(a) Delegations. Pursuant to § 2.21(a)(11) and (a)(12), the following delegations of authority are made by the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics to the Director, Office of the Chief Scientist.
(1) Provide to the Under Secretary (Chief Scientist of the Department) information on topics that can benefit from scientific input to ensure informed decision-making at the highest levels of Government.
(2) Assist the Chief Scientist with facilitating the coordination and collaboration within the Department on high priority science issues that will benefit from intra-Departmental collaboration, including coordinating the assessment of the relevance, quality, performance, and impact of the Department's efforts in science.
(3) Assist the Chief Scientist with building partnerships within the scientific community and with the Chief Scientist's role as point of contact for interactions with other agencies of science, universities, and other external members of the scientific community for the purpose of leveraging and promoting relationships to explore common scientific interests and shared goals.
(4) Assist the Chief Scientist with developing mechanisms to address scientific integrity within the Department.
(5) [Reserved]
(6) Assist the Chief Scientist in carrying out sections 251(c)(2) and 251(d)(2) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6971(c)(2), (d)(2)) by exercising the duties set forth in section 25 l(e)(3)(E) of that Act (7 U.S.C. 6971(e)(3)(E)) through a series of divisions organized by the following focus areas:
(i) Renewable energy, natural resources, and environment;
(ii) Food safety, nutrition, and health;
(iii) Plant health and production and plant products;
(iv) Animal health and production and animal products;
(v) Agricultural systems and technology; and
(vi) Agricultural economics and rural communities.
(b) The divisions will be headed by Division Chiefs/Senior Advisors (or a similar title), and will be known collectively as the Office of the Chief Scientist.
[76 FR 10756, Feb. 28, 2011, as amended at 85 FR 65521, Oct. 15, 2020]