There are authorized to be appropriated such funds as Congress may determine necessary to support research on specific national or regional animal health or disease problems, or national or regional problems relating to pre-harvest, on-farm food safety, or animal well-being, but not to exceed $35,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1991 through 2012, and not in excess of such sums as may after September 29, 1977, be authorized by law for any subsequent fiscal year.

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 3197 of this title, funds appropriated under this section shall be awarded in the form of grants, for periods not to exceed five years, to State agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities (including 1890 Institutions (as defined in section 7601 of this title)), other research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations or corporations, and individuals.

In order to establish a rational allocation of funds appropriated under this section, the Secretary shall establish annually priority lists of animal health and disease, food safety, and animal well-being problems of national or regional significance. Such lists shall be prepared after consultation with the Advisory Board. Any recommendations made in connection with such consultation shall not be controlling on the Secretary’s determination of priorities. In establishing such priorities, the Secretary and the Advisory Board shall consider the following factors:

(1) any health or disease problem which causes or may cause significant economic losses to any part of the livestock production industry;

(2) any food safety problem that has a significant pre-harvest (on-farm) component and is recognized as posing a significant health hazard to the consuming public;

(3) issues of animal well-being related to production methods that will improve the housing and management of animals to improve the well-being of livestock production species;

(4) whether current scientific knowledge necessary to prevent, cure, or abate such a health or disease problem is adequate; and

(5) whether the status of scientific research is such that accomplishments may be anticipated through the application of scientific effort to such health or disease problem.

Without regard to any consultation under subsection (c), the Secretary shall, to the extent feasible, award grants on the basis of the priorities assigned through a peer review system. Grantees shall be selected on a competitive basis in accordance with such procedures as the Secretary may establish.

In the case of multiyear grants, the Secretary shall distribute funds to grant recipients on a schedule which is reasonably related to the timetable required for the orderly conduct of the research project involved.

The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) and title XVIII of this Act [7 U.S.C. 2281 et seq.] shall not apply to a panel or board created solely for the purpose of reviewing applications or proposals submitted under this subchapter.

(Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1434, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 1004; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1430, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1309; Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1414(c), Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1549; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1601(b)(2), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3703; Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, §§ 812, 852(b)(5), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1165, 1171; Pub. L. 105–185, title III, § 301(a)(8), title VI, § 606(d)(3), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 562, 604; Pub. L. 107–171, title VII, § 7108, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 432; Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, §§ 7119, 7120, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1222; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, §§ 7119, 7120, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1983.)