---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 178d"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "178d"
heading: "Research and development program by Secretary of Commerce"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/178d"
units:
  - "Chapter 8A — Rubber and Other Critical Agricultural Materials"
  - "Subchapter II — Critical Agricultural Materials"
---

# §178d. Research and development program by Secretary of Commerce


The [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Commerce is authorized and directed to initiate and carry out research, technology development, technology transfer, and demonstration projects to test and demonstrate the economic feasibility of the manufacture and [commercialization](/usc/7/178a.md?p=c) of natural rubber from Parthenium or other hydrocarbon-containing plants or the manufacture and [commercialization](/usc/7/178a.md?p=c) of other critical agricultural materials from [native](/usc/7/178a.md?p=d) agricultural crops having strategic and industrial importance. Such research shall include but not be limited to—

- (a) conducting research and development on extraction and processing techniques;
- (b) economic analysis of the production of [native](/usc/7/178a.md?p=d) latex, including usable byproducts;
- (c) studying the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the commercial development of [native](/usc/7/178a.md?p=d) latex;
- (d) evaluating the commercial marketability of Parthenium and rubber derived from other hydrocarbon-containing plants;
- (e) further refining present extraction and manufacturing technologies and future extraction and manufacturing technologies, including technologies which utilize solar energy;
- (f) developing pertinent material and records on manufacturing of natural rubber which shall be available to other Federal and [State](/usc/7/178a.md?p=a) agencies and private [persons](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) who are interested in or involved in natural rubber development, or manufacture; and
- (g) to the extent appropriate, carrying out research activities with respect to [native](/usc/7/178a.md?p=d) agricultural crops (other than Parthenium and other hydrocarbon-containing plants) that would supply critical agricultural materials for strategic and industrial purposes, in the manner specified in clauses (a) through (f).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 95–592, § 6, Nov. 4, 1978, 92 Stat. 2531; Pub. L. 98–284, § 6, May 16, 1984, 98 Stat. 183.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1984—Pub. L. 98–284, § 6(1), (2), inserted in provisions preceding cl. (a) reference to the manufacture and commercialization of other critical agricultural materials from native agricultural crops having strategic and industrial importance, and struck out “may be carried out through the Regional Commissions or otherwise and” after “Such research”.

Cl. (g). Pub. L. 98–284, § 6(5), added cl. (g).