7 USC § 7631 - Agricultural biotechnology research and development for developing countries

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t7/s7631"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "7 USC § 7631 - Agricultural biotechnology research and development for developing countries"
title_number: 7
title_name: "AGRICULTURE"
section_number: "7631"
section_name: "Agricultural biotechnology research and development for developing countries"
chapter_number: 103
chapter_name: "AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION REFORM"
subchapter_number: "II"
subchapter_name: "NEW AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 105–185, title IV, § 411, as added Pub. L. 107–171, title VII, § 7505, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 466; amended Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7310, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1243; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7310, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2004.)"
---


# § 7631. Agricultural biotechnology research and development for developing countries

**(a)** **Eligible entity** In this section, the term “eligible entity” means—

**(A)** an institution of higher education that offers a curriculum in agriculture or the biosciences;

**(B)** a nonprofit organization; or

**(C)** a consortium of for-profit institutions and agricultural research institutions.

**(b)** **Grant program**

**(1)** **In general** The Secretary (acting through the Foreign Agricultural Service) shall establish and administer a program to make competitive grants to eligible entities to develop agricultural biotechnology for developing countries.

**(2)** **Use of funds** Funds provided to an eligible entity under this section may be used for projects that use biotechnology to—

**(A)** enhance the nutritional content of agricultural products that can be grown in developing countries;

**(B)** increase the yield and safety of agricultural products that can be grown in developing countries;

**(C)** increase the yield of agricultural products that are drought- and stress-resistant and that can be grown in developing countries;

**(D)** extend the growing range of crops that can be grown in developing countries;

**(E)** enhance the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables grown in developing countries;

**(F)** develop environmentally sustainable agricultural products that can be grown in developing countries; and

**(G)** develop vaccines to immunize against life-threatening illnesses and other medications that can be administered by consuming genetically-engineered agricultural products.

**(c)** **Authorization of appropriations** There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2012.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 105–185, title IV, § 411, as added Pub. L. 107–171, title VII, § 7505, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 466; amended Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7310, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1243; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7310, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2004.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

and  made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by  were repealed by .

### Amendments

2008—Subsec. (c). , substituted “2012” for “2007”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Amendment of this section and repeal of  by  effective , the date of enactment of , see , set out as an Effective Date note under .