§ 5930 — Reservation Extension Agents

(a) The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, shall establish appropriate extension education programs on Indian reservations and tribal jurisdictions. In establishing these extension programs, the Secretary shall consult with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Intertribal Agriculture Council, and the Southwest Indian Agriculture Association, and shall make such interagency cooperative agreements or memoranda of understanding as may be necessary. The programs to be developed and delivered on reservations and within tribal jurisdictions shall be determined with the advice and counsel of reservation or tribal program advisory committees. (b) Extension agents shall be employees of, and administratively responsible to, the Cooperative Extension Service of the State within which the reservation or tribal jurisdiction is located, and employment and personnel management responsibilities shall be vested with the State Cooperative Extension Service. In cases where a reservation or tribal jurisdiction is located in two or more States, the Secretary of Agriculture shall make the determination of administrative responsibility, including possible divisions along State boundaries. (c) At the request of a State Extension Director, and with the assistance of the tribal authorities, the Secretary of Agriculture may form an advisory committee to give overall policy and program advice to that State Extension Director with regard to programs conducted on reservations or within tribal jurisdictions. Program advisory committees may be formed to assist extension staff in development and conduct of program activities. (d) Insofar as possible, agent and specialist staff shall include individuals representative of the tribal grouping being served. Programs shall emphasize training and employment of local people in positions such as program aides, master gardeners, and volunteers. Staffing at a particular location shall be dependent on the needs and priorities of that location, as identified by the advisory committees and the State Extension Director, and the Director may make use of existing personnel and facilities as appropriate. (e) The number of offices and their placement shall be jointly determined by the State Extension Directors and tribal authorities of the respective States by taking into consideration the agricultural acreage within the boundaries of an Indian reservation or tribal jurisdiction, the soil classifications of such acreage, and the population of such reservation or tribal jurisdiction. (f) On a determination by the Secretary of Agriculture that a program carried out under this section has been satisfactorily administered for not less than 2 years, the Secretary shall implement a reduced reapplication process for the continued operation of the program in order to reduce regulatory burdens on participating university and tribal entities. (g) There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.