[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 5414-5418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2396]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

7 CFR Part 2


Revision of Delegations of Authority

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document revises the delegations of authority from the 
Secretary of Agriculture and general officers of the Department due to 
passage of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform 
Act of 1998.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Effective February 4, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Philip Schwab, Science Advisor and 
Legislative Affairs, Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service, USDA, Room 305-A, Jamie L. Whitten Federal Bldg., 
Washington, DC 20250, telephone 202-720-4423.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 23, 1998, the Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105-185, was 
signed into law. With the enactment of this new law many existing 
authorities were either modified or extended and some new ones added. 
It is necessary for these authorities to be delegated to Agency 
Administrators. This document also delegates authority for the Census 
of Agriculture as provided for in the Census of Agriculture Act of 
1997, Pub. L. 105-113 (7 U.S.C. 2204g). This document lays out these 
delegations of authority as they have been modified and expanded. This 
rule relates to internal agency management. Therefore, pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 553, notice of proposed rulemaking and opportunity for comment 
are not required, and this rule may be made effective less than 30 days 
after publication in the Federal Register.
    Further, since this rule relates to internal agency management, it 
is exempt from the provisions of Executive Orders 12866 and 12988. 
Finally, this action is not a rule as defined by Pub. L. 96-354, the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act, and the Small Business Regulatory Fairness 
Enforcement Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., and, thus, is exempt from their 
provisions.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 2

    Authority Delegations (Government agencies).

    Accordingly, 7 CFR Part 2 is amended as set forth below.

PART 2--DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE 
AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT

    1. The authority for Part 2 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  Sec. 212(a), Pub. L. 103-354, 108 Stat. 3210, 7 
U.S.C. 6912(a)(1); 5 U.S.C. 301; Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1953; 
3 CFR 1949-1953 Comp., p. 1024.

Subpart C--Delegations of Authority to the Deputy Secretary, the 
Under Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries

    2. Amend Sec. 2.21 as follows:
    a. Redesignate paragraphs (a)(1)(cxl) through (a)(1)(cxlix) as 
paragraphs (a)(1)(cxli) through (a)(1)(cl);
    b. Add new paragraphs (a)(1)(cxl), and (a)(1)(cli) through 
(a)(1)(clxxi);
    c. Remove and reserve paragraphs (a)(1)(lxxviii), (a)(1)(lxxxiii), 
(a)(1)(lxxxiv), (a)(1)(lxxxv), (a)(1)(lxxxvi), and (a)(1)(xc); and
    d. Revise paragraphs (a)(1)(x), (a)(1)(xliv), (a)(1)(l), 
(a)(1)(liii), (a)(1)(lvii), (a)(1)(lix), (a)(1)(lxxix), and (b)(1)(i) 
and to add paragraphs (a)(1)(1iv), (a)(1)(lxxx), (a)(1)(lxxxi), and 
(a)(1)(lxxxvii) to read as follows:


Sec. 2.21  Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics.

    (a) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (x) Evaluate, assess, and report to congressional agriculture 
committees on the merits of proposals for agricultural research 
facilities in the States; establish a task force on a 10-year strategic 
plan for agricultural research facilities; ensure that each research 
activity conducted by an Agricultural Research Service facility serves 
a national or multistate need; and review periodically

[[Page 5415]]

each operating agricultural research facility constructed in whole or 
in part with Federal funds, pursuant to criteria established, to ensure 
that a comprehensive research capacity is maintained (7 U.S.C. 390 et 
seq.).
* * * * *
    (xx) Administer and direct a program of competitive grants for 
research, and special grants for research, education, or extension, to 
State agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, 
other research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, 
national laboratories (competitive grants only), private organizations 
or corporations, and individuals, and of facilities grants to State 
agricultural experiment stations and other designated colleges and 
universities, to promote research, extension, or education, in food, 
agriculture and related areas (7 U.S.C. 450i).
* * * * *
    (xliv) Formulate and administer programs to strengthen secondary 
education and two-year post secondary teaching programs; promote 
linkages between secondary, two-year post secondary, and higher 
education programs in the food and agricultural sciences; administer 
grants to secondary education and two-year post secondary teaching 
programs, and to colleges and universities; maintain a national food 
and agricultural education information system (7 U.S.C. 3152).
* * * * *
    (l) Support continuing agricultural and forestry extension and 
research, at 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University, 
and administer a grant program for five National Research and Training 
Centers (7 U.S.C. 3221, 3222, 3222c, 3222d).
* * * * *
    (liii) Provide policy direction and coordinate the Department's 
work with national and international institutions and other persons 
throughout the world in the performance of agricultural research, 
extension, teaching, and development activities; administer a program 
of competitive grants for collaborative projects involving Federal 
scientists or scientists from colleges and universities working with 
scientists at international agricultural research centers in other 
nations focusing either on new technologies and programs for increasing 
the production of food and fiber or training scientists and a program 
of competitive grants to colleges and universities to strengthen United 
States economic competitiveness and to promote international market 
development; and provide a biennial report to the Committee on 
Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate on efforts of the 
Federal Government to coordinate international agricultural research 
within the Federal Government, and to more effectively link the 
activities of domestic and international agricultural researchers, 
particularly researchers of the Agricultural Research Service (7 U.S.C. 
3291, 3292b).
* * * * *
    (liv) Provide for an agricultural research and development program 
with the United States/Mexico Foundation for Science (7 U.S.C. 3292a).
* * * * *
    (lvii) Enter into cost-reimbursable agreements with State 
cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities for the 
acquisition of goods or services in support of research, extension, or 
teaching activities in the food and agricultural sciences, including 
the furtherance of library and related information programs (7 U.S.C. 
3319a).
* * * * *
    (lix) Administer an Aquaculture Assistance Program, involving 
centers, by making grants to eligible institutions for research and 
extension to facilitate or expand production and marketing of 
aquacultural food species and products; making grants to States to 
formulate Aquaculture development plans for the production and 
marketing of aquacultural species and products; and conducting a 
program of research, extension and demonstration at aquacultural 
demonstration centers (7 U.S.C. 3321-22).
* * * * *
    (lxxviii) [Removed and reserved]
* * * * *
    (lxxix) Conduct a research initiative known as the Agricultural 
Genome Initiative, and make grants or enter into cooperative agreements 
on a competitive basis to carry out the Initiative (7 U.S.C. 5924).
    (lxxx) Administer a competitive high priority research and 
extension grants program in specified subject areas (7 U.S.C. 5925).
    (lxxxi) Administer a program of competitive grants to support 
research and extension activities in Nutrient Management Research and 
Extension (7 U.S.C. 5925a).
* * * * *
    (lxxxiii)--(lxxxvi) [Removed and reserved]
    (lxxxvii) Administer competitive grants to support research and 
extension activities regarding organically grown and processed 
agricultural commodities (7 U.S.C. 5925b).
* * * * *
    (xc) [Removed and reserved]
* * * * *
    (cxl) Make competitive grants to 1994 Land-Grant Institutions to 
conduct agricultural research that addresses high priority concerns of 
tribal, national, or multistate significance (Section 536 of the Equity 
in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994, 7 U.S.C. 301 note).
* * * * *
    (cli) Ensure that agricultural research conducted by the 
Agricultural Research Service, and agricultural research, extension, or 
education activities administered by the Cooperative State Research, 
Education, and Extension Service on a competitive basis address a 
concern that is a priority and has national, multistate, or regional 
significance (7 U.S.C. 7611).
    (clii) Solicit and consider input and recommendations from persons 
who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education and, 
after consultation with appropriate subcabinet officials, establish 
priorities for agricultural research, extension, and education 
activities conducted or funded by the Department; promulgate 
regulations concerning implementation of a process for obtaining 
stakeholder input at 1862, 1890, and 1994 Institutions; and ensure that 
federally supported and conducted agricultural research, extension, and 
education activities are accomplished in accord with identified 
management principles (7 U.S.C. 7612).
    (cliii) Establish procedures that provide for scientific peer 
review of each agricultural research grant administered on a 
competitive basis, and for merit review of each agricultural extension 
or education grant administered, on a competitive basis, by the 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (7 U.S.C. 
7613(a)).
    (cliv) Consider the results of the annual review performed by the 
Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory 
Board regarding the relevance to priorities of the funding of all 
agricultural research, extension, or education activities conducted or 
funded by the Department and the adequacy of funding, when formulating 
each request for proposals, and evaluating proposals, involving an 
agricultural research, extension, or education activity funded, on a 
competitive basis, by the Department; and solicit and consider input 
from persons who conduct or use agricultural

[[Page 5416]]

research, extension, or education regarding the prior year's request 
for proposals for each activity funded on a competitive basis (7 U.S.C. 
7613(c)).
    (clv) Establish, in consultation with appropriate subcabinet 
officials, procedures to ensure scientific peer review of all research 
activities conducted by the Department (7 U.S.C. 7613(d)).
    (clvi) Require a procedure to be established by each 1862, 1890, 
and 1994 Institution, for merit review of each agricultural research 
and extension activity funded and review of the activity in accordance 
with the procedure (7 U.S.C. 7613(e)).
    (clvii) Administer an Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food 
Systems (except with respect to funds provided by the Secretary to the 
Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Corporation) (7 
U.S.C. 7621).
    (clviii) Administer a program of competitive grants to eligible 
partnerships to coordinate and manage research and extension activities 
to enhance the quality of high-value agricultural products (7 U.S.C. 
7622).
    (clix) Administer a program of competitive grants to eligible 
entities to conduct research, education, or information dissemination 
projects for the development and advancement of precision agriculture 
(7 U.S.C. 7623).
    (clx) Coordinate the resources of the Department to develop, 
commercialize, and promote the use of biobased products, and enter into 
cooperative agreements with private entities to operate pilot plants 
and other large-scale preparation facilities under which the facilities 
and technical expertise of the Agricultural Research Service may be 
made available (7 U.S.C. 7624).
    (clxi) Administer the Thomas Jefferson Initiative for Crop 
Diversification program of competitive grants and contracts for the 
purpose of conducting research and development, in cooperation with 
other public and private entities, on the production and marketing of 
new and nontraditional crops needed to strengthen and diversify the 
agricultural production base of the United States (7 U.S.C. 7625).
    (clxii) Administer competitive grants for integrated, 
multifunctional agricultural research, education, and extension 
activities (7 U.S.C. 7626).
    (clxiii) Administer a coordinated program of research, extension, 
and education to improve the competitiveness, viability, and 
sustainability of small and medium size dairy, livestock, and poultry 
operations (7 U.S.C. 7627).
    (clxiv) Administer a grant to a consortium of land-grant colleges 
and universities to enhance the ability of the consortium to carry out 
a multi-State research project aimed at understanding and combating 
diseases of wheat and barley caused by Fusarium graminearum and related 
fungi (7 U.S.C. 7628).
    (clxv) Operate and administer the Food Animal Residue Avoidance 
Database through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements with 
appropriate colleges or universities (7 U.S.C. 7642).
    (clxvi) Update on a periodic basis, nutrient composition data and 
report to Congress the method that will be used to update the data and 
the timing of the update (7 U.S.C. 7651).
    (clxvii) Establish and maintain a Food Safety Research Information 
Office at the National Agricultural Library to provide to the research 
community and the general public information on publicly and privately 
funded food safety research initiatives (7 U.S.C. 7654(a)).
    (clxviii) Develop a national program of safe food handling 
education for adults and young people to reduce the risk of food-borne 
illness (7 U.S.C. 7655).
    (clxix) Conduct a performance evaluation to determine whether 
federally funded agricultural research, extension, and education 
programs result in public goods that have national or multistate 
significance, including through a contract with one or more entities to 
provide input and recommendations with respect to federally funded 
agricultural research, extension, and education programs (7 U.S.C. 
7671).
    (clxx) Request the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study 
of the role and mission of federally funded agricultural research, 
extension, and education (7 U.S.C. 7672).
    (clxxi) Take a census of agriculture in 1998 and every fifth year 
thereafter pursuant to the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997, Pub. L. 
No. 105-113 (7 U.S.C. 2204g).
    (b) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (i) Withhold funds from States in accordance with section 1436 of 
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act 
of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3198).
* * * * *

Subpart K--Delegations of Authority by the Under Secretary for 
Research, Education, and Economics

    3. Amend Sec. 2.65 to add new paragraphs (a)(28), (a)(99) through 
(a)(107), to remove and reserve paragraphs (a)(41), (a)(42), and 
(a)(43), and to revise paragraphs (a)(23), (a)(39), and (a)(71), to 
read as follows:


Sec. 2.65  Administrator, Agricultural Research Service.

    (a) * * *
    (23) Enter into cost-reimbursable agreements with State cooperative 
institutions or other colleges and universities for the acquisition of 
goods or services in support of research, extension, or teaching 
activities in the food and agricultural sciences, including the 
furtherance of library and related information programs (7 U.S.C. 
3319a).
* * * * *
    (28) Provide a biennial report to the Committee on Agriculture of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate on efforts of the Federal 
Government to coordinate international agricultural research within the 
Federal Government, and to more effectively link the activities of 
domestic and international agricultural researchers, particularly 
researchers of the Agricultural Research Service (7 U.S.C. 3291(d)(2)).
* * * * *
    (39) Conduct a research initiative known as the Agricultural Genome 
Initiative, and make grants or enter into cooperative agreements on a 
competitive basis to carry out the Initiative (7 U.S.C. 5924).
* * * * *
    (41)--(43) [Removed and reserved]
* * * * *
    (71) Establish and maintain a Food Safety Research Information 
Office at the National Agricultural Library to provide to the research 
community and the general public information on publicly and privately 
funded food safety research initiatives (7 U.S.C. 7654(a)).
* * * * *
    (99) Ensure that agricultural research conducted by the 
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) addresses a concern that is a 
priority and has national, multistate, or regional significance (7 
U.S.C. 7611).
    (100) Solicit and consider input and recommendations from persons 
who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education (7 
U.S.C. 7612(b)).
    (101) Consider the results of the annual review performed by the

[[Page 5417]]

Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory 
Board regarding the relevance to priorities of the funding of all 
agricultural research, extension, or education activities conducted or 
funded by the Department and the adequacy of funding when formulating 
each request for proposals, and evaluating proposals, involving an 
agricultural research, extension, or education activity funded, on a 
competitive basis, by the Department; and solicit and consider input 
from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or 
education regarding the prior year's request for proposals for each 
activity funded on a competitive basis (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)).
    (102) Establish procedures that ensure scientific peer review of 
all research activities conducted by the Agricultural Research Service 
(7 U.S.C. 7613(d)).
    (103) Coordinate the resources of the Department to develop, 
commercialize, and promote the use of biobased products, and enter into 
cooperative agreements with private entities to operate pilot plants 
and other large-scale preparation facilities under which the facilities 
and technical expertise of the Agricultural Research Service may be 
made available (7 U.S.C. 7624).
    (104) Administer a grant to a consortium of land-grant colleges and 
universities to enhance the ability of the consortium to carry out a 
multi-State research project aimed at understanding and combating 
diseases of wheat and barley caused by Fusarium graminearum and related 
fungi (7 U.S.C. 7628).
    (105) Administer a program of fees to support the Patent Culture 
Collection maintained and operated by the Agricultural Research Service 
(7 U.S.C. 7641).
    (106) Update on a periodic basis, nutrient composition data, and 
report to Congress the method that will be used to update the data and 
the timing of the update (7 U.S.C. 7651).
    (107) Ensure that each research activity conducted by an 
Agricultural Research Service facility serves a national or multistate 
need (7 U.S.C. 390a(e)).
* * * * *
    4. Amend Sec. 2.66 to remove and reserve paragraphs (a)(27), 
(a)(38), (a)(41), (a)(47), and (a)(107), to revise paragraphs (a)(5), 
(a)(8), (a)(13), (a)(18), (a)(20), (a)(24), (a)(26), (a)(39), (a)(42), 
(a)(43), to redesignate paragraphs (a)(101) through (a)(117) as 
(a)(102) through (a)(118), and to add new paragraphs (a)(44), (a)(101) 
and (a)(119) through (a)(130), to read as follows:


Sec. 2.66  Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service.

    (a) *  *  *
    (5) Administer an agricultural research facilities proposal review 
process for submission to Congress (7 U.S.C. 390, 390a(a)-(d)).
* * * * *
    (8) Administer a program of special grants to carry out research, 
extension, or education activities to facilitate or expand promising 
breakthroughs in areas of food and agricultural sciences and to 
facilitate or expand ongoing State-Federal food and agricultural 
research, extension, or education programs; and administer a program of 
facilities grants to renovate and refurbish research spaces (7 U.S.C. 
450i (c) and (d)).
* * * * *
    (13) Formulate and administer programs to strengthen secondary 
education and two-year post secondary teaching programs; promote 
linkages between secondary, two-year post-secondary, and higher 
education programs in the food and agricultural sciences; administer 
grants to secondary education and two-year post secondary teaching 
programs, and to colleges and universities; and maintain a national 
food and agricultural education information system (7 U.S.C. 3152).
* * * * *
    (18) Support continuing agricultural and forestry extension and 
research, at 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University, 
and administer a grant program for five National Research and Training 
Centennial Centers (7 U.S.C. 3221, 3222, 3222c, 3222d).
* * * * *
    (20) Provide policy direction and coordinate the Department's work 
with national and international institutions and other persons 
throughout the world in the performance of agricultural research, 
extension, and teaching, and development activities; administer a 
program of competitive grants for collaborative projects involving 
Federal scientists or scientists from colleges and universities working 
with scientists at international agricultural research centers in other 
nations focusing on new technologies and programs for increasing the 
production of food and fiber or training scientists and a program of 
competitive grants to colleges and universities to strengthen United 
States economic competitiveness and to promote international market 
development (7 U.S.C. 3291, 3292b).
* * * * *
    (24) Enter into cost-reimbursable agreements with State cooperative 
institutions or other colleges and universities for the acquisition of 
goods or services in support of research, extension, or teaching 
activities in the food and agricultural sciences, including the 
furtherance of library and related information programs (7 U.S.C. 
3319a).
* * * * *
    (26) Administer an Aquaculture Assistance Program, involving 
centers, by making grants to eligible institutions for research and 
extension to facilitate or expand production and marketing of 
aquacultural food species and products; making grants to States to 
formulate aquaculture development plans for the production and 
marketing of aquacultural species and products; conducting a program of 
research, extension and demonstration at aquacultural demonstration 
centers (7 U.S.C. 3321-3322).
    (27) [Removed and reserved]
* * * * *
    (38) [Removed and reserved]
    (39) Conduct a research initiative known as the Agricultural Genome 
Initiative; and make grants or enter into cooperative agreements on a 
competitive basis with individuals and organizations to carry out the 
Initiative (7 U.S.C. 5924).
* * * * *
    (41) [Removed and reserved]
    (42) Administer a competitive high priority research and extension 
grants program in specified subject areas (7 U.S.C. 5925).
    (43) Administer a program of competitive grants to support research 
and extension activities in Nutrient Management Research and Extension 
(7 U.S.C. 5925a).
    (44) Administer competitive grants to support research and 
extension activities regarding organically grown and processed 
agricultural commodities (7 U.S.C. 5925b).
* * * * *
    (47) [Removed and reserved]
* * * * *
    (101) Make competitive grants to 1994 Land-Grant Institutions to 
conduct agricultural research that addresses high priority concerns of 
tribal, national, or multistate significance (Section 536 of the Equity 
in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994, 7 U.S.C. 301 note).
* * * * *
    (108) [Removed and reserved]
* * * * *
    (119) Ensure that agricultural research, extension, or education 
activities administered, on a competitive basis, by the Cooperative 
State Research, Education, and

[[Page 5418]]

Extension Service address a concern that is a priority and has 
national, multistate, or regional significance (7 U.S.C. 7611).
    (120) Solicit and consider input and recommendations from persons 
who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education; 
ensure that Federally supported and conducted agricultural research, 
extension, and education activities are accomplished in accord with 
identified management principles; and promulgate regulations concerning 
implementation of a process for obtaining stakeholder input at 1862, 
1890, and 1994 Institutions (7 U.S.C. 7612 (b), (c)and (d)).
    (121) Establish procedures that provide for scientific peer review 
of each agricultural research grant administered, on a competitive 
basis, and for merit review of each agricultural extension or education 
grant administered, on a competitive basis, by the Cooperative State 
Research, Education, and Extension Service (7 U.S.C. 7613(a)).
    (122) Consider the results of the annual review performed by the 
Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory 
Board regarding the relevance to priorities of the funding of all 
agricultural research, extension, or education activities conducted or 
funded by the Department and the adequacy of funding, when formulating 
each request for proposals, and evaluating proposals, involving an 
agricultural research, extension, or education activity funded, on a 
competitive basis, by the Department; and solicit and consider input 
from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or 
education regarding the prior year's request for proposals for each 
activity funded on a competitive basis (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)).
    (123) Require a procedure to be established by each 1862, 1890, and 
1994 Institution, for merit review of each agricultural research and 
extension activity funded and review of the activity in accordance with 
the procedure (7 U.S.C. 7613(e)).
    (124) Administer an Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food 
Systems (except with respect to funds provided by the Secretary to the 
Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Corporation) (7 
U.S.C. 7621).
    (125) Administer a program of competitive grants to eligible 
partnerships to coordinate and manage research and extension activities 
to enhance the quality of high-value agricultural products (7 U.S.C. 
7622).
    (126) Administer a program of competitive grants to eligible 
entities to conduct research, education, or information dissemination 
projects for the development and advancement of precision agriculture 
(7 U.S.C. 7623).
    (127) Administer the Thomas Jefferson Initiative for Crop 
Diversification program of competitive grants and contracts for the 
purpose of conducting research and development, in cooperation with 
other public and private entities, on the production and marketing of 
new and nontraditional crops needed to strengthen and diversify the 
agricultural production base of the United States (7 U.S.C. 7625).
    (128) Administer competitive grants for integrated, multifunctional 
agricultural research, education, and extension activities (7 U.S.C. 
7626).
    (129) Operate and administer the Food Animal Residue Avoidance 
Database through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements with 
appropriate colleges or universities (7 U.S.C. 7642).
    (130) Develop a national program of safe food handling education 
for adults and young people to reduce the risk of food-borne illness (7 
U.S.C. 7655).
* * * * *

    5. Amend Sec. 2.67 to add new paragraphs (a)(15), (a)(16), and 
(a)(17), to read as follows:


Sec. 2.67  Administrator, Economic Research Service.

    (a) *  *  *
    (15) Solicit and consider input and recommendations from persons 
who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education (7 
U.S.C. 7612(b)).
    (16) Consider the results of the annual review performed by the 
Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory 
Board regarding the relevance to priorities of the funding of all 
agricultural research, extension, or education activities conducted or 
funded by the Department and the adequacy of funding, when formulating 
each request for proposals, and evaluating proposals, involving an 
agricultural research, extension, or education activity funded, on a 
competitive basis, by the Department; and solicit and consider input 
from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or 
education regarding the prior year's request for proposals for each 
activity funded on a competitive basis (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)).
    (17) Establish procedures that ensure scientific peer review of all 
research activities conducted by the Economic Research Service (7 
U.S.C. 7613(d)).
* * * * *

    6. Amend Sec. 2.68 to add a new paragraph (a)(9), to read as 
follows:


Sec. 2.68  Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

    (a) *  *  *
    (9) Take a census of agriculture in 1998 and every fifth year 
thereafter pursuant to the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997, Pub. L. 
105-113 (7 U.S.C. 2204g).
* * * * *

    Done at Washington, DC.

For subpart C:
    Dated: January 20, 2000.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary of Agriculture.

For Subpart K:
    Dated: January 21, 2000.
Eileen Kennedy,
Acting Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics.
[FR Doc. 00-2396 Filed 2-3-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-P