Plant Variety Protection Board.

Sec. 7. Plant Variety Protection Board. (a) Appointment.— The Secretary shall appoint a Plant Variety Protection Board. The Board shall consist of individuals who are experts in various areas of varietal development covered by this Act. Membership of the Board shall include farmer representation and shall be drawn approximately equally from the private or seed industry sector and from the sector of government of the public. The Secretary or his designee shall act as chairman of the Board without voting rights except in the case of ties. (b) Functions of Board.— The functions of the Plant Variety Protection Board shall include: (1) Advising the Secretary concerning the adoption of Rules and Regulations to facilitate the proper administration of this Act; (2) Making advisory decisions on all appeals from the examiner. The Board shall determine whether to act as a full Board or by panels it. selects; and whether to review advisory decisions made by a panel. For service on such appeals, the Board may select, as temporary members, experts in the area to which the particular appeal relates; and (3) Advising the Secretary on all questions under section 44. (c) Compensation of Board.— The members of the Plant Variety Protection Board shall serve without compensation except for standard government reimbursable expenses.