§ 5935. — Use of remote sensing data and other data to anticipate potential food, feed, and fiber shortages or excesses and to provide timely information to assist farmers with planting decisions.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC5935]
TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
CHAPTER 88--RESEARCH
SUBCHAPTER VII--MISCELLANEOUS RESEARCH PROVISIONS
Sec. 5935. Use of remote sensing data and other data to
anticipate potential food, feed, and fiber shortages or excesses
and to provide timely information to assist farmers with
planting decisions
(a) Findings
Congress finds that--
(1) remote sensing data can be useful to predict impending
famine problems and forest infestations in time to allow remedial
action;
(2) remote sensing data can inform the agricultural community as
to the condition of crops and the land that sustains those crops;
and
(3) remote sensing data and other data can be valuable, when
received on a timely basis, in determining the need for additional
plantings of a particular crop or a substitute crop.
(b) Information development
The Secretary of Agriculture and the Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, maximizing private funding and
involvement, shall provide farmers and other interested persons with
timely information, through remote sensing, on crop conditions,
fertilization and irrigation needs, pest infiltration, soil conditions,
projected food, feed, and fiber production, and any other information
available through remote sensing.
(c) Coordination
The Secretary of Agriculture and the Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration shall jointly develop a proposal to
provide farmers and other prospective users with supply and demand
information for food and fibers.
(d) Sunset
The authorities provided by this section shall expire 5 years after
April 4, 1996.
(Pub. L. 104-127, title VIII, Sec. 892, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1183.)
Codification
Section was enacted as part of the Federal Agriculture Improvement
and Reform Act of 1996, and not as part of subtitle H of title XVI of
the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 which
comprises this subchapter.
Remote Sensing for Agricultural and Resource Management
Pub. L. 106-391, title III, Sec. 316, Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1596,
provided that:
``(a) Information Development.--The Administrator [of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration] shall--
``(1) consult with the Secretary of Agriculture to determine
data product types that are of use to farmers which can be remotely
sensed from air or space;
``(2) consider useful commercial data products related to
agriculture as identified by the focused research program between
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Stennis Space
Center and the Department of Agriculture; and
``(3) examine other data sources, including commercial sources,
LightSAR, RADARSAT I, and RADARSAT II, which can provide domestic
and international agricultural information relating to crop
conditions, fertilization and irrigation needs, pest infiltration,
soil conditions, projected food, feed, and fiber production, and
other related subjects.
``(b) Plan.--After performing the activities described in subsection
(a) the Administrator shall, in consultation with the Secretary of
Agriculture, develop a plan to inform farmers and other prospective
users about the use and availability of remote sensing products that may
assist with agricultural and forestry applications identified in
subsection (a). The Administrator shall transmit such plan to the
Congress not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act [Oct. 30, 2000].
``(c) Implementation.--Not later than 90 days after the plan has
been transmitted under subsection (b), the Administrator shall implement
the plan.''
