The Congress declares that a sound, efficient, and privately operated system for distributing and marketing agricultural products is essential to a prosperous agriculture and is indispensable to the maintenance of full employment and to the welfare, prosperity, and health of the Nation. It is further declared to be the policy of Congress to promote through research, study, experimentation, and through cooperation among Federal and State agencies, farm organizations, and private industry a scientific approach to the problems of marketing, transportation, and distribution of agricultural products similar to the scientific methods which have been utilized so successfully during the past eighty-four years in connection with the production of agricultural products so that such products capable of being produced in abundance may be marketed in an orderly manner and efficiently distributed. In order to attain these objectives, it is the intent of Congress to provide for (1) continuous research to improve the marketing, handling, storage, processing, transportation, and distribution of agricultural products; (2) cooperation among Federal and State agencies, producers, industry organizations, and others in the development and effectuation of research and marketing programs to improve the distribution processes; (3) an integrated administration of all laws enacted by Congress to aid the distribution of agricultural products through research, market aids and services, and regulatory activities, to the end that marketing methods and facilities may be improved, that distribution costs may be reduced and the price spread between the producer and consumer may be narrowed, that dietary and nutritional standards may be improved, that new and wider markets for American agricultural products may be developed, both in the United States and in other countries, with a view to making it possible for the full production of American farms to be disposed of usefully, economically, profitably, and in an orderly manner. In effectuating the purposes of this chapter, maximum use shall be made of existing research facilities owned or controlled by the Federal Government or by State agricultural experiment stations and of the facilities of the Federal and State extension services. To the maximum extent practicable marketing research work done under this chapter in cooperation with the States shall be done in cooperation with the State agricultural experiment stations; marketing educational and demonstrational work done under this chapter in cooperation with the States shall be done in cooperation with the State agricultural extension service; market information, inspection, regulatory work and other marketing service done under this chapter in cooperation with the State agencies shall be done in cooperation with the State departments of agriculture, and State bureaus and departments of markets.

The Secretary may provide technical assistance (including information on such financial assistance as may be available) to grain producers and elevator operators to assist such producers and operators in installing or improving grain cleaning, drying or storage equipment.

In order to facilitate administration and to increase the effectiveness of the marketing research, service, and regulatory work of the Department of Agriculture to the fullest extent practicable, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, to transfer, group, coordinate, and consolidate the functions, powers, duties, and authorities of each and every agency, division, bureau, service, section, or other administrative unit in the Department of Agriculture primarily concerned with research, service, or regulatory activities in connection with the marketing, transportation, storage, processing, distribution of, or service or regulatory activities in connection with, the utilization of, agricultural products, into a single administrative agency. In making such changes as may be necessary to carry out effectively the purposes of this chapter, the records, property, personnel, and funds of such agencies, divisions, bureaus, services, sections, or other administrative units in the Department of Agriculture affected are authorized to be transferred to and used by such administrative agency to which the transfer may be made, but such unexpended balances of appropriations so transferred shall be used only for the purposes for which such appropriations were made.

When used in this chapter, the term “agricultural products” includes agricultural, horticultural, viticultural, and dairy products, livestock and poultry, bees, forest products, fish and shellfish, and any products thereof, including processed and manufactured products, and any and all products raised or produced on farms and any processed or manufactured product thereof, and the term “State” when used in this chapter 1

The Secretary of Agriculture shall have the power to appoint, remove, and fix, in accordance with existing law, the compensation of such officers and employees, and to make such expenditures as he deems necessary, including expenditures for rent outside the District of Columbia, travel, supplies, books, equipment, and such other expenditures as may be necessary to the administration of this chapter: Provided, That the Secretary of Agriculture may appoint any technically qualified person, firm, or organization by contract or otherwise on a temporary basis and for a term not to exceed six months in any fiscal year to perform research, inspection, classification, technical, or other special services, without regard to the civil-service laws.

In the furtherance of the research and service work authorized by this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may, in addition to the national advisory committee, establish appropriate committees, including representatives of producers, industry, government and science, to assist in effectuating specific research and service programs.

There is hereby appropriated $1,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2023, for a Cattle Contracts Library pilot program that the Agricultural Marketing Service shall develop and maintain within the Livestock, Poultry, and Grain Market News Division. This program shall be similar, as determined by the Secretary, to the swine contract library the U.S. Department of Agriculture currently maintains pursuant to section 198a of this title. The promulgation of the regulations and administration of this section shall be made without regard to: (1) the notice and comment provisions of section 553 of title 5; and (2) chapter 35 of title 44 (commonly known as the “Paperwork Reduction Act”).

In order to avoid duplication of functions, facilities, and personnel, and to attain closer coordination and greater effectiveness and economy in administration of Federal and State laws and regulations relating to the marketing of agricultural products and to the control or eradication of plant and animal diseases and pests, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized, in the administration and enforcement of such Federal laws within his area of responsibility, whenever he deems it feasible and in the public interest, to enter into cooperative arrangements with State departments of agriculture and other State agencies charged with the administration and enforcement of such State laws and regulations and to provide that any such State agency which has adequate facilities, personnel, and procedures, as determined by the Secretary, may assist the Secretary in the administration and enforcement of such Federal laws and regulations to the extent and in the manner he deems appropriate in the public interest.

Further, the Secretary is authorized to coordinate the administration of such Federal laws and regulations with such State laws and regulations wherever feasible. However, nothing herein shall affect the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture under any Federal law, or any authority to cooperate with State agencies or other agencies or persons under existing provisions of law, or affect any restrictions of law upon such cooperation.