7 U.S.C. § 5841: Establishment, purpose, and…

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture must run a National Genetic Resources Program through the Agricultural Research Service. The program’s job is to collect, preserve, study, and share genetic material that is important for U.S. food and farming. The program must gather and organize samples, research the materials and better ways to store them, and coordinate with other U.S. efforts. Unless another law stops it, the program must provide its materials on request at no charge to anyone, anywhere. It should cover many types of resources—plants (including trees), animals, aquatic life, insects, microbes, and others—as money allows, make a national plan to address backlogs of unstudied or poorly kept samples, and do other work the Secretary finds appropriate and the budget permits.

Title 7, §5841

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

The Secretary of Agriculture shall provide for a National Genetic Resources Program.

(b)Purpose

The program is established for the purpose of maintaining and enhancing a program providing for the collection, preservation, and dissemination of genetic material of importance to American food and agriculture production.

(c)Administration

The program shall be administered by the Secretary through the Agricultural Research Service.

(d)Functions

The Secretary, acting through the program, shall—

(1)provide for the collection, classification, preservation, and dissemination of genetic material of importance to the food and agriculture sectors of the United States;

(2)conduct research on the genetic materials collected and on methods for storage and preservation of those materials;

(3)coordinate the activities of the program with similar activities occurring domestically;

(4)unless otherwise prohibited by law, have the right to make available on request, without charge and without regard to the country from which the request originates, the genetic material that the program assembles;

(5)expand the types of genetic resources included in the program to develop a comprehensive genetic resources program which includes plants (including silvicultural species), animal, aquatic, insect, microbiological, and other types of genetic resources of importance to food and agriculture, as resources permit;

(6)develop and implement a national strategic germplasm and cultivar collection assessment and utilization plan that takes into consideration the resources and research necessary to address the significant backlog of characterization and maintenance of existing accessions considered to be critical to preserve the viability of, and public access to, germplasm and cultivars; and

(7)engage in such other activities as the Secretary determines appropriate and as the resources of the program permit.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (d)(6), (7). Pub. L. 115–334 added par. (6) and redesignated former par. (6) as (7). 1996—Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 104–127 added par. (4) and struck out former par. (4) which read as follows: “make available upon request, without charge and without regard to the country from which such request originates, the genetic material which the program assembles;”.

§5841 Establishment, Purpose, and Functions of National Genetic Resources Program

Summary

Title 7, §5841

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata