7 U.S.C. § 2662
Programs authorized
Rural development extension programs shall consist of the collection, interpretation, and dissemination of useful information and knowledge from research and other sources to units of multistate regional agencies, State, county, municipal, and other units of government, multicounty planning and development districts, organizations of citizens contributing to community and rural development, businesses, Indian tribes on Federal or State reservations or other federally recognized Indian tribal groups, and industries that employ or may employ people in rural areas. The rural development extension programs shall also promote coordinated and integrated rural community initiatives that advance and empower capacity building through leadership development, entrepreneurship, business development and management training, and strategic planning to increase jobs, income, and quality of life in rural communities. These programs also shall include technical services and educational activities, including instruction for persons not enrolled as students in colleges or universities, to facilitate and encourage the use and practical application of this information. These programs may also include feasibility studies and planning assistance.
Rural development research shall consist of research, investigations, and basic feasibility studies in any field or discipline that may develop principles, facts, scientific and technical knowledge, new technology, and other information that may be useful to agencies of Federal, State, and local government, industries in rural areas, Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations or other federally recognized Indian tribal groups, and other organizations involved in community and rural development programs and activities in planning and carrying out such programs and activities or otherwise be practical and useful in achieving the purposes and goals of this subchapter.
Small farm research programs shall consist of programs of research to develop new approaches for initiating and upgrading small farm operations through management techniques, agricultural production techniques, farm machinery technology, new products, new marketing techniques, and small farm finance; to develop new enterprises that can use labor, skills, or natural resources available to the small farm family; or that will help to increase the quality and availability of services and facilities needed by the small farm family.
Small farm extension programs shall consist of extension programs to improve small farm operations, including management techniques, agricultural production techniques, farm machinery technology, marketing techniques and small farm finance; to increase use by small farm families of existing services offered by the Department of Agriculture and other public and private agencies and organizations; to assist small farm families in establishing and operating cooperatives for the purpose of improving their family income from farming or other economic activities; to increase the quality and availability of services and facilities needed by small farm families; and to develop new enterprises that can use labor, skills, or natural resources available to the small farm family.
Special grants programs shall consist of extension and research programs to strengthen research and education on national and regional issues in rural development, including the assessment of alternative policies and strategies for rural development and balanced growth; to develop alternative strategies for national and regional investment, and the creation of employment, in rural areas; to develop alternative energy policies to meet rural development needs; and to strengthen rural development programs of agencies of the Department of Agriculture and those in other Federal departments and agencies.
The Secretary shall provide training for appropriate State extension service employees, assigned to programs other than rural development, to ensure that such employees understand the availability of rural development programs in their respective States and the availability of National Institute of Food and Agriculture staff qualified to provide to rural citizens and to State extension staff training and materials for technical, management, and educational assistance.
The Secretary shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that assistance provided under this subsection is coordinated with and delivered in cooperation with similar services or assistance provided by other Federal agencies or programs for rural residents.
Educational programs conducted with grants awarded under this subsection shall be coordinated with the State offices of rural health and other appropriate programs of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational programs conducted with grants awarded under this subsection shall provide leadership within the State for the dissemination of appropriate rural health and safety information resources possessed by the Rural Information Center established at the National Agricultural Library.
The Secretary shall establish policies, procedures and limitations that shall apply to States or entities described in paragraph (1)(C) that desire to receive a grant under this subsection. In States with land-grant colleges and universities that are eligible to receive funds under the Act of
For grants under this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1991, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1993, and $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and each subsequent fiscal year. Amounts appropriated under this subsection shall remain available until expended.
Act of
Act of
Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.
A prior section 2662, Pub. L. 92–419, title V, § 502,
2018—Pub. L. 115–334, § 6101(a)(3)(A), inserted “(referred to in this subchapter as the ‘Secretary’)” after “Agriculture” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (h)(1). Pub. L. 115–334, § 6101(a)(3)(B), substituted “Secretary” for “Secretary of Agriculture” in introductory provisions.
2008—Subsec. (h)(1). Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(6)(A), substituted “National Institute of Food and Agriculture” for “Extension Service” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (h)(4). Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(6)(B), substituted “National Institute of Food and Agriculture staff” for “Extension Service staff”.
1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–127, § 886, inserted after first sentence “The rural development extension programs shall also promote coordinated and integrated rural community initiatives that advance and empower capacity building through leadership development, entrepreneurship, business development and management training, and strategic planning to increase jobs, income, and quality of life in rural communities.”
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 104–127, § 792(a), struck out subsec. (f), which related to competitive grants for financially stressed farmers, dislocated farmers, and rural families.
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 104–127, § 871, struck out subsec. (g), which authorized establishment of Extension Service rural economic and business development program to enable States or counties to employ specialists as Cooperative Extension Service staff to assist individuals in creating new businesses, or to assist existing businesses.
Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 104–127, § 871, struck out subsec. (j), which authorized program to award competitive grants to carry out rural development research.
1991—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–237, § 403(a)(2)(A), redesignated subsec. (b), relating to rural development extension work, as (h).
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 102–237, § 403(a)(1), amended heading generally and in par. (2) substituted “until” for “during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on”.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 102–237, § 403(a)(2), redesignated subsec. (b), relating to rural development extension work, as (h), redesignated former subsec. (h), relating to rural health and safety education programs, as (i) and former subsec. (h), relating to research grants, as (j), and moved such subsecs. to appear in proper order.
Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 102–237, § 403(a)(2)(B), (D), redesignated subsec. (h), relating to rural health and safety education programs, as (i) and moved such subsec. to appear in proper order.
Subsec. (i)(1)(C). Pub. L. 102–237, § 704(a), added subpar. (C).
Subsec. (i)(4). Pub. L. 102–237, § 704(b), inserted “or entities described in paragraph (1)(C)” after “to States”.
Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 102–237, § 403(a)(2)(C), (D), redesignated subsec. (h), relating to research grants, as (j) and moved such subsec. to appear in proper order.
1990—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2346, added subsec. (b), relating to rural development extension work, following subsec. (g).
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(c)(1), substituted “Competitive” for “Special” in heading.
Subsec. (f)(1)(A). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(1), substituted “competitive grants for programs that meet the criteria specified in subparagraph (B) to develop counseling, retraining, and educational” for “special grants for programs to develop educational, retraining, and counseling”.
Subsec. (f)(1)(B). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(3), (4), added subpar. (B), struck out heading, introductory provisions, and cl. (i) of former subpar. (B), and redesignated cls. (ii) to (viii) of former subpar. (B) as cls. (i) to (vii) of subpar. (D). Prior to amendment, introductory provisions and cl. (i) read as follows: “Such programs shall provide the following services:
“(i) Clinical outreach counseling and crisis management assistance through appropriate State officials.”
Subsec. (f)(1)(C). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(2), (4), added subpar. (C) and redesignated former subpar. (C) as (E).
Subsec. (f)(1)(D). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(2), (4), added heading and introductory provisions of subpar. (D) and redesignated former subpar. (D) as (F).
Subsec. (f)(1)(D)(i) to (vii). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(3)(B), redesignated former subpar. (B)(ii) to (viii) as subpar. (D)(i) to (vii).
Subsec. (f)(1)(D)(viii). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(5), added cl. (viii).
Subsec. (f)(1)(E). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(2), redesignated former subpar. (C) as (E).
Subsec. (f)(1)(F). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(6), substituted “shall work with the appropriate State office of rural health, State department or agency of mental health, and other” for “is encouraged to work with” and “an annual comprehensive plan” for “a comprehensive plan”, struck out “special” before “grant funds”, and inserted at end “For recipients in a State to be eligible for a grant under this subsection in any fiscal year, the Cooperative Extension Service within the State must develop and sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the appropriate State department or agency of mental health and other State agencies as may be appropriate to carry out the comprehensive plan. Such agreement and plan must emphasize the development and delivery of counseling and outreach programs as provided under subparagraph (B).”
Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(b)(2), redesignated former subpar. (D) as (F).
Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2389(a), inserted “to eligible applicants in any State applying for such grants” after “under paragraph (1)”, and substituted “1995” for “1990”.
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2346, added subsec. (g).
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 101–624, § 2349, added subsec. (h) relating to research grants.
Pub. L. 101–624, § 2390(b)(1), added subsec. (h) relating to rural health and safety education programs.
1987—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 100–219 amended subsec. (f) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (f) read as follows:
“(1)(A) The Secretary shall provide special grants for programs to develop income alternatives for farmers who have been adversely affected by the current farm and rural economic crisis and those displaced from farming.
“(B) Such programs shall consist of educational and counseling services to farmers to—
“(i) assess human and nonhuman resources;
“(ii) assess income earning alternatives;
“(iii) identify resources and opportunities available to the farmer in the local community, county, and State;
“(iv) implement financial planning and management strategies; and
“(v) provide linkages to specific resources and opportunities that are available to the farmer, such as reentering agriculture, new business opportunities, other off-farm jobs, job search programs, and retraining skills.
“(C) The Secretary also may provide support to mental health officials in developing outreach programs in rural areas.
“(2) Grants may be made under paragraph (1) during the period beginning on
1985—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 99–198 added subsec. (f).
Amendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective
Amendment by section 7511(c)(6) of Pub. L. 110–246 effective
Section effective
Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2389(d),
Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2391,