HIGH-PRIORITY RESEARCH AND EXTENSION AREAS.

SEC. 7204. HIGH-PRIORITY RESEARCH AND EXTENSION AREAS.(a) In General.—Section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925) is amended—(1) in subsection (e)—(A) in paragraph (3), by striking “and controlling aflatoxin in the food and feed chains.” and inserting “, improving, and eventually commercializing, alfatoxin controls in corn and other affected agricultural products and crops.”;(B) by striking paragraphs (1), (4), (7), (8), (15), (17), (21), (23), (26), (27), (32), (34), (41), (42), (43), and (45);(C) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), (5), (6), (9) through (14), (16), (18) through (20), (22), (24), (25), (28) through (31), (33), (35) through (40), and (44) as paragraphs (1) through (29), respectively; and(D) by adding at the end the following:“(30) Air emissions from livestock operations.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of conducting field verification tests and developing mitigation options for air emissions from animal feeding operations.122 STAT. 1995“(31) Swine genome project.—Research grants may be made under this section to conduct swine genome research, including the mapping of the swine genome.“(32) Cattle fever tick program.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to study cattle fever ticks to facilitate understanding of the role of wildlife in the persistence and spread of cattle fever ticks, to develop advanced methods for eradication of cattle fever ticks, and to improve management of diseases relating to cattle fever ticks that are associated with wildlife, livestock, and human health.“(33) Synthetic gypsum.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to study the uses of synthetic gypsum from electric power plants to remediate soil and nutrient losses.“(34) Cranberry research program.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to study new technologies to assist cranberry growers in complying with Federal and State environmental regulations, increase production, develop new growing techniques, establish more efficient growing methodologies, and educate cranberry producers about sustainable growth practices.“(35) Sorghum research initiative.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to study the use of sorghum as a bioenergy feedstock, promote diversification in, and the environmental benefits of sorghum production, and promote water conservation through the use of sorghum.“(36) Marine shrimp farming program.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to establish a research program to advance and maintain a domestic shrimp farming industry in the United States.“(37) Turfgrass research initiative.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to study the production of turfgrass (including the use of water, fertilizer, pesticides, fossil fuels, and machinery for turf establishment and maintenance) and environmental protection and enhancement relating to turfgrass production.“(38) Agricultural worker safety research initiative.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section—“(A) to study and demonstrate methods to minimize exposure of farm and ranch owners and operators, pesticide handlers, and agricultural workers to pesticides, including research addressing the unique concerns of farm workers resulting from long-term exposure to pesticides; and“(B) to develop rapid tests for on-farm use to better inform and educate farmers, ranchers, and farm and ranch workers regarding safe field re-entry intervals.“(39) High plains aquifer region.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to carry out interdisciplinary research relating to diminishing water levels and increased demand for water in the High Plains aquifer region.“(40) Deer initiative.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to support collaborative research focusing on the development of viable strategies for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious, parasitic, and toxic diseases of farmed deer and the mapping of the deer genome.122 STAT. 1996“(41) Pasture-based beef systems research initiative.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to study the development of forage sequences and combinations for cow-calf, heifer development, stocker, and finishing systems, to deliver optimal nutritive value for efficient production of cattle for pasture finishing, to optimize forage systems to improve marketability of pasture-finished beef, and to assess the effect of forage quality on reproductive fitness.“(42) Agricultural practices relating to climate change.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section for field and laboratory studies that examine the ecosystem from gross to minute scales and for projects that explore the relationship of agricultural practices to climate change.“(43) Brucellosis control and eradication.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to conduct research relating to the development of vaccines and vaccine delivery systems to effectively control and eliminate brucellosis in wildlife, and to assist with the controlling of the spread of brucellosis from wildlife to domestic animals.“(44) Bighorn and domestic sheep disease mechanisms.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to conduct research relating to the health status of (including the presence of infectious diseases in) bighorn and domestic sheep under range conditions.“(45) Agricultural development in the american-pacific region.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to support food and agricultural science at a consortium of land-grant institutions in the American-Pacific region.“(46) Tropical and subtropical agricultural research.—Research grants may be made under this section, in equal dollar amounts to the Caribbean and Pacific Basins, to support tropical and subtropical agricultural research, including pest and disease research, at the land-grant institutions in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.“(47) Viral hemorrhagic septicemia.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to study—“(A) the effects of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (referred to in this paragraph as ‘VHS’) on freshwater fish throughout the natural and expanding range of VHS; and“(B) methods for transmission and human-mediated transport of VHS among waterbodies.“(48) Farm and ranch safety.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to carry out projects to decrease the incidence of injury and death on farms and ranches, including—“(A) on-site farm or ranch safety reviews;“(B) outreach and dissemination of farm safety research and interventions to agricultural employers, employees, youth, farm and ranch families, seasonal workers, or other individuals; and“(C) agricultural safety education and training.“(49) Women and minorities in stem fields.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section to 122 STAT. 1997 increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, with priority given to eligible institutions that carry out continuing programs funded by the Secretary.“(50) Alfalfa and forage research program.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of studying improvements in alfalfa and forage yields, biomass and persistence, pest pressures, the bioenergy potential of alfalfa and other forages, and systems to reduce losses during harvest and storage.“(51) Food systems veterinary medicine.—Research grants may be made under this section to address health issues that affect food-producing animals, food safety, and the environment, and to improve information resources, curriculum, and clinical education of students with respect to food animal veterinary medicine and food safety.“(52) Biochar research.—Grants may be made under this section for research, extension, and integrated activities relating to the study of biochar production and use, including considerations of agronomic and economic impacts, synergies of coproduction with bioenergy, and the value of soil enhancements and soil carbon sequestration.”;(2) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (j);(3) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:“(h) Pollinator Protection.—“(1) Research and extension.—“(A) Grants.—Research and extension grants may be made under this section—“(i) to survey and collect data on bee colony production and health;“(ii) to investigate pollinator biology, immunology, ecology, genomics, and bioinformatics;“(iii) to conduct research on various factors that may be contributing to or associated with colony collapse disorder, and other serious threats to the health of honey bees and other pollinators, including—“(I) parasites and pathogens of pollinators; and“(II) the sublethal effects of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides on honey bees and native and managed pollinators;“(iv) to develop mitigative and preventative measures to improve native and managed pollinator health; and“(v) to promote the health of honey bees and native pollinators through habitat conservation and best management practices.“(B) Authorization of appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this paragraph $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.“(2) Department of agriculture capacity and infrastructure.—“(A) In general.—The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, increase the capacity and infrastructure of the Department—122 STAT. 1998“(i) to address colony collapse disorder and other long-term threats to pollinator health, including the hiring of additional personnel; and“(ii) to conduct research on colony collapse disorder and other pollinator issues at the facilities of the Department.“(B) Authorization of appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this paragraph $7,250,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.“(3) Honey bee pest and pathogen surveillance.—There is authorized to be appropriated to conduct a nationwide honey bee pest and pathogen surveillance program $2,750,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.“(4) Annual report on response to honey bee colony collapse disorder.—The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate an annual report describing the progress made by the Department of Agriculture in—“(A) investigating the cause or causes of honey bee colony collapse; and“(B) finding appropriate strategies to reduce colony loss.“(i) Regional Centers of Excellence.—“(1) Establishment.—The Secretary shall prioritize regional centers of excellence established for specific agricultural commodities for the receipt of funding under this section.“(2) Composition.—A regional center of excellence shall be composed of 1 or more colleges and universities (including land-grant institutions, schools of forestry, schools of veterinary medicine, or NLGCA Institutions (as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103))) that provide financial support to the regional center of excellence.“(3) Criteria for regional centers of excellence.—The criteria for consideration to be a regional center of excellence shall include efforts—“(A) to ensure coordination and cost-effectiveness by reducing unnecessarily duplicative efforts regarding research, teaching, and extension;“(B) to leverage available resources by using public/private partnerships among agricultural industry groups, institutions of higher education, and the Federal Government;“(C) to implement teaching initiatives to increase awareness and effectively disseminate solutions to target audiences through extension activities;“(D) to increase the economic returns to rural communities by identifying, attracting, and directing funds to high-priority agricultural issues; and“(E) to improve teaching capacity and infrastructure at colleges and universities (including land-grant institutions, schools of forestry, and schools of veterinary medicine).”; and(4) in subsection (j) (as redesignated by paragraph (2)), by striking “2007” and inserting “2012”.122 STAT. 1999(b) Conforming Amendments.—Section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925) is amended—(1) in the first sentence of subsection (a), by striking “(e), (f), and (g)” and inserting “(e) through (i)”; and(2) in subsection (b)—(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “paragraphs (1), (6), (7), and (11)” and inserting “paragraphs (4), (7), (8), and (11)(B)”; and(B) in paragraph (2), by striking “subsection (e)” and inserting “subsections (e) through (i)”.