---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 7612"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "7612"
heading: "Priority setting process"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/7612"
units:
  - "Chapter 103 — Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform"
  - "Subchapter I — Priorities, Scope, Review, and Coordination of Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education"
---

# §7612. Priority setting process

- (a) **Establishment—** Consistent with [section 3101 of this title](/usc/7/3101.md), the [Secretary](/usc/7/7601.md?p=7) shall establish priorities for agricultural research, extension, and education activities conducted or funded by the [Department](/usc/7/7601.md?p=5).
- (b) **Responsibilities of Secretary—** In establishing priorities for agricultural research, extension, and education activities conducted or funded by the [Department](/usc/7/7601.md?p=5), the [Secretary](/usc/7/7601.md?p=7) shall solicit and consider input and recommendations from [persons](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education.
- (c) **Responsibilities of 1862, 1890, and 1994 Institutions and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities—**
  - (1) **Process—** Effective October 1, 1999, to obtain agricultural research, extension, or education formula funds from the [Secretary](/usc/7/7601.md?p=7), each [1862 Institution](/usc/7/7601.md?p=1), [1890 Institution](/usc/7/7601.md?p=2), [1994 Institution](/usc/7/7601.md?p=3), and Hispanic-serving agricultural college and university shall establish and implement a process for obtaining input from [persons](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education concerning the use of the funds.
  - (2) **Regulations—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/7601.md?p=7) shall promulgate regulations that prescribe—
    - (A) the requirements for an institution referred to in [paragraph (1)](#c-1) to comply with [paragraph (1)](#c-1); and
    - (B) the consequences for an institution of not complying with [paragraph (1)](#c-1), which may include the withholding or redistribution of funds to which the institution may be entitled until the institution complies with [paragraph (1)](#c-1).
- (d) **Management principles—** To the maximum extent practicable, the [Secretary](/usc/7/7601.md?p=7) shall ensure that federally supported and conducted agricultural research, extension, and education activities are accomplished in a manner that—
  - (1) integrates agricultural research, extension, and education functions to better link research to technology transfer and information dissemination activities;
  - (2) encourages regional and multistate programs to address relevant issues of common concern and to better leverage scarce resources; and
  - (3) achieves agricultural research, extension, and education objectives through multi-institutional and multifunctional approaches and by conducting research at facilities and institutions best equipped to achieve those objectives.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 105–185, title I, § 102, June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 526; Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7129(c)(2), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1227; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7129(c)(2), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1988.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### 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

2008—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–246, § 7129(c)(2), inserted “and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities” after “Institutions” in heading and substituted “1994 Institution, and Hispanic-serving agricultural college and university” for “and 1994 Institution” in par. (1).

### 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, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of this title.