7 U.S.C. § 178g - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 7. Agriculture § 178g. Powers of Secretary of Agriculture

(a) make grants to States, education institutions, scientific organizations, and Indian tribes as defined in the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Public Law 93-638, 25 U.S.C. 450),  1 and enter into contracts with such institutions and organizations and with industrial or engineering firms;

(b) acquire the services of biologists, agronomists, foresters, geneticists, chemists, engineers, economists, and other personnel by contract or otherwise;

(c) utilize the facilities of Federal and State scientific laboratories;

(d) establish and operate necessary facilities and plantations to carry out the continuous research, testing, development, and programing necessary to effectuate the purposes of this subchapter;

(e) acquire secret processes, technical data, inventions, patent applications, patents, licenses, land and interest in land (including water rights), facilities, and other property or rights by purchase, license, lease, or donation;

(f) assemble and maintain pertinent and current literature and publications, patents and licenses, land and interests in land;

(g) cause onsite inspections to be made of promising projects, domestic or foreign, and, in the case of projects located in the United States, cooperate and participate in their development when the Secretary determines that the purpose of this subchapter will be served thereby;

(h) foster and participate in regional, national, and international conferences relating to native latex culture or the culture of other native agricultural crops which could supply critical agricultural materials;

(i) coordinate, correlate, and publish information with a view to advancing the development of native latex technology or the technology of other native agricultural crops which could supply critical agricultural materials; and

(j) cooperate with other Federal departments and agencies, with State and local departments, agencies, and instrumentalities, and with interested persons, firms, institutions, and organizations.