Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 104 Part 5.djvu/437

 PUBLIC LAW 101-624—NOV. 28, 1990 104 STAT. 3759 (f) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS. — The Director may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code. SEC. 1659. ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND COMMER- 7 USC 5903. CIALIZATION BOARD. (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF BoARD.— The Secretary shall establish the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Board. (b) MEMBERS.—The Board shall consist of nine members appointed by the Secretary as follows: (1) One member who shall be an employee of the Department of Agriculture. (2) Four members, of whom— (A) at least one shall be a representative of the leading scientific disciplines relevant to the activities of the Center; (B) at least one shall be a producer or processor of agricultural commodities; and (C) at least one shall be a person who is privately engeiged in the commercialization of new nonfood, nonfeed products from agricultural commodities. (3) Two members who— (A) have expertise in areas of applied research relating to the development or commercialization of new nonfood, nonfeed products; and (B) shall be appointed from a group of at least four persons nominated by the Director of the National Science Foundation if such nominations are made within 60 days after the date a vacancy occurs. (4) Two members who— (A) have expertise in financial and managerial matters; and (B) shall be appointed from a group of at least four persons nominated by the Secretary of Commerce if such nominations are made within 60 days Eifter the date a vacancy occurs. (c) RESPONSIBIUTIES.—The Board shall— (1) be responsible for the general supervision and policy control of the Center and Regional Centers; (2) determine (in consultation with the advisory council appointed under section 1661 and those Regional Centers established under section 1663) high priority commercialization areas to receive assistance under that section; (3) review any grant, contract, or cooperative agreement to be made by the Center under section 1660 and any financial assistance to be provided under section 1661; (4) make the final decision, by majority vote, on whether and how to provide assistance to an applicant; (5) establish program policy, objectives, research and development, and commercialization priorities to implement this subtitle, through a process of public hearings to be initiated as soon as practicable after the establishment of the Board; and (6) using the results of such hearings and other information and data collected under paragraph (5), develop and establish a budget plan and a long-term operating plan to implement this subtitle. (d) MEETINGS.— The Board shall meet at the call of the chairperson or at the request of the Director, but at least three times

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