Section 485 Of Article 4. Intergovernmental Cooperation From California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 1. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 4.
485
. (a) The secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with
private entities, and with boards, bureaus, commissions, or
departments of this state or of the United States, for the purpose of
administering compensation, conservation, disaster assistance,
economic assistance, education, environmental enhancement,
indemnification, market promotion, research, and similar programs
that promote and enhance agriculture.
(b) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the secretary may
receive and expend federal funds and any nonstate matching funds made
available to the department for the purposes specified above via
grant, interagency agreement, or otherwise, and these funds shall be
administered in accordance with Section 221.
(c) (1) Grant awards shall be made by the department on a
competitive basis established by the department wherever possible.
(2) Any grant awarded on an alternative basis that is not
competitive shall comply with all applicable state requirements,
orders, and guidelines.
(3) Decisions of the secretary relating to the award of grants
shall be final.
(d) Procedures, forms, and guidelines established for these grant
programs, including the application process, are exempt from Chapter
3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title
2 of the Government Code.
(e) If the secretary expends funds or awards grants for the study
of protocols for crops to meet standards for transport out of a
quarantine area, the following shall apply:
(1) Primary consideration shall be given to crops that are most at
risk from the imposition of a quarantine and for which protocols do
not currently exist, as long as the application otherwise meets
reasonable scientific standards.
(2) The department may consult with individuals or representatives
of the agriculture industry, and academic or scientific individuals,
or organizations to establish criteria and assist in the
recommendation of any expenditure of funds or the award of grants.