Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 124.djvu/3265

124 STAT. 3239 PUBLIC LAW 111–296—DEC. 13, 2010 SEC. 244. RESEARCH ON STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE THE SELECTION AND CONSUMPTION OF HEALTHY FOODS. (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation with the Sec- retary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a research, demonstration, and technical assistance program to promote healthy eating and reduce the prevalence of obesity, among all population groups but especially among children, by applying the principles and insights of behavioral economics research in schools, child care programs, and other settings. (b) PRIORITIES.—The Secretary shall— (1) identify and assess the impacts of specific presentation, placement, and other strategies for structuring choices on selec- tion and consumption of healthful foods in a variety of settings, consistent with the most recent version of the Dietary Guide- lines for Americans published under section 301 of the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5341); (2) demonstrate and rigorously evaluate behavioral economics-related interventions that hold promise to improve diets and promote health, including through demonstration projects that may include evaluation of the use of portion size, labeling, convenience, and other strategies to encourage healthy choices; and (3) encourage adoption of the most effective strategies through outreach and technical assistance. (c) AUTHORITY.—In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary may— (1) enter into competitively awarded contracts or coopera- tive agreements; or (2) provide grants to States or public or private agencies or organizations, as determined by the Secretary. (d) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to enter into a contract or cooperative agreement or receive a grant under this section, a State or public or private agency or organization shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (e) COORDINATION.—The solicitation and evaluation of con- tracts, cooperative agreements, and grant proposals considered under this section shall be coordinated with the Food and Nutrition Service as appropriate to ensure that funded projects are consistent with the operations of Federally supported nutrition assistance programs and related laws (including regulations). (f) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that includes a description of— (1) the policies, priorities, and operations of the program carried out by the Secretary under this section during the fiscal year; (2) the results of any evaluations completed during the fiscal year; and (3) the efforts undertaken to disseminate successful prac- tices through outreach and technical assistance. (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 7 USC 3179.