Words used in the regulations in this subchapter in the singular form will import the plural, and vice versa, as the case may demand. As used throughout the regulations in this subchapter and unless the context requires otherwise, the following terms will be construed to mean:

Act. The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (Title II of the act of Congress approved August 14, 1946, 60 Stat. 1087-1091, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627).

Administrator. The Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service, or any officer or employee of the Service, to whom authority has been delegated, or to whom authority may be delegated, to act in his or her stead.

Cooperative agreement. An agreement between the Agricultural Marketing Service and another Federal agency or a State agency, or other agency, organization or person that defines in the general terms the basis on which the parties concerned will cooperate to serve a mutual interest on an agricultural service project. The responsibilities for AMS and each cooperator are stated in the document along with the conditions as applicable.

Department. The United States Department of Agriculture.

Deputy Administrator. The Deputy Administrator of the Science and Technology program of the Agricultural Marketing Service agency, or any officer or employee of this agency to whom authority has heretofore been delegated, or to whom authority may hereafter be delegated, to act.

Laboratories. Science and Technology laboratories performing the official analyses described in this subchapter.

Program. The Science and Technology (S&T) program of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) which performs official analytical testing services, issues licenses for cottonseed chemists, and conducts quality assurance reviews and grants accreditation or certification for commodity testing programs of laboratories.

Quality assurance. The assurance that there is accuracy of analytical data using proficiency check sample or analyte recovery techniques. In addition, the certainty that there is strict adherence by the analysts in following the quality control details in the recommended or official methods for reagents, laboratory apparatus and procedures. The overall objective of quality assurance, as a comprehensive program, is to ensure that all analytical data produced by the laboratory meets certain quality criteria and that all data produced is reproducible, precise, and accurate.

Quality control. The system of close examination of the critical details of an analytical procedure in order to have the proper equipment parameters, techniques, supplies and reagents to achieve a predetermined level of quality data, with the performance of a particular laboratory analysis.

Secretary. The Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, or any officer or employee of the Department to whom authority has heretofore been delegated, or to whom authority may hereafter be delegated, to act in his or her stead.

Service. The Agricultural Marketing Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.