§ 3103 — Definitions

When used in this chapter: (1) The term “Advisory Board” means the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board. (2) The term “agricultural research” means research in the food and agricultural sciences. (3) The term “aquaculture” means the propagation and rearing of aquacultural species, including, but not limited to, any species of finfish, mollusk, or crustacean (or other aquatic invertebrate), amphibian, reptile, ornamental fish, or aquatic plant, in controlled or selected environments. (A) The terms “college” and “university” mean an educational institution in any State which (i) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate, (ii) is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of education beyond secondary education, (iii) provides an educational program for which a bachelor’s degree or any other higher degree is awarded, (iv) is a public or other nonprofit institution, and (v) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association. (B) The terms “college” and “university” include a research foundation maintained by a college or university described in subparagraph (A). (A) The term “cooperating forestry school” means an institution— (i) that is eligible to receive funds under Public Law 87–788 (commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act; 16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.); and (ii) with respect to which the Secretary has not received a declaration of the intent of that institution to not be considered a cooperating forestry school. (B) A declaration of the intent of an institution to not be considered a cooperating forestry school submitted to the Secretary shall be in effect until September 30, 2018. (6) The term “cooperative extension services” means the organizations established at the land-grant colleges and universities under the Smith-Lever Act of May 8, 1914 (38 Stat. 372–374, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 341–349), and section 209(b) of the Act of October 26, 1974 (88 Stat. 1428, as amended; D.C. Code, sec. 31–1719(b)). (7) The term “Department of Agriculture” means the United States Department of Agriculture. (8) The term “extension” means the informal education programs conducted in the States in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture. (9) The term “food and agricultural sciences” means basic, applied, and developmental research, extension, and teaching activities in food and fiber, agricultural, renewable energy and natural resources, forestry, and physical and social sciences, including activities relating to the following: (A) Animal health, production, and well-being. (B) Plant health and production. (C) Animal and plant germ plasm collection and preservation. (D) Aquaculture. (E) Food safety. (F) Soil, water, and related resource conservation and improvement. (G) Forestry, horticulture, and range management. (H) Nutritional sciences and promotion. (I) Farm enhancement, including financial management, input efficiency, and profitability. (J) Home economics. (K) Rural human ecology. (L) Youth development and agricultural education, including 4–H clubs. (M) Expansion of domestic and international markets for agricultural commodities and products, including agricultural trade barrier identification and analysis. (N) Information management and technology transfer related to agriculture. (O) Biotechnology related to agriculture. (P) The processing, distributing, marketing, and utilization of food and agricultural products. (A) The term “Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities” means colleges or universities— (i) that qualify as Hispanic-serving institutions; (ii) that offer associate, bachelors, or other accredited degree programs in agriculture-related fields; and (iii) with respect to which the Secretary has not received a declaration of the intent of a college or university to not be considered a Hispanic-serving agricultural college or university. (B) The term “Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities” does not include 1862 institutions (as defined in section 7601 of this title). (C) A declaration of the intent of a college or university to not be considered a Hispanic-serving agricultural college or university submitted to the Secretary shall be in effect until September 30, 2018. (11) The term “Hispanic-serving institution” has the meaning given the term in section 1101a of title 20. (12) The term “insular area” means— (A) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; (B) Guam; (C) American Samoa; (D) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; (E) the Federated States of Micronesia; (F) the Republic of the Marshall Islands; (G) the Republic of Palau; and (H) the Virgin Islands of the United States. (13) The term “land-grant colleges and universities” means those institutions eligible to receive funds under the Act of July 2, 1862 (12 Stat. 503–505, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 301–305, 307 and 308), or the Act of August 30, 1890 (26 Stat. 417–419, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 321–326 and 328), including Tuskegee University. (i) The terms “NLGCA Institution” and “non-land-grant college of agriculture” mean a public college or university offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the study of agricultural sciences, forestry, or both in any area of study specified in clause (ii). (ii) For purposes of clause (i), an area of study specified in this clause is any of the following: (I) Agriculture. (II) Agricultural business and management. (III) Agricultural economics. (IV) Agricultural mechanization. (V) Agricultural production operations. (VI) Aquaculture. (VII) Agricultural and food products processing. (VIII) Agricultural and domestic animal services. (IX) Equestrian or equine studies. (X) Applied horticulture or horticulture operations. (XI) Ornamental horticulture. (XII) Greenhouse operations and management. (XIII) Turf and turfgrass management. (XIV) Plant nursery operations and management. (XV) Floriculture or floristry operations and management. (XVI) International agriculture. (XVII) Agricultural public services. (XVIII) Agricultural and extension education services. (XIX) Agricultural communication or agricultural journalism. (XX) Animal sciences. (XXI) Food science. (XXII) Plant sciences. (XXIII) Soil sciences. (XXIV) Forestry. (XXV) Forest sciences and biology. (XXVI) Natural resources or conservation. (XXVII) Natural resources management and policy. (XXVIII) Natural resource economics. (XXIX) Urban forestry. (XXX) Wood science and wood products or pulp or paper technology. (XXXI) Range science and management. (XXXII) Agricultural engineering. (XXXIII) Any other area, as determined appropriate by the Secretary. (B) Not later than 90 days after Feb. 7, 2014, the Secretary shall establish an ongoing process through which public colleges or universities may apply for designation as an NLGCA Institution. (C) The terms “NLGCA Institution” and “non-land-grant college of agriculture” do not include any institution designated under— (i) the Act of July 2, 1862 (commonly known as the “First Morrill Act”; 7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.); (ii) the Act of August 30, 1890 (commonly known as the “Second Morrill Act”) (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.); or (iii) the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (Public Law 103–382; 7 U.S.C. 301 note). (15) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States. (16) The term “State” means— (A) a State; (B) the District of Columbia; and (C) any insular area. (17) The term “State agricultural experiment stations” means those institutions eligible to receive funds under the Act of March 2, 1887 (24 Stat. 440–442, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 361a–361i). (18) The term “State cooperative institutions” or “State cooperative agents” means institutions or agents designated by— (A) the Act of July 2, 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), commonly known as the First Morrill Act; (B) the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), commonly known as the Second Morrill Act, including Tuskegee University; (C) the Act of March 2, 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.), commonly known as the Hatch Act of 1887; (D) the Act of May 8, 1914 (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), commonly known as the Smith-Lever Act; (E) the Act of October 10, 1962 (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.), commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962; (F) section 3192 of this title; and (G) subchapters VI, XI, and XII of this chapter. (19) The term “sustainable agriculture” means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long-term— (A) satisfy human food and fiber needs; (B) enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agriculture economy depends; (C) make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; (D) sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and (E) enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole. (20) The terms “teaching” and “education” mean formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, and practicum experience in the food and agricultural sciences and matters relating thereto (such as faculty development, student recruitment and services, curriculum development, instructional materials and equipment, and innovative teaching methodologies) conducted by colleges and universities offering baccalaureate or higher degrees.