recommending to the Council environmental protection goals and specific programs, initiatives, and policies that will balance the needs of production agriculture with environmental concerns;

providing advice to the Council on the development, implementation, and review of activities of agencies of the Department to ensure consistency with the Department’s environmental protection goals;

coordinating environmental policy within the Department through the program managers, and between the Department and other Federal agencies, regional authorities, State and local governments, land-grant and other colleges and universities, and nonprofit and commercial organizations, regarding programs and actions relating to environmental quality;

serving as a coordinator for the Department’s data, information, programs, and initiatives dealing with environmental quality;

developing the plans and reports required as specified by this chapter; and

providing such staff as may be necessary to support the activities of the Council.