§ 7613. Relevance and merit of agricultural research, extension, and education funded by the Department

• (a)
  • (1) The Secretary shall establish procedures that provide for scientific peer review of each agricultural research grant administered, on a competitive basis, by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the Department.
  • (2)
    • (A) The Secretary shall establish procedures that provide for relevance and merit review of each agricultural research, extension, or education grant administered, on a competitive basis, by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
    • (B) The Secretary shall consult with the Advisory Board in establishing the merit review procedures on a continuous basis.
  • (3) Peer and merit review procedures established under paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not take the offer or availability of matching funds into consideration.
• (b) On an annual basis, the Advisory Board shall review—
  • (1) the relevance to the priorities established under section 7612(a) of this title of the funding of all agricultural research, extension, or education activities conducted or funded by the Department; and
  • (2) the adequacy of the funding.
• (c)
  • (1) As soon as practicable after the review is conducted under subsection (b) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall consider the results of the review 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.
  • (2) In formulating a request for proposals described in paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall solicit and consider input from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education regarding the prior year’s request for proposals.
• (d)
  • (1) The Secretary shall establish procedures that ensure scientific peer review of all research activities conducted by the Department.
  • (2) As part of the procedures established under paragraph (1), a review panel shall verify, at least once every 5 years, that each research activity of the Department and research conducted under each research program of the Department has scientific merit and relevance.
  • (3) If the research activity or program to be reviewed is included in the research, educational, and economics mission area of the Department, the review panel shall consider—
    • (A) the scientific merit and relevance of the activity or research in light of the priorities established pursuant to section 7612 of this title ; and
    • (B) the national or multistate significance of the activity or research.
  • (4)
    • (A) A review panel shall be composed of individuals with scientific expertise, a majority of whom are not employees of the agency whose research is being reviewed.
    • (B) To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall use scientists from colleges and universities to serve on the review panels.
  • (5) The results of the panel reviews shall be submitted to the Advisory Board.
• (e)
  • (1) Effective October 1, 1999 , to be eligible to obtain agricultural research or extension funds from the Secretary for an activity, each 1862 Institution and 1890 Institution shall—
    • (A) establish a process for merit review of the activity; and
    • (B) review the activity in accordance with the process.
  • (2) Effective October 1, 1999 , to be eligible to obtain agricultural extension funds from the Secretary for an activity, each 1994 Institution shall—
    • (A) establish a process for merit review of the activity; and
    • (B) review the activity in accordance with the process.
  • (3) To be eligible to obtain agricultural extension funds from the Secretary for an activity, each Hispanic-serving agricultural college and university shall—
    • (A) establish a process for merit review of the activity; and
    • (B) review the activity in accordance with such process.