national agricultural research and extension users advisory board

national agricultural research and extension users advisory board Sec. 1408. (a) The Secretary shall establish within the Department of Agriculture a board to be known as the National Agricultural Research and Extension Users Advisory Board which shall have a term of five years. (b) The Advisory Board shall be composed of the following twenty-one members to be appointed by the Secretary— (1) four members representing producers of agricultural commodities, forest products, and aquacultural products, (2) four members representing consumer interests, (3) two members representing farm suppliers and food and fiber processors, (4) two members representing food marketing interests, (5) two members representing environmental interests, (6) one member engaged in rural development work, (7) two members engaged in human nutrition work, (8) one member representing animal health interests, (9) one member engaged in transportation of food and agricultural products to domestic or foreign markets, (10) one member representing labor organizations primarily concerned with the production, processing, distribution, or transportation of food and agricultural products, and (11) one member representing private sector organizations involved in development programs and issues in developing countries. (c) The Advisory Board shall select a chairman and vice-chairman from its membership, at its first meeting each year, who shall serve in those positions for a term of one year. (d) The Advisory Board Shall meet at least once during each four- month period. At least one meeting each year shall be a combined meeting with the Joint Council. (e) The Advisory Board is authorized to establish such panels as it deems appropriate to develop information, reports, advice, and recommendations for the use of the Advisory Board in meeting its responsibilities. Members of such panels may include members of the Advisory Board, Advisory Board staff members, individuals from the Department of Agriculture and other departments and agencies of the Federal Government, and individuals from the private sector who have expertise in the subject to lie examined by the panel. (f) (1) The Advisory Board shall have general responsibility for preparing independent advisory opinions on the food and agricultural sciences. (2) The Advisory Board shall have the specific responsibilities for— (A) reviewing the policies, plans, and goals of programs within the Department of Agriculture involving the food and agricultural sciences, and related programs in other Federal and State departments and agencies and in the colleges and universities developed by the Secretary under this title; (B) reviewing and assessing the extent of agricultural research nod extension being conducted by private foundations and businesses. and the relationships of such research and extension to federally supported agricultural research and extension; (C) reviewing and providing consultation to the Secretary on national policies, priorities, and strategies for agricultural research and extension for both the short and long term; 91 STAT. 989 (D) assessing the overall adequacy of, and making recommendations to the Secretary with regard to, the distribution of resources and the allocation of funds authorized by this title; (E) preparing and submitting to the Secretary, not later than October 31 of each year, a statement of recommendations as to allocations of responsibilities and levels of funding among federally supported agricultural research and extension programs, which shall include a review and an assessment of the allocation of funds for agricultural research and extension made for the preceding fiscal year by the organizations represented on the Joint Council. Minority views, if timely submitted, shall be included in the submission. The Secretary shall submit copies of the statement to the Subcommittee on Food and Renewable Resources of the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology, and the Joint Council; and (F) not later than March 1 of each year submitting a report on its appraisal of the President’s proposed budget for the food and agricultural sciences for the fiscal year beginning in such year and the recommendations of the Secretary contained in the annual report submitted by the Secretary pursuant to the provisions of section 1410 of this title. Such report shall be submitted to the President, the House Committee on Agriculture, the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and the Senate Committee on Appropriations. The report may include the separate views of members of the Advisory Board. The first report shall be due not later than March 1, 1979.