§5928. National centers for agricultural product quality research
(a) Purposes
The purposes of the national centers for agricultural product quality research shall be to-
(1) serve as regional or commodity specific agricultural product quality research and education focal points involving one or more university and Federal participants;
(2) take advantage of opportunities, and establish linkages between universities and other entities with expertise, in basic biology and engineering, the development of new technology, the application of technology to practice, and related quality assurance and regulatory activities;
(3) develop and enhance explicit relationships (including the possible sharing of the cost of center operations) between the research and development community, the Department, and other Federal agencies, and with all aspects of the involved industries;
(4) provide a mechanism for dealing with the safety and wholesomeness of new food products and processes that use biotechnology (including transgenic plants and animals);
(5) provide factual public information about agricultural product quality and wholesomeness on a continuing basis; and
(6) where appropriate, build on existing institutional strengths and commitments to address issues relating to agricultural product quality and wholesomeness and on demonstrated capability to effectively link with operational units of the Department, other Federal agencies, and private industry.
(b) Characteristics of centers
(1) Regional basis
The centers shall be regional based units that conduct a broad spectrum of research, development, and education programs to assure the safety and wholesomeness of food through the prevention, detection, and modification of processes and products involved in the food chain that potentially compromise agricultural product quality and wholesomeness.
(2) Research approach
The centers shall involve multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to the development of new knowledge and technology. The centers may include multi-institutional linkages between universities or related Federal laboratories.
(3) Management
The centers shall serve as a management focal point for grants that deal with agricultural product quality research, extension, and teaching, including the provision of mechanisms for sharing resources between cooperating institutions and laboratories.
(4) Research linkages
Appropriate linkages within the centers shall include related efforts in agriculture, medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, engineering and related life and physical sciences, and social sciences dealing with health related behavior.
(5) Research scope
Each center shall conduct research and education on the full spectrum of production, processing, transportation, and marketing for commodity classes, such as animals (including animal products and animal feed), agronomic crops, and horticultural crops.
(c) Establishment of centers
(1) Establishment
Notwithstanding subsection (g)(1) of this section, the Secretary shall establish not more than four centers.
(2) Operating grants
The Secretary shall make grants to operate the centers established under paragraph (1). Such grants shall be competitively awarded based on merit and relevance in reference to meeting the purposes specified in subsection (a) of this section. Such grants may be awarded for periods of up to five years and may be renewed in competition with demonstration of adequate performance. The Secretary shall give preference to proposals that demonstrate linkages with action agencies of the Department, with other related Federal research laboratories and agencies, and with private industry.
(3) Primary institution in center
The primary institution involved in a center shall be a land-grant college with other cooperating or collaborating academic institutions, nonprofit research and development entities, and Federal laboratories. A center may involve institutions or laboratories in more than one State.
(4) Matching funds
The non-Federal sponsors of a center shall contribute an amount of funds for operation of the center equal to not less than the amount awarded by the Federal Government.
(d) Program plan and review
(1) Plan
A program plan shall be developed by the Department after obtaining the advice of representative users of the centers, including both action agencies and appropriate representatives from various segments of the food industry. The plan shall be submitted to the Congress for review at intervals of not less than once every three years.
(2) Review
Accomplishments and directions of the centers shall be reviewed by the Department on a periodic basis, but not less frequently than at the end of the second and fourth years after November 28, 1990. The persons conducting the review shall be appointed by, and report to, the Secretary.
(e) Limitation on use of funds
Funds provided under this section may not be used for the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of a building or facility.
(f) Definitions
For purposes of this section:
(1) The term "center" means a national center for agricultural product quality research established under this section.
(2) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture.
(3) The term "Department" means the Department of Agriculture.
(g) Authorization of appropriations
(1) There are authorized to be appropriated such funds as may be necessary to carry out this section for each of the fiscal years 1991 through 1995.
(2) The centers shall be funded through the Cooperative State Research Service in the Department.
(Pub. L. 101 624, title XVI, §1675, Nov. 28, 1990,
Amendments
1991-Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 102 237, §407(14)(A), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) "Grants" which read as follows: "The Secretary shall make grants to establish the centers. Such grants establishing centers shall be competitively awarded based on merit and relevance in reference to meeting the purposes specified in subsection (a) of this section."
Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 102 237, §407(14)(B), in heading substituted "Operating grants" for "Periods and preferences" and in text substituted "The Secretary shall make grants to operate the centers established under paragraph (1). Such grants shall be competitively awarded based on merit and relevance in reference to meeting the purposes specified in subsection (a) of this section. Such grants" for "Grants".