S.1385

“(a) Definitions.—In this section:

“(1) INITIATIVE.—The term ‘Initiative’ means the Coordinating and Expanding Organic Research Initiative established under subsection (b).

“(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, in consultation with the Office of the Chief Scientist.

“(b) Establishment.—The Secretary shall establish, and appoint the members of, an initiative, to be known as the ‘Coordinating and Expanding Organic Research Initiative’, to coordinate and expand the resources that the Agricultural Research Service, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Economic Research Service, and the National Agricultural Statistics Service dedicate to organic agricultural research.

“(c) Duties.—The Initiative shall carry out the following duties:

“(1) Coordinating all research conducted by the Secretary that is applicable to organic agricultural producers and transitioning-to-organic agricultural producers.

“(2) Reviewing and assessing the completed and ongoing organic and transitioning-to-organic agricultural research of the Secretary.

“(3) Developing iterative strategic plans for future organic and transitioning-to-organic agricultural research of the Secretary.

“(4) Conducting the surveys and submitting to the Secretary the reports under subsection (e)(1).

“(d) Appointment of members.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall appoint not fewer than 12, and not more than 18, members to the Initiative.

“(2) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for appointment to the Initiative under paragraph (1), an individual shall—

“(A) be in the competitive service or the Senior Executive Service (as defined in sections 2102 and 2101a of title 5, United States Code); and

“(B) have expertise in organic agriculture from a science, research, or technical assistance division of a Department agency.

“(3) REPRESENTATION.—In appointing members to the Initiative, the Secretary shall ensure that—

“(A) not fewer than 1 ⁄ 4 of the members are appointed from each of—

“(i) the Agricultural Research Service; and

“(ii) the National Institute of Food and Agriculture; and

“(B) not fewer than 1 member is appointed from each of—

“(i) the Office of the Chief Scientist;

“(ii) the National Organic Program of the Agricultural Marketing Service;

“(iii) the Economic Research Service; and

“(iv) the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

“(4) CHAIR.—The Secretary shall designate a member of the Initiative appointed from the Office of the Chief Scientist to serve as the Chair of the Initiative.

“(5) TERM.—A member of the Initiative—

“(A) shall serve for a term of 5 years; and

“(B) may be reappointed to the Initiative.

“(e) Surveys; reports.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the establishment of the Initiative, and every 5 years thereafter, in coordination with the roadmap for agricultural research, education, and extension described in section 7504 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 7614a), the Initiative shall—

“(A) conduct a survey of all research relating to organic agriculture of the Secretary; and

“(B) submit to the Secretary a report containing the findings of the survey conducted under subparagraph (A), which shall include sections relating to each of the 4 agencies described in subsection (b).

“(2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Initiative shall include in each report submitted under paragraph (1)(B) recommendations relating to—

“(A) expanding the research conducted by the Secretary that—

“(i) is applicable to agricultural producers that adhere to the requirements under the national organic program established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.); and

“(ii) would explore the new or enhanced research opportunities that could lead to new discoveries, foster innovation, improve technologies, and promote integrated systems approaches to assist—

“(I) organic agricultural producers;

“(II) consumers of organic food products;

“(III) organic marketing and distribution channels;

“(IV) transitioning-to-organic agricultural producers, including with respect to barriers to transitioning to organic production and producers who have considered transitioning to organic production but decided not to do so; and

“(V) the organic food industry;

“(B) strategies to increase the coordination and effectiveness of projects carried out by the Secretary that are applicable to organic production and that would improve the efficiency, productivity, profitability, and ecosystem services of organic crop and livestock production, including strategies relating to—

“(i) developing new public plant cultivars and livestock breeds that are regionally adapted and appropriate for organic production;

“(ii) expanding the applicability and cost-effectiveness of integrated, ecologically based pest, weed, and disease management for crop and livestock systems;

“(iii) developing integrated organic production systems that—

“(I) enhance ecosystem services relating to organic crop and livestock production; and

“(II) optimize agricultural resilience to the impacts of climate change and other stresses, including soil conservation and soil health, biodiversity, water management, carbon sequestration, and greenhouse gas mitigation;

“(iv) improving the remote sensing and monitoring capabilities for ecosystem services relating to organic crop and livestock production, including soil conservation and soil health, biodiversity, water management, carbon sequestration, and greenhouse gas mitigation;

“(v) developing grazing, pasture, forage, and livestock manure management techniques that are regionally adapted and appropriate for organic production;

“(vi) enhancing irrigation and water management techniques used in organic crop and livestock production;

“(vii) enhancing food safety relating to organic crops and livestock products, including guidance on compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.);

“(viii) developing new products and new uses of organic crops and livestock products;

“(ix) enhancing the quality of organically produced food, including taste, appearance, and nutritional value, after being processed into organic crop and livestock products, through genetic, processing, and related research topics; and

“(x) other similar, relevant topics, as determined by the Initiative; and

“(C) the development of data and applied research-based information useful to organic and conventional crop producers, associations of those producers, and other interested beneficiaries in evaluating the organic and conventional crops industries from a regional and national perspective.

“(3) REVIEW OF PRIOR REPORT.—The Initiative shall include in each report submitted under paragraph (1)(B)—

“(A) a review of the recommendations described in paragraph (2) included in the prior report submitted under paragraph (1)(B); and

“(B) the actions taken by the Secretary to implement those recommendations.

“(f) Consultation.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this section, the Initiative shall engage in consultation, including with—

“(A) the National Organic Standards Board; and

“(B) land-grant colleges and universities.

“(2) ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL INDUSTRIES.—In preparing each report under subsection (e)(1)(B), the Initiative shall consult, on an ongoing basis, with a diverse array of—

“(A) organic and conventional farmers, ranchers, handlers; and

“(B) organizations that serve those farmers, ranchers, and handlers.

“(g) Consideration by Secretary.—In preparing the annual budget recommendations for the Department, the Secretary shall take into consideration the findings and recommendations contained in the most recently submitted report under subsection (e)(1)(B).

“(h) Report by Secretary.—In the budget material submitted to Congress by the Secretary of Agriculture in connection with the budget of the United States Government submitted by the President under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, for each fiscal year, the Secretary of Agriculture shall include a report describing how the Secretary addressed each recommendation of the Initiative contained in the most recently submitted report under subsection (e)(1)(B).”.