[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 223 (Friday, November 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 63560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-30400]



[[Page 63559]]

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Part VI





Department of Agriculture





_______________________________________________________________________



Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the Integrated 
Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program; Public 
Meeting and Delegation of Authority; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 223 / Friday, November 19, 1999 / 
Notices  

[[Page 63560]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the Integrated 
Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program; Public 
Meeting and Delegation of Authority

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and delegation of authority.

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SUMMARY: The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service (CSREES) is creating a new research, education, and extension 
program called the Integrated Research, Education, and Extension 
Competitive Grants Program. By this notice, CSREES is designated to act 
on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture in soliciting public comment 
from persons who use or conduct research, extension, or education 
regarding the priorities to be addressed by this new program as 
required under section 102(a) and (b) of the Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, December 2, 1999, from 
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Because of the diversity of subjects, and to aid 
participants in scheduling their attendance, the following schedule is 
anticipated:

9:00-9:30 a.m.--Introduction to Section 406
9:30-10:45 a.m.--Water Quality
10:45-12:00 p.m.--Food Safety
1:00-2:30 p.m.--Pest Management (Pesticide Impact Assessment, FQPA, and 
Methyl Bromide)
2:30-4:00 p.m.--Other Issues Pertaining to 406 Priorities and 
Administration

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in room 107A, Jamie L. Whitten 
Federal Building, United States Department of Agriculture, 12th and 
Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons wishing to present oral 
comments at this meeting are requested to pre-register by contacting 
Ms. Terri Joya at (202) 401-1761, by fax at (202) 401-1782 or by e-mail 
to [email protected]. Participants may reserve a 5-minute comment 
period and should indicate the topic area for which they are 
registering. More time may be available, depending on the number of 
people wishing to make a presentation and the time needed for 
questions, following the presentation. Reservations will be confirmed 
on a first-come, first-served basis. All other attendees may register 
at the meeting. Written comments may also be submitted for the record 
at the meeting or mailed to Ms. Terri Joya, Competitive Research Grants 
and Awards Management, USDA/CSREES, STOP 2240, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-2240. Please provide three copies of 
the comments. All comments must be received by Friday, December 17, 
1999, to be considered. All comments and the official transcript of the 
meeting, when it becomes available, will be available for review for 
six months on the CSREES web page. Participants who require a sign 
language interpreter or other special accommodations should contact Ms. 
Joya as directed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

    Section 406 of AREERA (7 U.S.C. 7626) authorized the Secretary of 
Agriculture to establish a research, education, and extension 
competitive grant program to provide funding for integrated, 
multifunctional agricultural research, extension, and education 
activities. Subject to the availability of appropriations to carry out 
this program, the Secretary may award grants to colleges and 
universities (as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)) 
on a competitive basis for integrated research, education, and 
extension projects. Grants shall be awarded to address priorities in 
United States agriculture that involve integrated research, education, 
and extension activities as determined by the Secretary in consultation 
with the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and 
Economics Advisory Board. The Secretary delegates the authority to 
carry out this program to CSREES.
    CSREES is holding a public meeting to obtain comments to use in 
developing the proposed rule for the new Integrated Research, 
Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program. The meeting is 
open to the public. Written comments and suggestions on issues that may 
be considered in the meeting may be submitted to the CSREES Docket 
Clerk at the address above.

Summary of Integrated Activities

    The Program will be funded in fiscal year (FY) 2000 at $39,541,000 
for the following integrated activities: Water Quality ($13 million), 
Food Safety ($15 million), Pesticide Impact Assessment ($4.541 
million), Crops at Risk from Food Quality and Protection Act (FQPA) 
Implementation ($1 million), FQPA Risk Mitigation Program for Major 
Food Crop Systems ($4 million), and Methyl Bromide Transition Program 
($2 million).
    Listed below is subject area information about integrated 
activities that USDA may fund in FY 2000:
    Water Quality--This program is targeted to the identification and 
resolution of agriculturally-related water quality degradation and 
seeks the development of partnerships to generate and educate on best 
watershed practices.
    Food Safety--This program provides information for research, 
education, and extension to improve the safety of food products and to 
create a public that is more informed about food safety issues.
    Pesticide Impact Assessment--This program provides for the most 
objective and accurate data collection program on FQPA issues which is 
provided to USDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow 
for more informed regulatory decision making.
    Crops at Risk from FQPA Implementation--This program is an 
intermediate-term research and extension program with at-risk cropping 
system as the focal point. Development of new multiple-tactic 
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies designed to assist in the 
transition period for certain pesticides affected by the implementation 
of the FQPA is a potential goal of the program.
    FQPA Risk Mitigation Program for Major Food Crop Systems--This 
program will emphasize development and implementation of new and 
innovative pest management systems designed to maintain the 
productivity and profitability of major acreage crops while meeting or 
exceeding environmental quality and human health standards as the FQPA 
is implemented.
    Methyl Bromide Transitions Program--This program is designed to 
support the discovery and implementation of practical pest management 
alternatives for commodities affected by the methyl bromide phase-out. 
The program will focus on short- to medium-term solutions for 
commodities at risk using either combinations of presently available 
technologies or some newly developed practices.

    Done at Washington, DC, this 16 day of November 1999.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary, Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 99-30400 Filed 11-17-99; 4:04 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P