---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 5401"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "5401"
heading: "Establishment of Agricultural Council on Environmental Quality"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/5401"
units:
  - "Chapter 85 — Administration of Environmental Programs"
---

# §5401. Establishment of Agricultural Council on Environmental Quality

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) shall establish an Agricultural Council on Environmental Quality in the Department of Agriculture (hereafter in this chapter referred to as the “Council”). The Council shall be under the direct authority of the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2), and shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions of this chapter, and for coordination and direction of all environmental policies and programs of the Department.
- (b) **Membership—** Membership of the Council shall consist of the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2), the Deputy [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2), the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) for Natural Resources and Environment, the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) for Science and Education, other under and assistant [secretaries](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) as may be designated by the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2), and the Director of the Office of Agricultural Environmental Quality, established in [section 5402 of this title](/usc/7/5402.md), who shall serve as the Executive Director of the Council. The [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) shall designate a member of the Council, other than the Executive Director, as chair of the Council.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, § 1471, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3619.)