---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 1765a"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "1765a"
heading: "Agricultural Trade Offices"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/1765a"
units:
  - "Chapter 43 — Foreign Market Development"
  - "Subchapter II — United States Agricultural Trade Offices"
---

# §1765a. Agricultural Trade Offices

- (a) **Establishment—** For the purpose of developing, maintaining, and expanding international [markets](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) for United States agricultural commodities, the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture, after consultation with the Secretary of State, shall establish not less than six nor more than twenty-five United States Agricultural Trade Offices in other nations.
- (b) **Administration—** each[^1] United States Agricultural Trade Office shall be directed and administered by an Agricultural Trade Officer who by reason of training, experience, and attainments is qualified to carry out the purposes of this subchapter. Such Officer shall be appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture.
- (c) **Appointment and compensation of officers—** Each Agricultural Trade Officer may be appointed without regard to the provisions of [title 5](/usc/5.md) governing appointments in the competitive service, and may be paid without regard to the provisions of [chapter 51](/usc/7/chch51.md) and subchapter III of [chapter 53](/usc/5/chptIII/sptD/ch53.md) of title 5 relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that no Agricultural Trade Officer (1) may be paid basic pay at a rate in excess of the maximum annual rate of basic pay payable for GS–17 of the General Schedule under [section 5332](/usc/7/5332.md) of such title, or (2) may be paid at a rate in excess of the highest rate paid to an Agricultural Counselor or Attaché, as the case may be, who is appointed under subchapter I of this chapter to the nation in which such Officer is to serve.
- (d) **Transmittal of information—** Each Agricultural Trade Officer shall, through the Agricultural Counselor or Attaché or other senior representative of the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture in each nation in which the United States Agricultural Trade Office administered by such Officer exercises its functions, keep the Chief of the United States diplomatic mission fully and currently informed with respect to all activities and operations of such Office.
- (e) **Office functions and activities—** Each Agricultural Trade Officer shall be responsible for the exercise of the functions of the United States Agricultural Trade Office, and shall have the authority to direct and supervise all personnel and activities thereof.
- (f) **Personnel; employment of local nationals—** To carry out the functions of United States Agricultural Trade Offices, the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture may appoint such other personnel as the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) determines to be necessary and may, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, assign such personnel abroad and [employ](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-10) local nationals for necessary professional and clerical help.
- (g) **Conflicts of interest—** No employee of any United States Agricultural Trade Office may engage in any business, vocation, or other [employment](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-10), or have other interests, that are inconsistent with official responsibilities.
- (h) **Diplomatic privileges and immunities—** Upon the request of the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture, the Secretary of State shall request for Agricultural Trade Officers and personnel of United States Agricultural Trade Offices diplomatic privileges and immunities equivalent to those enjoyed by members of the Foreign Service of comparable rank and salary.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be capitalized.

## Source credit

(Aug. 28, 1954, ch. 1041, title VI, § 605A, as added Pub. L. 95–501, title IV, § 401(1), Oct. 21, 1978, 92 Stat. 1688; amended Pub. L. 96–465, title II, § 2206(b)(1), Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2162.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1980—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 96–465 substituted “members of the Foreign Service” for “Foreign Service Personnel”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–465 effective Feb. 15, 1981, except as otherwise provided, see section 2403 of Pub. L. 96–465, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3901 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

### References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

References in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, § 101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out in a note under section 5376 of Title 5.