Sec. 12511. Farmer Seed Liaison
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Subtitle I of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 ( 7 U.S.C. 7005 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: The Secretary shall establish in the Agricultural Marketing Service the position of Farmer Seed Liaison. The Farmer Seed Liaison shall— elevate the voices of farmers, small- and mid-sized seed companies, and independent plant breeders for the purpose of strengthening competition and choice in the seed marketplace; serve as a point of contact within the Department for stakeholders regarding all matters relating to seeds; liaise with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and other relevant Federal and State agencies and international bodies regarding seed issues; engage with farmers, seed companies, plant breeders, and the public regarding transparency and competition in seed markets, including with respect to the Federal Seed Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1551 et seq. ); promote innovation by working with relevant research agencies of the Department— to identify priorities for public plant breeding research and development; and to promote research access to seed germplasm; review, and advise the Secretary regarding, farmer and plant breeder rights and protections under relevant laws (including the effectiveness of compliance with, and enforcement of, those laws), including the monitoring of— any online materials that advertise seeds regulated under the Federal Seed Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1551 et seq. ); contracting and data usage practices that implicate farmer and plant breeder privacy, use rights, or competition; and licensing or marketing arrangements between seed companies and farmers or plant breeders; establish and periodically update the website described in subsection (d); and in carrying out the duties described in paragraphs
(1)through (7), consult with and provide technical assistance to any Federal department or agency. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may authorize staff in other agencies and offices of the Department, including the Plant Variety Protection Office in the Agricultural Marketing Service, to support the duties of the Farmer Seed Liaison under this section. The website referred to in subsection (b)(7) shall include— resources, either within the Department or within other Federal departments or agencies, that promote innovation and competition within the seed marketplace; and opportunities for stakeholder engagement and feedback. In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with relevant stakeholder organizations, including those that serve farmers, small- and mid-sized seed companies, and independent plant breeders. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report on the activities of the Farmer Seed Liaison in the prior fiscal year to— the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives; and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate. The Secretary shall make the report described in paragraph
(1)publicly available on the website of the Department. In addition to any amounts otherwise available, there is authorized to be appropriated $3,500,000 for each fiscal year to carry out this section. .
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