(a)  The Secretary shall regularly conduct program evaluations to meet the purposes of this chapter and the responsibilities assigned to the Secretary and the Department of Agriculture in this chapter. Such evaluations shall be designed to provide information that may be used to improve the administration and effectiveness of agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs in achieving their stated objectives.

(b)  The Secretary is authorized to encourage and foster the regular evaluation of agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs within the State agricultural experiment stations, cooperative extension services, and colleges and universities, through the development and support of cooperative evaluation programs and program evaluation centers and institutes.