7 U.S.C. § 3353: Agricultural biosecurity

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture can give grants to colleges or universities that have food and agricultural science programs so they can review and improve security against bioterrorism. Each school can get one grant up to $50,000 and may use the money to hire outside private security experts to do the review. The Secretary can also give grants to food producer associations or to consortia of those associations to create and run farm biosecurity education programs. Each association can get one grant up to $100,000. A consortium can get up to $100,000 for each association in the consortium. Grant money can be used to hire outside experts with biosecurity experience. Money is authorized as needed each fiscal year to run these programs.

Title 7, §3353

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Security at colleges and universities

(1)Grants

The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) may award grants to covered entities to review security standards and practices at their facilities in order to protect against bioterrorist attacks.

(2)Covered entities

Covered entities under this subsection are colleges or universities that—

(A)are colleges or universities as defined in section 3103 of this title; and

(B)have programs in food and agricultural sciences, as defined in such section.

(3)Limitation

Each individual covered entity may be awarded one grant under paragraph (1), the amount of which shall not exceed $50,000.

(4)Contract authority

Colleges and universities receiving grants under paragraph (1) may use such grants to enter into contracts with independent private organizations with established and demonstrated security expertise to conduct the security reviews specified in such paragraph.

(b)Guidelines for agricultural biosecurity

(1)In general

The Secretary may award grants to associations of food producers or consortia of such associations for the development and implementation of educational programs to improve biosecurity on farms in order to ensure the security of farm facilities against potential bioterrorist attacks.

(2)Limitation

Each individual association eligible under paragraph (1) may be awarded one grant under such paragraph, the amount of which shall not exceed $100,000. Each consortium eligible under paragraph (1) may be awarded one grant under such paragraph, the amount of which shall not exceed $100,000 per association participating in the consortium.

(3)Contract authority

Associations of food producers receiving grants under paragraph (1) may use such grants to enter into contracts with independent private organizations with established and demonstrated expertise in biosecurity to assist in the development and implementation of educational programs to improve biosecurity specified in such paragraph.

(c)Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year.

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, and not as part of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 which comprises this chapter.

§3353 Agricultural Biosecurity

Summary

Title 7, §3353

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Citations & Metadata