[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 65 (Friday, April 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18877-18878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07574]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 2014 / 
Notices  

[[Page 18877]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Solicitation of Nominations for Members of the 
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research

AGENCY: Research, Education, Economics, USDA.

ACTION: Solicitation of nominations for membership.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Sec. 7601 of Pub. L. 113-79, the United 
States Department of Agriculture announces solicitation for nominations 
to fill 15 vacancies on the Foundation for Food and Agricultural 
Research. Seven (7) representatives are to be selected from lists of 
candidates provided by industry, and eight (8) representatives are to 
be selected from a list of candidates provided by the National Academy 
of Sciences. The National Academy of Sciences will be soliciting 
nominations through a separate process. The Agricultural Act of 2014 
can be found at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr2642enr/pdf/BILLS-113hr2642enr.pdf.

DATES: Deadline for Foundation board member nominations is April 28, 
2014 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: Congressional Affairs, Research, Education, and Economics, 
Room 214-W, Whitten Building, United States Department of Agriculture, 
1400 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20250-0321, fax number 202-
260-8786, email [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ven Neralla; Director of Congressional 
Affairs; Research, Education, and Economics; United States. Department 
of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave. SW.; Room 214-W, Whitten 
Building; Washington, DC 20250; Telephone: 202-260-8208, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 7601 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 
(Pub. L. 113-79) created a new Foundation for Food and Agriculture 
Research:
    (1) To advance the research mission of the Department by supporting 
agricultural research activities focused on addressing key problems of 
national and international significance including--(A) plant health, 
production, and plant products; (B) animal health, production, and 
products; (C) food safety, nutrition, and health; (D) renewable energy, 
natural resources, and the environment; (E) agricultural and food 
security; (F) agriculture systems and technology; and (G) agriculture 
economics and rural communities; and (2) to foster collaboration with 
agricultural researchers from the Federal Government, State (as defined 
in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)) governments, institutions 
of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C, 1001)), industry, and nonprofit organizations. 
In general, the Foundation shall: (A) Award grants to, or enter into 
contracts, memoranda of understanding, or cooperative agreements with, 
scientists and entities, which may include agricultural research 
agencies in the Department, university consortia, public-private 
partnerships, institutions of higher education, nonprofit 
organizations, and industry, to efficiently and effectively advance the 
goals and priorities of the Foundation; (B) in consultation with the 
Secretary--(i) identify existing and proposed Federal intramural and 
extramural research and development programs relating to the purposes 
of the Foundation described in subsection (c); and (ii) coordinate 
Foundation activities with those programs so as to minimize duplication 
of existing efforts and to avoid conflicts; (C) identify unmet and 
emerging agricultural research needs after reviewing the roadmap for 
agricultural research, education, and extension authorized by section 
7504 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
7614a); (D) facilitate technology transfer and release of information 
and data gathered from the activities of the Foundation to the 
agricultural research community; (E) promote and encourage the 
development of the next generation of agricultural research scientists; 
and (F) carry out such other activities as the Board determines to be 
consistent with the purposes of the Foundation.
    Nominations are being solicited from organizations, associations, 
societies, councils, federations, groups, and companies that represent 
a wide variety of food and agricultural interests throughout the 
country, and that can fulfill the requirement of industry provided 
lists of candidates. The nominees are not required to be in industry, 
but must be nominated by someone in industry.

Criteria for Board Membership

    The Board of Directors will be composed of the following:
     8 representatives selected from a list of candidates 
provided by the National Academy of Sciences.
     7 representatives selected from lists of candidates 
provided by industry.
    The Foundation's Board will be responsible for governing the 
organization and ensuring it succeeds in its mission. To that end the 
Board members will oversee the mission and operation of the Foundation, 
including: Approving programs and monitoring their effectiveness, 
coordinating Foundation activities with federal research programs, 
awarding grants, and ensuring financial solvency and raising resources.
    The initial Board is to be appointed by the ex-officio board 
members designated in the statute. 3 The ex-officio members are: The 
Secretary of Agriculture, the Under Secretary of Agriculture for 
Research, Education, and Economics, the Administrator of the 
Agricultural Research Service, the Director of the National Institute 
of Food and Agriculture, and the Director of the National Science 
Foundation.

Process and Criteria for Nominations

    The nominator should submit a name and contact information for each 
nominee. All nominees will be vetted before selection. Nominations are 
open to all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, 
national origin, age, mental or physical handicap, marital status, or 
sexual orientation.


[[Page 18878]]


    Done at Washington, DC, this 31st day of March 2014.
Catherine E. Woteki,
Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics.
[FR Doc. 2014-07574 Filed 4-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P