# § 3173. Research by Department of Agriculture
**(a)** **Increase in level of support** The Secretary shall establish research into food and human nutrition as a separate and distinct mission of the Department of Agriculture, and the Secretary shall increase support for such research to a level that provides resources adequate to meet the policy of this subchapter.
**(b)** **Periodic consultation with administrators of other Federal departments and agencies** The Secretary, in administering the food and human nutrition research program, shall periodically consult with the administrators of the other Federal departments and agencies that have responsibility for programs dealing with human food and nutrition, as to the specific research needs of those departments and agencies.
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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1423, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 999.)
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date
Section effective , see , set out as an Effective Date of 1977 Amendment note under .
### “dietary assessment and studies
> **“Sec. 1451.**
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> Congress finds that—
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> **“(1)** nutrition and health considerations are important to United States agricultural policy;
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> **“(2)** section 1405 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3121) designates the Department of Agriculture as the lead agency of the Federal Government for human nutrition research (except with respect to the biomedical aspects of human nutrition concerned with diagnosis or treatment of disease);
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> **“(3)** section 1423 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 3173) requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish research into food and human nutrition as a separate and distinct mission of the Department of Agriculture;
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> **“(4)** the Secretary has established a nutrition education program; and
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> **“(5)** nutrition research continues to be of great importance to those involved in agricultural production.
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> **“[Sec. 1452.**
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> Repealed. Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 872, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1175.]
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> **“Sec. 1453.**
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> **(a)** The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall jointly conduct an assessment of existing scientific literature and research relating to—
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> In conducting the assessments under this subsection, the Secretaries shall consult with agencies of the Federal Government involved in related research. On completion of such assessments, the Secretaries shall each recommend such further studies as the Secretaries consider useful.
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> **“(1)** the relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol and human health and nutrition; and
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> **“(2)** dietary calcium and its importance in human health and nutrition.
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> **“(b)** Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 1985], the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall each submit to the House Committees on Agriculture and Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Labor and Human Resources a report that shall include the results of the assessments conducted under subsection (a) and recommendations made under such subsection, for more complete studies of the issues examined under such subsection, including a protocol, feasibility assessment, budget estimates and a timetable for such research as each Secretary shall consider appropriate.”
, subtitle B, §§ 1451–1453, , , 1562, as amended by , , , provided that: