, $3,000,000 for the second group, and $6,000,000 for the third group; the Secretary may also accept gifts and other funds, which remain available until spent.

Title 7, §3293

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment

The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a fellowship program for, to be known as the “Cochran Fellowship Program”, to provide fellowships to individuals from eligible countries (as determined under subsection (b)) who specialize in agriculture for study—

(1)in the United States; or

(2)at a college or university located in an eligible country that the Secretary determines—

(A)has sufficient scientific and technical facilities;

(B)has established a partnership with at least one college or university in the United States; and

(C)has substantial participation by faculty members of the United States college or university in the design of the fellowship curriculum and classroom instruction under the fellowship.

(b)Eligible countries

Countries described in any of the following paragraphs shall be eligible to participate in the program established under this section: (1) Middle-income country

(2)Ongoing relationship

A middle-income country that has never qualified for bilateral foreign aid assistance from the United States, but with respect to which an ongoing relationship with the United States, including technical assistance and training, would provide mutual benefits to such country and the United States.

(3)Type of government

A country that has recently begun the transformation of its system of government from a non-representative type of government to a representative democracy and that is encouraging democratic institution building, and the cultural values, institutions, and organizations of democratic pluralism.

(4)Independent states of the former Soviet Union

A country that is an independent state of the former Soviet Union (as defined in section 5602(8) of this title), to the extent that the Secretary of Agriculture determines that such country should be eligible to participate in the program established under this section.

(5)Emerging market

Any emerging market, as defined in section 1542(e).

(c)Purpose of fellowships

Fellowships under this section shall be provided to permit the recipients to gain knowledge and skills that will—

(1)assist eligible countries to develop agricultural systems (which may include agricultural extension services) necessary to meet the food and fiber needs of their domestic populations; and

(2)strengthen and enhance—

(A)trade linkages between eligible countries and agricultural interests in the United States; or

(B)linkages between agricultural interests in the United States and regulatory systems governing sanitary and phytosanitary standards for agricultural products that—

(i)may enter the United States; and

(ii)may pose risks to human, animal, or plant life or health.

(d)Individuals who may receive fellowships

The Secretary shall utilize the expertise of United States agricultural counselors, trade officers, and commodity trade promotion groups working in participating countries to help identify program candidates for fellowships under this section from both the public and private sectors of those countries. The Secretary may provide fellowships under the program authorized by this section to private agricultural producers from eligible countries.

(e)Program implementation

The Secretary shall consult with other United States Government agencies, United States universities, and the private agribusiness sector, as appropriate, to design and administer training programs to accomplish the objectives of the program established under this section.

(f)Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated without fiscal year limitation such sums as may be necessary to carry out the program established under this section, except that the amount of such funds in any fiscal year shall not exceed—

(1)for eligible countries that meet the requirements of subsection (b)(1), $4,000,000;

(2)for eligible countries that meet the requirements of subsection (b)(2), $3,000,000; and

(3)for eligible countries that meet the requirements of subsection (b)(3), $6,000,000.

(g)Complementary funds

If the Secretary of Agriculture determines that it is advisable in furtherance of the purposes of the program established under this section, the Secretary may accept money, funds, property, and services of every kind by gift, devise, bequest, grant, or otherwise, and may, in any manner, dispose of all such holdings and use the receipts generated from such disposition as general program funds under this section. All funds so designated for the program established under this section shall remain available until expended.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1542(e), referred to in subsec. (b)(5), is section 1542(e) of Pub. L. 101–624, which is set out as a note under section 5622 of this title. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Agricultural Development and Trade Act of 1990, and also as part of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, and not as part of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–334, § 3305(1), substituted “for study—” for “for study in the United States.” and added pars. (1) and (2). Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 115–334, § 3201(b)(3)(B), substituted “section 1542(e)” for “section 1542(f)”. Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 115–334, § 3305(2)(A), inserted “(which may include agricultural extension services)” after “agricultural systems”. Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 115–334, § 3305(2)(B), inserted dash after “enhance” and subpar. (A) designation before “trade” and added subpar. (B). Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 115–334, § 3305(3)(A), substituted “$4,000,000” for “$3,000,000”. Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 115–334, § 3305(3)(B), substituted “$3,000,000” for “$2,000,000”. Subsec. (f)(3). Pub. L. 115–334, § 3305(3)(C), substituted “$6,000,000” for “$5,000,000”. 1996—Pub. L. 104–127, § 277(b)(1), in section catchline, substituted “middle income countries, emerging democracies, and emerging markets” for “middle income countries and emerging democracies”. Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 104–127, § 277(b)(2), added par. (5). Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 104–127, § 277(b)(3), substituted “food and fiber needs” for “food needs”. 1992—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–511, § 705(a)(1), struck out “middle income countries and emerging democracies” after “fellowship program for” and inserted “(as determined under subsection (b))” after “eligible countries”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–511, § 705(a)(2), substituted “described in any of the following paragraphs” for “that meet the following requirements” in introductory provisions and added par. (4). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102–511, § 705(b), inserted at end “The Secretary may provide fellowships under the program authorized by this section to private agricultural producers from eligible countries.” 1991—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–237 substituted “program” for “Program”.

§3293 Agricultural Fellowship Program for Middle Income Countries, Emerging Democracies, and Emerging Markets