§ 7632.
(b)
Establishment
There is established within the Department a specialty crop research and extension initiative to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by developing and disseminating science-based tools to address needs of specific crops and their regions, including—
(1)
research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics, such as—
(A)
product, taste, quality, and appearance;
(B)
size-controlling rootstock systems for perennial crops;
(C)
environmental responses and tolerances;
(D)
nutrient management, including plant nutrient uptake efficiency;
(E)
pest and disease management, including resistance to pests and diseases resulting in reduced application management strategies; and
(F)
enhanced phytonutrient content;
(2)
efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including—
(A)
threats to specialty crop pollinators;
(B)
emerging and invasive species; and
(C)
a more effective understanding and utilization of existing natural enemy complexes;
(3)
efforts—
(A)
to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing); and
(B)
to achieve a better understanding of—
(i)
the soil rhizosphere microbiome;
(ii)
pesticide application systems and certified drift-reduction technologies; and
(iii)
systems to improve and extend the storage life of specialty crops;
(4)
new innovations and technology, including—
(A)
mechanization and automation of labor-intensive tasks in production and processing;
(B)
technologies that delay or inhibit ripening;
(C)
decision support systems driven by phenology and environmental factors;
(D)
improved monitoring systems for agricultural pests; and
(E)
effective systems for preharvest and postharvest management of quarantine pests; and
(5)
methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops, including fresh produce.
(c)
Eligible entities
The Secretary may carry out this section through—
(2)
national laboratories;
(3)
colleges and universities;
(4)
research institutions and organizations;
(5)
private organizations or corporations;
(6)
State agricultural experiment stations;
(8)
groups consisting of 2 or more entities described in paragraphs (1) through (7).
(d)
Review of proposals
In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall award competitive grants on the basis of—
(1)
a scientific peer review conducted by a panel of subject matter experts from Federal agencies, non-Federal entities, and the specialty crop industry; and
(2)
a review and ranking for merit, relevance, and impact conducted by a panel of specialty crop industry representatives for the specific specialty crop.
(e)
Consultation
Each fiscal year, before conducting the scientific peer review described in paragraph (1) of subsection (d) and the merit and relevancy review described in paragraph (2) of such subsection, the Secretary shall consult with the specialty crops committee regarding such reviews. The committee shall provide the Secretary—
(1)
in the first fiscal year in which that consultation occurs, any recommendations for conducting such reviews in such fiscal year; and
(2)
in any subsequent fiscal year in which such consultation occurs—
(A)
an assessment of the procedures and objectives used by the Secretary for such reviews in the previous fiscal year;
(B)
any recommendations for such reviews for the current fiscal year; and
(C)
any comments on grants awarded under subsection (d) during the previous fiscal year.
(f)
Report
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 a report on—
(1)
the results of the consultations with the specialty crops committee (and subcommittees thereof) conducted under subsection (e) of this section and subsection (g) of
section 3123a of this title;
(2)
the specialty crops committee’s (and subcommittees thereof) recommendations, if any, provided to the Secretary during such consultations; and
(3)
the specialty crops committee’s (and subcommittees thereof) review of the grants awarded under subsection (d) and (j), as applicable, in the previous fiscal year.
(h)
Priorities
In making grants under the Initiative, the Secretary shall provide a higher priority to projects that—
(1)
are multistate, multi-institutional, or multidisciplinary; and
(2)
include explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers and the public.
(j)
Emergency citrus disease research and extension program
(1)
Establishment and purpose
The Secretary shall establish a competitive research and extension grant program to combat diseases of citrus under which the Secretary awards competitive grants to eligible entities—
(A)
to conduct scientific research and extension activities, technical assistance, and development activities to combat citrus diseases and pests, both domestic and invasive, which pose imminent harm to the United States citrus production and threaten the future viability of the citrus industry, including huanglongbing and the Asian Citrus Psyllid; and
(B)
to provide support for the dissemination and commercialization of relevant information, techniques, and technologies discovered pursuant to research and extension activities funded through—
(i)
the emergency citrus disease research and extension program; or
(ii)
other research and extension projects intended to solve problems caused by citrus production diseases and invasive pests.
(3)
Coordination
When developing the proposed research and extension agenda and budget under subsection (g)(2) of
section 3123a of this title for the funds made available under this subsection for a fiscal year, the citrus disease subcommittee shall—
(A)
seek input from Federal and State agencies and other entities involved in citrus disease response; and
(B)
take into account other public and private citrus-related research and extension projects and the funding for such projects.
(5)
Authorization of appropriations
(6)
Definitions
In this subsection:
(C)
Emergency citrus disease research and extension program
([Pub. L. 105–185, title IV, § 412], as added [Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7311(a)], May 22, 2008, [122 Stat. 1243], and [Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)], title VII, § 7311(a), June 18, 2008, [122 Stat. 1664], 2004; amended [Pub. L. 112–240, title VII, § 701(e)(2)], Jan. 2, 2013, [126 Stat. 2364]; [Pub. L. 113–79, title VII], §§ 7128(b)(3)(B), 7306, Feb. 7, 2014, [128 Stat. 879], 888; [Pub. L. 115–334, title VII], §§ 7305, 7614(b)(3)(B), Dec. 20, 2018, [132 Stat. 4815], 4836.)