[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 247 (Tuesday, December 27, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-29603]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 27, 1994]


                                                   VOL. 59, NO. 247

                                         Tuesday, December 27, 1994

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

 

Department Reorganization

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the creation of subcabinet 
positions, the creation of new agencies, the abolition of positions and 
agencies, the assignment of functions in USDA, and the transfer of 
assets, rights, and obligations to the new agencies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Michael Kelly, Associate General 
Counsel, Room 2043 South Building, Washington, D.C. 20250; telephone 
(202)-720-7219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Crop Insurance Reform and 
Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, Public Law No. 
103-354, signed by the President on October 13, 1994, permits the 
Secretary of Agriculture to accomplish the reorganization of USDA. 
Pursuant to that authority, on October 20, 1994, the Secretary took the 
following actions:

(1) Establishment of Subcabinet Positions

    The following subcabinet positions were established within USDA:

(A) Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural 
Services

    The Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign 
Agricultural Services supervises all activities of the Consolidated 
Farm Service Agency including the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, 
and the Foreign Agricultural Service, and performs such other functions 
related to farm and foreign agricultural services as are assigned.

(B) Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Economic and Community 
Development

    The Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Economic and Community 
Development supervises all activities of the Rural Utilities Service, 
the Rural Housing and Community Development Service, and the Rural 
Business and Cooperative Development Service, and performs such other 
functions related to rural economic and community development as are 
assigned.

(C) Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer 
Services

    The Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition, and 
Consumer Services supervises all activities of the Food and Consumer 
Service, coordinates functions related to nutrition policy and 
education, and performs such other functions related to food, 
nutrition, and consumer services as are assigned.

(D) Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and 
Environment

    The Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and 
Environment supervises all activities of the Forest Service and the 
Natural Resources Conservation Service, coordinates functions related 
to agricultural environmental quality, and performs such other 
functions related to natural resources and environment as are assigned.

(E) Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and 
Economics

    The Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and 
Economics supervises all activities of the Agricultural Research 
Service, the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service, the Economic Research Service, and the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service, and performs such other functions related to 
research, education, and economics as are assigned.

(F) Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety

    The position of Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety is 
established by the Act. The Under Secretary supervises all activities 
of the Food Safety and Inspection Service, as well as functions under 
the Egg Products Inspection Act formerly performed by the Agricultural 
Marketing Service, and the salmonella enteritidis reduction program and 
pathogen reduction activities formerly performed by the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service, and performs such other functions 
related to food safety as are assigned.

(G) Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory 
Programs

    The Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory 
Programs supervises those activities of the Agricultural Marketing 
Service and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service which do not 
relate primarily to food safety, as well as all activities of the Grain 
Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, and performs such 
other functions related to marketing and regulatory programs as are 
assigned.

(H) Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Congressional Relations

    The Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Congressional Relations 
supervises all activities of USDA and its agencies and offices related 
to relationships with the Congress and with its committees and members, 
as well as functions related to intergovernmental relations, and 
performs such other functions as are assigned.

(I) Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Administration

    The Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Administration 
supervises all activities of the Office of Civil Rights Enforcement, 
the Office of Information Resources Management, the Office of 
Operations, and the Office of Personnel, and provides administrative 
management for the Office of Administrative Law Judges, the Board of 
Contract Appeals, and the Judicial Officer, and performs such other 
functions related to administrative management as are assigned.

(J) Chief Economist

    There shall be in USDA a Chief Economist who reports to the 
Secretary. The Chief Economist supervises all activities of the 
Economic Analysis Staff, the Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit 
Analysis, and the World Agricultural Outlook Board, and is assigned 
responsibility for advising the Secretary with respect to the economic 
effects of all proposed major programs and activities of USDA and for 
preparing economic analyses of USDA's principal initiatives.

(2) Establishment of Agencies and Offices

    The following agencies and offices were established within USDA:

(A) Consolidated Farm Service Agency

    The Consolidated Farm Service Agency is headed by an Administrator 
who reports to the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign 
Agricultural Services. The Agency is assigned responsibility for 
agricultural price and income support programs, production adjustment 
programs, and the conservation reserve and agricultural conservation 
programs formerly performed by the Agricultural Stabilization and 
Conservation Service, supervision of the Federal Crop Insurance 
Corporation, farm-related agricultural credit programs formerly 
performed by the Farmers Home Administration, and such other programs 
related to farm services as are assigned.

(B) Rural Utilities Service

    The Rural Utilities Service is headed by an Administrator who 
reports to the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Economic and 
Community Development. The Service is assigned responsibility for 
electric and telephone loan programs formerly performed by the Rural 
Electrification Administration, water and waste facility loans and 
grants formerly assigned to the Rural Development Administration, and 
such other functions related to rural utilities services as are 
assigned.

(C) Rural Housing and Community Development Service

    The Rural Housing and Community Development Service is headed by an 
Administrator who reports to the Under Secretary of Agriculture for 
Rural Economic and Community Development. The Service is assigned 
responsibility for housing loan programs formerly performed by the 
Farmers Home Administration, community facilities loan programs 
formerly performed by the Rural Development Administration, and such 
other programs related to rural housing and community development as 
are assigned.

(D) Rural Business and Cooperative Development Service

    The Rural Business and Cooperative Development Service is headed by 
an Administrator who reports to the Under Secretary of Agriculture for 
Rural Economic and Community Development. The Service is assigned 
responsibility for business and industry loan programs and assistance 
programs for cooperatives formerly performed by the Rural Development 
Administration, and such other functions related to rural business and 
cooperative development as are assigned.

(E) Food and Consumer Service

    The Food and Consumer Service is headed by an Administrator who 
reports to the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition, and 
Consumer Services. The Service is assigned responsibility for all food 
stamp, school lunch, child nutrition, and special feeding programs 
formerly performed by the Food and Nutrition Service, and for such 
other functions related to food and consumer services as are assigned.

(F) Natural Resources Conservation Service

    The Natural Resources Conservation Service is headed by a Chief who 
reports to the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and 
Environment. The Service is assigned responsibility for all soil and 
water conservation programs formerly performed by the Soil Conservation 
Service, the Wetlands Reserve, Water Bank, Colorado River Basin 
Salinity Control, and Forestry Incentives programs formerly performed 
by the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, the Farms 
for the Future Act program formerly performed by the Farmers Home 
Administration, and such other functions related to natural resources 
conservation as are assigned.

(G) Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

    The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service is 
established by the Act. It is headed by an Administrator who reports to 
the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and 
Economics. The Service is assigned responsibility for all cooperative 
State and other research programs formerly performed by the Cooperative 
State Research Service, all cooperative education and extension 
programs formerly performed by the Extension Service, and such other 
functions related to cooperative research, education, and extension as 
are assigned.

(H) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

    The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration is 
headed by an Administrator who reports to the Assistant Secretary of 
Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. The Administration 
is assigned responsibility for all programs and activities formerly by 
the Federal Grain Inspection Service and by the Packers and Stockyards 
Administration, and such other functions related to regulatory programs 
as are assigned.

(I) National Appeals Division

    The National Appeals Division is headed by a Director who reports 
to the Secretary. The Division is assigned responsibility for all 
administrative appeals formerly performed by the National Appeals 
Division of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service and 
by the National Appeals Staff of the Farmers Home Administration, 
appeals arising from decisions of the Federal Crop Insurance 
Corporation and the Soil Conservation Service, appeals arising from 
decisions of the successors to these agencies established by this 
Memorandum, and such other administrative appeals arising from 
decisions of agencies and offices of USDA as are assigned.

(J) Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis

    The Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis is headed 
by a Director who reports to the Chief Economist. The Office is 
assigned responsibility for assessing the risks to human health, human 
safety, or the environment, and for preparing cost-benefit analyses, 
with respect to proposed major regulations, and for publishing such 
assessments and analyses in the Federal Register. The Office also has 
responsibility for such other analytical functions as are assigned.

(3) Positions Abolished

    The following subcabinet positions were abolished:
    (A) Under Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs and 
Commodity Programs.
    (B) Under Secretary of Agriculture for Small Community and Rural 
Development.
    (C) Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Economics.
    (D) Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Food and Consumer 
Services.
    (E) Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Inspection 
Services.
    (F) Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and 
Environment.
    (G) Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Science and Education.

(4) Agencies and Offices Abolished

    The following agencies and offices within USDA were abolished:
    (A) Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service.
    (B) Farmers Home Administration.
    (C) Rural Electrification Administration.
    (E) Food and Nutrition Service.
    (F) Soil Conservation Service.
    (G) Cooperative State Research Service.
    (H) Extension Service.
    (I) National Agricultural Library.
    (J) Federal Grain Inspection Service.
    (K) Packers and Stockyards Administration.
    (L) Office of the Executive Secretariat.

(5) Transfer of Assets, Rights, Obligations, and Delegations of 
Authority

    All references in any statute or regulation to an agency abolished 
by the Secretary shall be deemed to refer to its successor agency. All 
assets, rights, interests, privileges, immunities, duties, powers, and 
obligations of an agency abolished by the Secretary shall become the 
assets, rights, interests, privileges, immunities, duties, powers, and 
obligations of the successor agency. All delegations to and from an 
agency abolished by the Secretary shall be deemed to be delegations to 
and from the successor agency.

(6) Status of Prior Authority and Directives

    Prior delegations of authority, administrative regulations, and 
other directives not inconsistent with the provisions of this Notice 
shall remain in full force and effect until superseded or otherwise 
modified.

    Done this 23rd day of November, 1994.
Richard E. Rominger,
Acting Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 94-29603 Filed 12-23-94; 8:45 am]
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