---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 5312"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "5312"
heading: "Functions of Secretaries"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/5312"
units:
  - "Chapter 84 — National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research"
  - "Subchapter I — Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research"
---

# §5312. Functions of Secretaries

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretaries](/usc/7/5302.md?p=9), with the advice of the [Board](/usc/7/5302.md?p=3), shall—
  - (1) establish the goals of the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2), identify the activities required to meet such goals, and identify the responsible agencies with respect to the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2);
  - (2) update the [Joint Implementation Plan for a Comprehensive National Nutrition Monitoring System](/usc/7/5302.md?p=4), and integrate it into the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2);
  - (3) ensure the timely implementation of the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2) and the [comprehensive plan](/usc/7/5302.md?p=1) prepared under [section 5313 of this title](/usc/7/5313.md);
  - (4) include in the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2) and the [comprehensive plan](/usc/7/5302.md?p=1) a competitive grants program, to be implemented to the extent funds are available, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter to encourage and assist the conduct, by Federal entities, and by non-Federal entities on an appropriate matching funds basis, of research (including research described in [section 5313(a)(3) of this title](/usc/7/5313.md?p=a-3)) that will accelerate the development of uniform and cost-effective standards and indicators for the assessment and monitoring of nutritional and dietary status and for relating food consumption patterns to nutritional and health status;
  - (5) include in the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2) and the [comprehensive plan](/usc/7/5302.md?p=1) a grants program, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, to encourage and assist [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) and [local governments](/usc/7/5302.md?p=5) in developing the capacity to conduct monitoring and surveillance of nutritional status, food consumption, and nutrition knowledge and in using such capacity to enhance nutrition services (including activities described in section [5313(a)(5)](/usc/7/5313.md?p=a-5) and [5313(b)(9)](/usc/7/5313.md?p=b-9) of this title);
  - (6) include in the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2) each fiscal year an annual interagency budget for each fiscal year of the program;
  - (7) foster productive interaction, with respect to [nutrition monitoring and related research](/usc/7/5302.md?p=7), among Federal efforts, [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) and [local governments](/usc/7/5302.md?p=5), the private sector, scientific communities, health professionals, and the public;
  - (8)
    - (A) contract with a scientific body, such as the National Academy of Sciences or the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, to interpret available data analyses, and publish every two years, or more frequently if appropriate, except as provided in [subparagraph (B)](#a-8-B), a report on the dietary, nutritional, and health-related status of the people of the United States and the [nutritional quality](/usc/7/5302.md?p=8) (including the nutritive and nonnutritive content) of food consumed in the United States; or
    - (B) if the [Secretaries](/usc/7/5302.md?p=9) determine that sufficient data analyses are not available to warrant interpretation of such data analyses, inform Congress of such fact at the time a report required in [subparagraph (A)](#a-8-A) would have been published, and publish such report at least once every five years; and
  - (9)
    - (A) foster cost recovery management techniques in the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2); and
    - (B) impose appropriate charges and fees for publications of the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2), including print and electronic forms of data and analysis, and use the proceeds of such charges and fees for purposes of the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2) (except that no such charge or fee imposed on an educational or other nonprofit organization shall exceed the actual costs incurred by the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2) in providing the publications involved).
- (b) **Biennial report—** The [Secretaries](/usc/7/5302.md?p=9) shall submit to the President for transmittal to Congress by January 15 of each alternate year, beginning with January 15 following October 22, 1990, a biennial report that shall—
  - (1) evaluate the progress of the [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2);
  - (2) summarize the results of such [coordinated program](/usc/7/5302.md?p=2) components as are developed under [section 5313 of this title](/usc/7/5313.md);
  - (3) describe and evaluate any policy implications of the analytical findings in the scientific reports required under [subsection (a)(8)](#a-8), and future priorities for [nutrition monitoring and related research](/usc/7/5302.md?p=7);
  - (4) include in full the annual reports of the [Council](/usc/7/5302.md?p=6) provided for in [section 5332 of this title](/usc/7/5332.md); and
  - (5) include an executive summary of the report most recently published by the scientific body, as provided for in [subsection (a)(8)](#a-8).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–445, title I, § 102, Oct. 22, 1990, 104 Stat. 1036.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Termination of Reporting Requirements

For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions in subsec. (b) of this section requiring submission of biennial report to Congress, see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance, and page 31 of House Document No. 103–7.