The Secretary of Agriculture shall continue operation of the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database program (referred to in this section as the “FARAD program”) through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements with appropriate colleges or universities.

In carrying out the FARAD program, the Secretary shall—

(1) provide livestock producers, extension specialists, scientists, and veterinarians with information to prevent drug, pesticide, and environmental contaminant residues in food animal products;

maintain up-to-date information concerning—

(A) withdrawal times on FDA-approved food animal drugs and appropriate withdrawal intervals for drugs used in food animals in the United States, as established under section 360b(a) of title 21;

(B) official tolerances for drugs and pesticides in tissues, eggs, and milk;

(C) descriptions and sensitivities of rapid screening tests for detecting residues in tissues, eggs, and milk; and

(D) data on the distribution and fate of chemicals in food animals;

(3) publish periodically a compilation of food animal drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration;

(4) make information on food animal drugs available to the public through handbooks and other literature, computer software, a telephone hotline, and the Internet;

(5) furnish producer quality-assurance programs with up-to-date data on approved drugs;

(6) maintain a comprehensive and up-to-date, residue avoidance database;

(7) provide professional advice for determining the withdrawal times necessary for food safety in the use of drugs in food animals; and

(8) engage in other activities designed to promote food safety.

The Secretary shall offer to enter into a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement with 1 or more appropriate colleges and universities to operate the FARAD program. The term of the contract, grant, or cooperative agreement shall be 3 years, with options to extend the term of the contract triennially.

Federal funds provided by the Secretary under a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement under this section shall be subject to reduction for indirect costs of the recipient of the funds in an amount not to exceed 19 percent of the total Federal funds provided under the contract, grant, or cooperative agreement.

In addition to any other funds available to carry out subsection (c), there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $2,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2023.

(Pub. L. 105–185, title VI, § 604, June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 586; Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7312, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1245; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7312, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2006; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7307, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 891; Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7306, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4816.)