RURAL TECHNOLOGY GRANTS.

SEC. 2347. RURAL TECHNOLOGY GRANTS. (a) In General.— Section 310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932) is amended by striking subsection (f) and inserting the following: “(f) (1) The Secretary shall make grants under this subsection to nonprofit institutions for the purpose of enabling such institutions to establish and operate centers for rural technology or cooperative development. “(2) Any nonprofit institution seeking a grant under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary an application containing a plan for the establishment and operation by such institution of a center for rural technology or cooperative development. The Secretary may approve such application if such plan contains the following: “(A) A provision that substantiates that such center will effectively serve rural areas in the United States. “(B) A provision that the primary objective of such center will be to improve the economic condition of rural areas by promoting the development (through technological innovation, cooperative development, and adaptation of existing technology) and commercialization of— “(i) new services and products that can be produced or provided in rural areas; “(ii) new processes that can be utilized in the production of products in rural areas; and “(iii) new enterprises that can add value to on-farm production through processing or marketing. “(C) A description of the activities that such center will carry out to accomplish such objective. Such activities may include the following: “(i) Programs for technology research, investigations, and basic feasibility studies in any field or discipline for the purpose of generating principles, facts, technical knowledge, new technology, or other information that may be useful to rural industries, cooperatives, agribusinesses, and other persons or entities in rural areas served by such centers in the development and commercialization of new products, processes, or services. 104 STAT. 4035 “(ii) Programs for the collection, interpretation, and dissemination of principles, facts, technical knowledge, new technology, or other information that may be useful to rural industries, cooperatives, agribusinesses, and other persons in rural areas served by the center in the development and commercialization of new products, processes, or services. “(iii) Programs providing training and instruction for individuals residing in rural areas served by the center with respect to the development (through technological innovation, cooperative development, and adaptation of existing technology) and commercialization of new products, processes, or services. “(iv) Programs providing loans and grants to individuals, small businesses, and cooperatives in rural areas served by the center for purposes of generating, evaluating, developing, and commercializing new products, processes, or services. “(v) Programs providing technical assistance and advisory services to individuals, small businesses, cooperatives, and industries in rural areas served by the center for purposes of developing and commercializing new products, processes, or services. “(vi) Programs providing research and support to individuals, small businesses, cooperatives, and industries in rural areas served by the center for purposes of developing new agricultural enterprises to add value to on-farm production through processing or marketing. “(D) A description of the contributions that such activities are likely to make to the improvement of the economic conditions of the rural areas for which such center will provide services. “(E) Provisions that such center, in carrying out such activities, will seek, where appropriate, the advice, participation, expertise, and assistance of representatives of business, industry, educational institutions, the Federal Government, and State and local governments. “(F) Provisions that such center— “(i) will consult with any college or university administering any program under title V of the Rural Development Act of 1972 in the State in which such center is located; and “(ii) will cooperate with such college or university in the coordination of such activities and such program. “(G) Provisions that such center will take all practicable steps to develop continuing sources of financial support for such center, particularly from sources in the private sector. “(H) Provisions for— “(i) monitoring and evaluating such activities by the institution operating such center; and “(ii) accounting for money received by such institution under this section. “(I) Provisions that such center will provide for the optimal application of such technology and cooperative development in rural areas, especially those areas adversely affected by adverse agricultural economic conditions, through the establishment of demonstration projects and subcenters for— 104 STAT. 4036 “(i) rural technology development where the technology can be implemented by communities, community colleges, businesses, cooperatives, and other institutions; or “(ii) cooperative development where such development can be implemented by cooperatives to improve local economic conditions. “(3) Grants made under paragraph (1) shall be made on a competitive basis. In making grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to grant applications providing for the establishment of centers for rural technology or cooperative development that— “(A) can demonstrate the capability to transfer for practical application in rural areas the technology generated at such centers and the ability to commercialize products, processes, services, and enterprises in such rural areas; “(B) will effectively serve in rural areas that have— “(i) few rural industries and agribusinesses; “(ii) high levels of unemployment or underemployment; “(iii) high rates of outmigration of people, businesses, and industries; and “(iv) low levels of per capita income; and “(C) will contribute the most to the improvement of economic conditions of rural areas. “(4) As used in this subsection: “(A) The term ‘nonprofit institution’ means any organization or institution, including an accredited institution of higher education, no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. “(B) The term ‘United States’ means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the other territories and possessions of the United States. “(g) In carrying out subsection (f), the Secretary may provide technical assistance to alleviate or prevent conditions of excessive unemployment or underemployment of persons residing in economically distressed rural areas that the Secretary determines have a substantial need for such assistance. Such assistance shall include planning and feasibility studies, management and operational assistance, and studies evaluating the needs for development potential of projects that increase employment and improve economic growth in such areas. “(h) The Secretary may make grants to defray not to exceed 75 percent of the administrative costs incurred by organizations and public bodies to carry out projects for which grants or loans are made under subsection (f). For purposes of determining the non-Federal share of such costs, the Secretary shall consider contributions in cash and in kind, fairly evaluated, including but not limited to premises, equipment, and services.”. (b) Limitation on Authorization of Appropriations.— To carry out subsections (f) and (h) of section 310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary not to exceed $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1992,1993, and 1994.