Federal-State partnership and coordination

A unique partnership arrangement exists in food and agricultural research, extension, and teaching between the Federal Government and the governments of the several States whereby the States have accepted and have supported, through legislation and appropriations— research programs under— teaching programs under— In order to promote research and education in food and human nutrition, the Secretary may establish cooperative human nutrition centers to focus resources, facilities, and scientific expertise on particular high priority nutrition problems identified by the Department. Such centers shall be established at State cooperative institutions; and at other colleges and universities, having a demonstrable capacity to carry out human nutrition research and education. To promote research for purposes of developing agricultural policy alternatives, the Secretary is encouraged— To address more effectively the critical need for reducing farm input costs, improving soil, water, and energy conservation on farms and in rural areas, using sustainable agricultural methods, adopting alternative processing and marketing systems, and encouraging rural resources management, the Secretary is encouraged to designate at least one State agricultural experiment station and one Agricultural Research Service facility to examine these issues in an integrated and comprehensive manner, while conducting ongoing pilot projects contributing additional research through the Federal-State partnership. All meetings of any entity described in paragraph (3) shall be publicly announced in advance and shall be open to the public. Detailed minutes of meetings and other appropriate records of the activities of such an entity shall be kept and made available to the public on request. Chapter 10 of title 5 and title XVIII of this Act [7 U.S.C. 2281 et seq.] shall not apply to any entity described in paragraph (3). This subsection shall apply to any committee, board, commission, panel, or task force, or similar entity that— consists entirely of— one or more individuals who are employed by, or are officials of—