7 U.S.C. § 5679: Biotechnology and…

Summary

The Department of Agriculture must create a biotechnology and agricultural trade program. It gives grants to public and private groups to remove or reduce foreign rules that block U.S. agricultural exports. Grants pay for quick fixes for problems with biotech or new farming technologies, food safety, disease, and other sanitary or plant-health issues, and to help make agreed rules with other countries on animal health, grain quality, and genetically modified commodities. The Secretary may run these activities through this program, the emerging markets program, or the Cochran Fellowship Program. Congress authorized $2,000,000 for each fiscal year 2019 through 2023.

Title 7, §5679

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment

There is established in the Department the biotechnology and agricultural trade program.

(b)Purpose

The purpose of the program shall be to remove, resolve, or mitigate significant regulatory nontariff barriers to the export of United States agricultural commodities (as defined in section 5602 of this title) into foreign markets through public and private sector projects funded by grants that address—

(1)quick response intervention regarding nontariff barriers to United States exports involving—

(A)United States agricultural commodities produced through biotechnology or new agricultural production technologies;

(B)food safety;

(C)disease; or

(D)other sanitary or phytosanitary concerns; or

(2)developing protocols as part of bilateral negotiations with other countries on issues such as animal health, grain quality, and genetically modified commodities.

(c)Eligible programs

Depending on need, as determined by the Secretary, activities authorized under this section may be carried out through—

(1)this section;

(2)the emerging markets program under section 1542 and section 5623(d) of this title; or

(3)the Cochran Fellowship Program under section 3293 of this title.

(d)Funding

There is authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1542, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), is section 1542 of title XV 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 Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, and not as part of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 115–334, § 3301(1), inserted “or new agricultural production technologies” after “biotechnology”. Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 115–334, § 3201(b)(3)(C), inserted “and section 5623(d) of this title” after “section 1542”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–334, § 3301(2), substituted “$2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023” for “$6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2007”.

§5679 Biotechnology and Agricultural Trade Program