SECTION I--RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FEDERAL AGENCIES AND INDUSTRY 
RESEARCH IN USDA ON CHEMICALS IN AGRICULTURE 
Tr. GC. Byerly * 
The general responsibility of the Department is that for the collection and dissemina- 
tion of information about all matters pertaining toagriculture, as set forth in the Organic 
Act when the Department was created in 1862 (5 U.S.C. 511). This authority is: 
‘*There shall be at the seat of governmenta Department of Agriculture, the gen- 
eral design and duties of which shall be to acquire and to diffuse among the people 
of the United States useful information on subjects connected with agriculture 
in the most general and comprehensive sense ofthat word, and to procure, propo- 
gate, and distribute among the people new and valuable seeds and plants.’’ 
The Department achieved Cabinet status on February 9, 1889 (5 U.S.C. 512). More 
specific research fields were authorized over the years with the creation of bureaus 
which now comprise the Agricultural Research Service. The Research and Marketing Act 
of 1946 (P. L. 733, 79th Congress) provided further research into basic laws and principles 
relating to agriculture and to improve and facilitate the marketing and distribution of 
agricultural products. This Act specifically authorized contracts and cooperative agree- 
ments for research and investigations for utilization and marketing research (7 U.S.C. 
427, 1621-1629). Section 10(a), providing for contracts and cooperative agreements for 
utilization research, is as follows: 
‘The Secretary of Agriculture, in accordance with suchregulations as he deems 
necessary, and when in his judgment the workto be performed will be carried out 
more effectively, more rapidly, or at less cost than if performed by the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, may enter into contracts with such public or private organi- 
zations or individuals ashe may find qualifiedto carry on work under this section 
without regard to the provisions of section 3709, Revised Statutes, and with re- 
spect to such contracts he may make advance progress or other payments without 
regard to the provisions of section 3648, Revised Statutes. Contracts hereunder 
may be made for work to continue not more than four years from the date of any 
such contracts. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 5of the Act of June 20, 
1874, as amended (31 U.S.C. 713), any unexpended balances of appropriations 
properly obligated by contracting with an organization as provided in this sub- 
section may remain upon the books of the Treasury fund and covered into the 
Treasury. Research authorized under this subsection shall be conducted so far as 
practicable at laboratories of the Department of Agriculture. Projects conducted 
under contract with public and priyate agencies shall be supplemental to and co- 
ordinated with research of these laboratories. Any contracts made pursuant to this 
authority shall contain requirements making the results of research and investi- 
gations available to the public through dedication, assignment to the Government, 
or such other means as the Secretary shall determine.”’ 
1Deputy Administrator, Agricultural Research Service, U. S, Department of Agriculture, 
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