PUBLIC LAW 97-98—DEC. 22, 1981
95 STAT. 1323
"(3) improve the quality and availability of essential community services and facilities in rural areas; "(4) improve the quantity and quality of rural housing; "(5) improve the rural management of natural resources so that the growth and development of rural communities needed to support the family farm may be accommodated with minimum effect on the natural environment and the agricultural land base; "(6) improve the data base for rural development decisionmaking at local, State, and national levels; and "(7) improve the problem solving and development capacities and effectiveness of rural governments, officials, institutions, communities, community leaders, and citizen groups in— "(A) improving access to Federal programs; "(B) improving targeting and delivery of technical assistance; "(C) improving coordination among Federal agencies, other levels of government, and institutions and private organizations in rural areas; and "(D) developing and disseminating better information about rural conditions. "SEC. 502. PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of Agriculture " use 2662. 7 may conduct, in cooperation and coordination with colleges and universities, the following programs to carry out the purposes and achieve the goals of this title. "(a) RURAL DEVELOPMENT EXTENSION PROGRAMS.—Rural development extension programs shall consist of the collection, interpretation, and dissemination of useful information and knowledge from research and other sources to units of multistate regional agencies. State, county, municipal, and other units of government, multicounty planning and development districts, organizations of citizens contributing to community and rural development, businesses, Indian tribes on Federal or State reservations or other federally recognized Indian tribal groups, and industries that employ or may employ people in rural areas. These programs also shall include technical services and educational activities, including instruction for persons not enrolled as students in colleges or universities, to facilitate and encourage the use and practical application of this information. These programs may also include feasibility studies and planning assistance. "(b) RURAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH.—Rural development research
shall consist of research, investigations, and basic feasibility studies in any field or discipline that may develop principles, facts, scientific and technical knowledge, new technology, and other information that may be useful to agencies of Federal, State, and local government, industries in rural areas, Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations or other federally recognized Indian tribal groups, and other organizations involved in community and rural development programs and activities in planning and carrying out such programs and activities or otherwise be practical and useful in achieving the purposes and goals of this title. "(c) SMALL FARM RESEARCH PROGRAMS.—Small farm research programs shall consist of programs of research to develop new approaches for initiating and upgrading small farm operations through management techniques, agricultural production techniques, farm machinery technologj', new products, new marketing techniques, and small farm finance; to develop new enterprises that can use labor, skills, or natural resources available to the small farm
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