§ 5923. — Repealed.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC5923]
TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
CHAPTER 88--RESEARCH
SUBCHAPTER VII--MISCELLANEOUS RESEARCH PROVISIONS
Sec. 5923. Rural electronic commerce extension program
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Development center
The term ``development center'' means--
(A) the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development;
(B) the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development or
its designee;
(C) the Southern Rural Development Center; and
(D) the Western Rural Development Center or its designee.
(2) Extension program
The term ``extension program'' means the rural electronic
commerce extension program established under subsection (b) of this
section.
(3) Microenterprise
The term ``microenterprise'' means a commercial enterprise that
has 5 or fewer employees, 1 or more of whom own the enterprise.
(4) Secretary
The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Agriculture,
acting through the Administrator of the Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service.
(5) Small business
The term ``small business'' has the meaning given the term
``small-business concern'' by section 632(a) of title 15.
(b) Establishment
The Secretary shall establish a rural electronic commerce extension
program to expand and enhance electronic commerce practices and
technology to be used by small businesses and microenterprises in rural
areas.
(c) Grants
(1) In general
The Secretary shall carry out the program established under
subsection (b) of this section by making--
(A) grants to each of the development centers; and
(B) competitive grants to land-grant colleges and
universities (or consortia of land-grant colleges and
universities) and to colleges and universities (including
community colleges) with agricultural or rural development
programs--
(i) to develop and facilitate innovative rural
electronic commerce business strategies; and
(ii) to assist small businesses and microenterprises in
identifying, adapting, implementing, and using electronic
commerce business practices and technologies.
(2) Eligibility
The selection criteria established for grants awarded under
paragraph (1)(B) shall include--
(A) the ability of an applicant to provide training and
education on best practices, technology transfer, adoption, and
use of electronic commerce in rural communities by small
businesses and microenterprises;
(B) the extent and geographic diversity of the area served
by the proposed project or activity under the extension program;
(C) in the case of a land-grant college or university, the
extent of participation of the land-grant college or university
in the extension program (including any economic benefits that
would result from that participation);
(D) the percentage of funding and in-kind commitments from
non-Federal sources that would be needed by and available for a
proposed project or activity under the extension program; and
(E) the extent of participation of low-income and minority
businesses or microenterprises in a proposed project or activity
under the extension program.
(3) Non-Federal share
(A) In general
As a condition of the receipt of funds under this section, a
development center or grant applicant shall agree to obtain from
non-Federal sources (including State, local, nonprofit, or
private sector sources) contributions of an amount equal to 50
percent of the grant amount.
(B) Form
The non-Federal share required under subparagraph (A) may be
provided in the form of in-kind contributions.
(C) Exception
The non-Federal share required under subparagraph (A) may be
reduced to 25 percent if the grant recipient serves low-income
or minority-owned businesses or microenterprises, as determined
by the Secretary.
(d) Report
Not later than 2 years after May 13, 2002, the Secretary shall
submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate
a report that describes--
(1) \1\ the policies, practices, and procedures used to assist
rural communities in efforts to adopt and use electronic commerce
techniques; and
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\1\ So in original. No par. (2) has been enacted.
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(e) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2007, of which not
less than \1/3\ of the amount made available for each fiscal year shall
be used to carry out activities under subsection (c)(1)(A) of this
section.
(Pub. L. 101-624, title XVI, Sec. 1670, as added Pub. L. 107-171, title
VI, Sec. 6202, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 419.)
Prior Provisions
A prior section 5923, Pub. L. 101-624, title XVI, Sec. 1670, Nov.
28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3769; Pub. L. 102-237, title IV, Sec. 407(10), Dec.
13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1865; Pub. L. 104-127, title VIII, Sec. 834, Apr. 4,
1996, 110 Stat. 1169, authorized establishment of livestock product
safety and inspection program, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105-185, title
III, Sec. 302(c), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 563.
