§ 3123a.
(c)
Annual committee report
Not later than 180 days after the establishment of the specialty crops committee, and annually thereafter, the specialty crops committee shall submit to the Advisory Board a report containing the findings of its study under subsection (a). The specialty crops committee shall include in each report recommendations regarding the following:
(1)
Programs designed to improve the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of specialty crop production in the United States.
(2)
Research, extension, and teaching programs designed to improve competitiveness in the specialty crop industry, including programs that would—
(A)
enhance the quality and shelf-life of fresh fruits and vegetables, including their taste and appearance;
(B)
develop new crop protection tools and expand the applicability and cost-effectiveness of integrated pest management;
(C)
prevent the introduction of foreign invasive pests and diseases;
(D)
develop new products and new uses of specialty crops, including improving the quality and taste of processed specialty crops;
(E)
develop new and improved marketing tools for specialty crops;
(F)
enhance food safety regarding specialty crops;
(G)
improve the remote sensing and the mechanization of production practices; and
(H)
enhance irrigation techniques used in specialty crop production.
(3)
Analyses of changes in macroeconomic conditions, technologies, and policies on specialty crop production and consumption, with particular focus on the effect of those changes on the financial stability of producers.
(4)
Development of data that provide applied information useful to specialty crop growers, their associations, and other interested beneficiaries in evaluating that industry from a regional and national perspective.
(5)
Analysis of the alignment of specialty crops committee recommendations with grants awarded through the specialty crop research initiative established under
section 7632 of this title.
(g)
Citrus disease subcommittee duties
(1)
advise the Secretary on citrus research, extension, and development needs;
(2)
propose, by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the members of the subcommittee, a research and extension agenda and annual budgets for the funds made available to carry out such subsection;
(3)
evaluate and review ongoing research and extension funded under the emergency citrus disease research and extension program (as defined in such subsection);
(4)
establish, by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the members of the subcommittee, annual priorities for the award of grants under such subsection;
(5)
provide the Secretary any comments on grants awarded under such subsection during the previous fiscal year; and
(6)
engage in regular consultation and collaboration with the Department and other institutional, governmental, and private persons conducting scientific research on, and extension activities related to, the causes or treatments of citrus diseases and pests, both domestic and invasive, for purposes of—
(A)
maximizing the effectiveness of research and extension projects funded under the citrus disease research and extension program;
(B)
hastening the development of useful treatments;
(C)
avoiding duplicative and wasteful expenditures; and
(D)
providing the Secretary with such information and advice as the Secretary may request.
([Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1408A], as added [Pub. L. 108–465, title III, § 303], Dec. 21, 2004, [118 Stat. 3885]; amended [Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7103], May 22, 2008, [122 Stat. 1215]; [Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)], title VII, § 7103, June 18, 2008, [122 Stat. 1664], 1976; [Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7103], Feb. 7, 2014, [128 Stat. 864]; [Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7104], Dec. 20, 2018, [132 Stat. 4783]; [Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(32)], Dec. 27, 2022, [136 Stat. 4308].)