---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 5832"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "5832"
heading: "National Training Program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/5832"
units:
  - "Chapter 88 — Research"
  - "Subchapter I — Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education"
  - "Part C — Sustainable Agriculture Technology Development and Transfer Program"
---

# §5832. National Training Program

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-6) shall establish a National Training [Program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) in [Sustainable Agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1) to provide education and training for Cooperative [Extension](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-5) Service agents and other professionals involved in the education and transfer of technical information concerning [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1) in order to develop their understanding, competence, and ability to teach and communicate the concepts of [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1) to Cooperative [Extension](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-5) Service agents and to farmers and urban residents who need information on [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1).
- (b) **Administration—** The National Training [Program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) shall be organized and administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in coordination with other appropriate Federal agencies. The [Secretary](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-6) shall designate an individual from the Cooperative [Extension](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-5) Service in each [State](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-7) to coordinate the National Training [Program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) within that [State](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-7). The coordinators shall be responsible, in cooperation with appropriate Federal and [State](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-7) agencies, for developing and implementing a statewide training [program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) for appropriate field office personnel.
- (c) **Required training—**
  - (1) **Agricultural agents—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-6) shall ensure that all agricultural agents of the Cooperative [Extension](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-5) Service have completed the National Training [Program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) not later than the end of the five-year period beginning on November 28, 1990. Such training may occur at a college or university located within each [State](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-7) as designated by the coordinator designated under this section.
  - (2) **Proof of training—** Beginning three years after November 28, 1990, the [Secretary](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-6) shall ensure that all new Cooperative [Extension](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-5) Service agents employed by such Service are able to demonstrate, not later than 18 months after the [employment](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-10) of such agents, that such agents have completed the training [program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) established in [subsection (a)](#a).
- (d) **Regional training centers—**
  - (1) **Designation—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-6) shall designate not less than two regional training centers to coordinate and administer educational activities in [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1) as provided for in this section.
  - (2) **Training program—** Such centers shall offer intensive instructional [programs](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) involving classroom and field training work for [extension](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-5) specialists and other individuals who are required to transmit technical information.
  - (3) **Prohibition on construction—** Such centers shall be located at existing facilities, and no funds appropriated to carry out this part shall be used for facility construction.
  - (4) **Administration—** Such centers should be administered by entities that have a demonstrated capability relating to [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1). The [Secretary](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-6) should consider utilizing existing entities with expertise in [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1) to assist in the design and implementation of the training [program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) under [paragraph (2)](#d-2).
  - (5) **Coordination of resources—** Such centers shall make use of information generated by the Department of Agriculture and the [State agricultural experiment stations](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-8), and the practical experience of farmers, especially those cooperating in on-farm demonstrations and research projects, in carrying out the functions of such centers.
- (e) **Competitive grants—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-6) shall establish a competitive grants [program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) to award grants to organizations, including land-grant colleges and universities, to carry out sustainable agricultural training for county agents and other individuals that need basic information concerning [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1) practices.
  - (2) **Short courses—** The purpose of the grants made available under [paragraph (1)](#e-1) shall be to establish, in various regions in the United States, training [programs](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) that consist of workshops and short courses designed to familiarize participants with the concepts and importance of [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1).
- (f) **Regional specialists—** To assist county agents and farmers implement production practices developed under this subchapter, [chapter 86](/usc/7/chch86.md) of this title,[^1] and other appropriate research [programs](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) of the Department, regional [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1) specialists may be designated within each [State](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-7) who shall report to the [State](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-7) coordinator of that [State](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-7). The specialists shall be responsible for developing and coordinating local dissemination of [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1) information in a manner that is useful to farmers in the region.
- (g) **Information availability—** The Cooperative [Extension](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-5) Service within each [State](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-7) shall transfer information developed under this subchapter, [chapter 86](/usc/7/chch86.md) of this title,[^1] and other appropriate research [programs](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) of the Department through a [program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) that shall—
  - (1) assist in developing farmer-to-farmer information exchange networks to enable farmers making transitions to more sustainable farming systems to share ideas and draw on the experiences of other farmers;
  - (2) help coordinate and publicize a regular series of [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1) farm tours and field days within each [State](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-7);
  - (3) plan for [extension](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-5) programming, including extensive farmer input and feedback, in the design of new and ongoing research endeavors related to [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1);
  - (4) provide technical assistance to individual farmers in the design and implementation of farm management plans and strategies for making a transition to more sustainable agricultural systems;
  - (5) consult and work closely with the Soil Conservation Service and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service in carrying out the information, technical assistance, and related [programs](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1);
  - (6) develop, coordinate, and direct special education and outreach [programs](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) in areas highly susceptible to groundwater contamination, linking [sustainable agriculture](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-1) information with water quality improvement information;
  - (7) develop information sources relating to crop diversification, alternative crops, on-farm food or commodity processing, and on-farm energy generation;
  - (8) establish a well-water testing [program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) designed to provide those [persons](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) dependent upon underground drinking water supplies with an understanding of the need for regular water testing, information on sources of testing, and an understanding of how to interpret test results and provide for the protection of underground water supplies;
  - (9) provide specific information on water quality practices developed through the research [programs](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) in [chapter 86](/usc/7/chch86.md) of this title;[^1]
  - (10) provide specific information on nutrient management practices developed through the research [programs](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) in [chapter 86](/usc/7/chch86.md) of this title;[^1] and
  - (11) provide information concerning whole-farm management systems integrating research results under this subchapter, [chapter 86](/usc/7/chch86.md) of this title,[^1] and other appropriate research [programs](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) of the Department.
- (h) **“Appropriate field office personnel” defined—** For purposes of this section, the term “appropriate field office personnel” includes employees of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, and other appropriate Department of Agriculture personnel, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/5801.md?p=b-6), whose activities involve the provision of agricultural production and conservation information to agricultural producers.
- (i) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the National Training [Program](/usc/7/5844.md?p=a-1) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2023.

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1629, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3741; Pub. L. 102–237, title IV, § 407(4), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1864; Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 862(b)(4), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1174; Pub. L. 105–185, title VI, § 606(f), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 604; Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7511(c)(17), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1269; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7511(c)(17), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2030; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7204, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 880; Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7204, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4803.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Chapter 86 of this title, referred to in subsecs. (f) and (g), was in the original “subtitle G of title XIV”, meaning subtitle G (§§ 1481–1485) of title XIV of Pub. L. 101–624, which was repealed by Pub. L. 105–185, title III, § 302(c), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 563.

### Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 115–334 substituted “2023” for “2018”.

2014—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 113–79 amended subsec. (i) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “There are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each fiscal year to carry out the National Training Program.”

2008—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(17)(A), substituted “the National Institute of Food and Agriculture” for “the Extension Service” in first sentence.

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(17)(B), substituted “National Institute of Food and Agriculture” for “Extension Service”.

1998—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 105–185 struck out “section 5881 of this title,” before “and other appropriate research” in introductory provisions.

1996—Subsecs. (f), (g)(11). Pub. L. 104–127 struck out “section 5881 of this title,” before “and other appropriate”.

1991—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 102–237 substituted “ensure” for “insure”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Amendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of this title.

Amendment by section 7511(c)(17) of Pub. L. 110–246 effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 7511(c) of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 1522 of this title.