U.S. Code > Title 7 Agriculture > CHAPTER 64—AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND TEACHING (§§ 3101—3363) > SUBCHAPTER VI—1890 LAND-GRANT COLLEGE FUNDING (§§ 3221—3224) > § 3222c. National research and training virtual centers

§ 3222c. National research and training virtual centers

(a) Competitive grants authorized
The Secretary of Agriculture may make a competitive grant to five national research and training virtual centers located at colleges (or a consortia of such colleges) eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including Tuskegee University, that—
(1) have been designated by the Secretary for the fiscal years 1991 through 1995, or fiscal years 1996 through 2012, as national research and training virtual centers; and
(2) have the best demonstrable capacity, as determined by the Secretary, to provide administrative leadership as—
(A) a National Center for Goat Research and Training;
(B) a National Center for Agricultural Engineering Development, Research, and Training;
(C) a National Center for Water Quality and Agricultural Production Research and Training;
(D) a National Center for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Training; and
(E) a National Center for Domestic and International Trade and Development Research and Training.
(b) Use of grants
A grant made under subsection (a) of this section may be expended by a center to—
(1) pay expenses incurred in conducting research for which the center was designated;
(2) print and disseminate the results of such research;
(3) plan, administer, and direct such research; and
(4) alter or repair buildings necessary to conduct such research.
(c) Priority
In making a grant determination under subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall give priority to those centers that—
(1) will assure dissemination of information between eligible institutions described in subsection (a) of this section and among agricultural producers; and
(2) will attract students and needed professionals in the food and agricultural sciences.
(d) Payments
(1) Under the terms of a grant made under subsection (a) of this section, funds appropriated under subsection (f) of this section for a fiscal year shall be paid (upon vouchers approved by the Secretary) to a center receiving the grant in equal quarterly installments beginning on or about the first day of October of such year.
(2) Not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year for which funds are paid under this section to a center, the research director of such center shall submit to the Secretary a detailed statement of the disbursements in such fiscal year of funds received by such center under this section.
(3) If any of the funds received by a center under this section are misapplied, lost, or diminished by any action or contingency on the part of the center—
(A) the center shall replace such funds; and
(B) the Secretary shall not distribute to such center any other funds under this subsection until such funds are replaced.
(e) Prohibited uses of funds
Funds provided under this section may not be used—
(1) to acquire or construct a building; or
(2) to pay the overhead costs of the college (or consortia of colleges) receiving the grant.
(f) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1991 through 2012 for grants under this section.
(g) “Center” defined
For purposes of this section, the term “center” means a national research and training virtual center that receives a grant under this subsection.
(h) Coordination of center activities
(1) The center designated under subsection (a)(2)(C) of this section shall coordinate its activities with the water quality research activities conducted under subtitle G of title XIV of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.[1]
(2) The center designated under subsection (a)(2)(D) of this section shall coordinate its activities with the sustainable agriculture research and education program established under subtitle B of title XVI of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 [7 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.].

[1] See References in Text note below.