AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REVIEW BOARD.

SEC. 1605. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REVIEW BOARD. (a) In General.— The National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101) is amended by inserting after section 1408 the following new section: “SEC. 1408A. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REVIEW BOARD. “(a) Establishment.— The Secretary, acting through the Joint Council, shall establish and oversee an Agricultural Science Technology Review Board. “(b) Membership.— “(1) Composition.— The Technology Board shall be composed of 11 individuals, to be appointed by the Secretary, who have expertise in technology assessment, environmental sciences, international agricultural issues, the social sciences, agricultural sciences (both basic and applied), technology transfer, and education, including representatives of— “(A) the Agricultural Research Service; “(B) the Cooperative State Research Service; “(C) the Extension Service; 104 STAT. 3712 “(D) private foundations and nonprofit organizations who have expertise in agricultural research, education, and technology transfer; “(E) private agricultural research and technology transfer firms; and “(F) the Land Grant University System. “(2) Manner of appointment.— The Secretary shall appoint members of the Technology Board in a manner determined to be appropriate by the Secretary. “(3) Private sector representation.— A majority of the members of the Technology Board appointed under paragraph (1) shall be from the private sector. “(4) Term.— Members of the Technology Board shall serve for staggered terms of 3 years, as determined appropriate by the Secretary. “(5) Chairperson.— The Technology Board shall select a chairperson from its membership, who shall serve in that position for a term of 1 year. “(c) Technical Interpretation and Assessments.— “(1) In General.— The Technology Board shall— “(A) provide technical interpretation and translation of current and emerging agricultural and environmental science issues for use by the Joint Council and the Advisory Board in setting priorities and conducting evaluations; and “(B) provide technology assessment of current and emerging public and private agricultural research and technology transfer initiatives, including emerging technologies from private industry and public institutions that would influence agriculture, environment, nutrition, and the broad social, economic, and health consequences on urban and rural communities. “(2) Assessments.— The Technology Board may conduct assessments to consider to what extent agricultural research and extension programs foster— “(A) the development of farming systems that most effectively take advantage of natural processes and beneficial biological interactions and other sustainable agriculture techniques; “(B) genetics research that results in crop varieties and livestock that enhance management options, farm productivity, use of inputs, and a diversity of products that can be marketed by the farm operator; “(C) research to develop farming systems appropriate to climatological uncertainty; “(D) research to increase the demand for current farm products, and to develop new farm crops and enterprises, that are economically and environmentally advantageous and enhance agricultural diversity; “(E) research to enhance economic and societal well-being; “(F) research that develops rural economic development strategies that build on the entrepreneurial skills, self-employment tradition, and the resource base of rural communities and extension programs to disseminate those strategies; “(G) innovative extension and education programs that transfer new technology to the rural community including104 STAT. 3713 small- and moderate-sized family farmers and potential beginning and minority farmers with limited resources; and “(H) extension programs that substantially involve a broad range of interested individuals, commodity groups, agri-industry groups, farm groups, rural organizations, community groups, farmer workers, and environmental organizations to broaden input into research and extension priority setting. “(d) Technology Assessment Report.— “(1) In general.— Not later than December 31 of each year, the Technology Board shall prepare a report that contains a technology assessment of emerging public and private agricultural research initiatives and activities, including— “(A) recommendations on how such research would be best directed to advance the purposes set forth in section 1402; and “(B) an assessment of activities conducted by the Secretary, research components of public and private colleges and universities, and emerging private agricultural research initiatives. “(2) Recipients.— The Technology Board shall submit the report required under paragraph (1) to the appropriate Committees of Congress, to the Secretary, to the heads of other Federal agencies who support agricultural research, and (on request) to private organizations who have a significant involvement in agricultural research. “(3) Minority views.— The Technology Board shall include minority views in the report, if timely submitted.”. (b) Conforming Amendments.— (1) Support.— Section 1412 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 3127) is amended— (A) by striking the heading and “Sec. 1412.” and inserting the following: “SEC. 1412. SUPPORT FOR THE JOINT COUNCIL. ADVISORY BOARD. AND TECHNOLOGY BOARD.”; (B) in subsection (a)— (i) by striking “and the Advisory Board” in the matter preceding the paragraphs and inserting “, the Advisory Board, and the Technology Board”; (ii) by inserting “and the Technology Board” immediately before the dash; (iii) in paragraph (1), by inserting “and the Technology Board” before “may direct”; (iv) in paragraph (2), by striking “Council and” and inserting “Council,”; and (v) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the period the following: “, and one shall serve as the executive secretary to the Technology Board”; (C) in subsection (b), by striking “and the Advisory Board” and inserting “, the Advisory Board, and the Technology Board”; and (D) in subsection (c), by striking “and the Advisory Board” and inserting “, the Advisory Board, and the Technology Board”. (2) General provisions.— Section 1413 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 3128) is amended— 104 STAT. 3714 (A) in subsection (a), by striking “or the Advisory Board” and inserting “, the Advisory Board, or the Technology Board”; (B) in subsection (b), by striking “and Advisory Board” and inserting “, the Advisory Board, and the Technology Board”; and (C) by striking subsection (d) and redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d). (3) Coordination.— Section 1405(12) of that Act (7 U.S.C. 3121(12)) is amended by inserting “, after coordination with the Technology Board,” after “establish”. (4) Annual report of the secretary.— Paragraph (2) of section 1410 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 3125) is amended to read as follows: “(2) the recommendations of the Joint Council developed under section 1407(f), the recommendations of the Advisory Board developed under section 1408(g), and the recommendations of the Technology Board developed under section 1408A(d); and”. (c) Clerical Amendments.— The table of contents of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 (Public Law 95–113; 91 Stat. 913) is amended— (1) by inserting after the item relating to section 1408 the following new item: “Sec. 1408A. Agricultural Science and Technology Review Board.”; and (2) by striking the item relating to section 1412 and inserting the following new item: “Sec. 1412. Support for the Joint Council, Advisory Board, and Technology Board.”.