§3123a. Agricultural Science and Technology Review Board
(a) Establishment
The Secretary, acting through the Joint Council, shall establish and oversee an Agricultural Science and Technology Review Board.
(b) Membership
(1) Composition
The Technology Board shall be composed of 11 individuals, to be appointed by the Secretary, who have expertise in technology assessment, environmental sciences, international agricultural issues, the social sciences, agricultural sciences (both basic and applied), technology transfer, and education, including representatives of-
(A) the Agricultural Research Service;
(B) the Cooperative State Research Service;
(C) the Extension Service;
(D) private foundations and nonprofit organizations who have expertise in agricultural research, education, and technology transfer;
(E) private agricultural research and technology transfer firms; and
(F) the Land Grant University System.
(2) Manner of appointment
The Secretary shall appoint members of the Technology Board in a manner determined to be appropriate by the Secretary.
(3) Private sector representation
A majority of the members of the Technology Board appointed under paragraph (1) shall be from the private sector.
(4) Term
Members of the Technology Board shall serve for staggered terms of 3 years, as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
(5) Chairperson
The Technology Board shall select a chairperson from its membership, who shall serve in that position for a term of 1 year.
(c) Technical interpretation and assessments
(1) In general
The Technology Board shall-
(A) provide technical interpretation and translation of current and emerging agricultural and environmental science issues for use by the Joint Council and the Advisory Board in setting priorities and conducting evaluations; and
(B) provide technology assessment of current and emerging public and private agricultural research and technology transfer initiatives, including emerging technologies from private industry and public institutions that would influence agriculture, environment, nutrition, and the broad social, economic, and health consequences on urban and rural communities.
(2) Assessments
The Technology Board may conduct assessments to consider to what extent agricultural research and extension programs foster-
(A) the development of farming systems that most effectively take advantage of natural processes and beneficial biological interactions and other sustainable agriculture techniques;
(B) genetics research that results in crop varieties and livestock that enhance management options, farm productivity, use of inputs, and a diversity of products that can be marketed by the farm operator;
(C) research to develop farming systems appropriate to climatological uncertainty;
(D) research to increase the demand for current farm products, and to develop new farm crops and enterprises, that are economically and environmentally advantageous and enhance agricultural diversity;
(E) research to enhance economic and societal well-being;
(F) research that develops rural economic development strategies that build on the entrepreneurial skills, self-employment tradition, and the resource base of rural communities and extension programs to disseminate those strategies;
(G) innovative extension and education programs that transfer new technology to the rural community including small- and moderate-sized family farmers and potential beginning and minority farmers with limited resources; and
(H) extension programs that substantially involve a broad range of interested individuals, commodity groups, agri-industry groups, farm groups, rural organizations, community groups, farmworkers, and environmental organizations to broaden input into research and extension priority setting.
(d) Technology assessment report
(1) In general
Not later than December 31 of each year, the Technology Board shall prepare a report that contains a technology assessment of emerging public and private agricultural research initiatives and activities, including-
(A) recommendations on how such research would be best directed to advance the purposes set forth in section 3101 of this title; and
(B) an assessment of activities conducted by the Secretary, research components of public and private colleges and universities, and emerging private agricultural research initiatives.
(2) Recipients
The Technology Board shall submit the report required under paragraph (1) to the appropriate Committees of Congress, to the Secretary, to the heads of other Federal agencies who support agricultural research, and (on request) to private organizations who have a significant involvement in agricultural research.
(3) Minority views
The Technology Board shall include minority views in the report, if timely submitted.
(Pub. L. 95 113, title XIV, §1408A, as added Pub. L. 101 624, title XVI, §1605(a), Nov. 28, 1990,
Amendments
1991-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102 237, §402(3), inserted "and" after "Science".
Subsec. (c)(2)(H). Pub. L. 102 237, §402(4), substituted "farmworkers" for "farmerworkers".
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 3103, 3125 of this title.