PUBLIC LAW 103-354—OCT. 13, 1994 108 STAT. 3217 programs administered within their area shall be eligible for nomination and election to the local committee for that area, under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe. "(iv) The Secretary shall solicit and accept nominations fix)m organizations representing the interests of socially disadvantaged groups (as definea in section 355(e)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2003(e)(1)). "(v) Members of each county, area, or local committee shall serve for terms not to exceed 3 years. " (C) TERMINATION OR COMBINATION OF COMMITTEES. — The Secretary may not terminate a county or area committee or combine or consolidate two or more county or sirea committees unless— "(i) the Secretary first notifies the committee or committees involved oi the proposed action; and "(ii) the State committee of the State in which the afiected counties are located approves of such action in a vote taken after the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date the notification is received. "(D) USE OF coMMiTTEES.The Secretary shall use the services of such committees ia carrying out programs under this section and the agricultural credit programs under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.) and in considering administrative appeals as provided by section 226(d) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994. The Secretary may use the services of such committees in carrying out programs under other authorities administered by the Secretary. "(E) REGULATIONS.— The Secretary shall issue such regulations as the Secretary considers necessary relating to the selection and exercise of me functions of the respective conmiittees, and to the administration through such committees of the programs described in subparagraph (D). Pursuant to such regulations, each county and area committee shall select an executive director for the area or county. Such selection shall be made in the same manner as provided for the selection of the county executive director under section 7.21(b)(2) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 1994. Regulations governing payments or grants under tms subsection shall be as simple ana direct as possible, and, whenever practicable, they shall be classified on the following two bases: "(i) SoU-depletLng practices. "(ii) Soil-building practices. "(F) MANDATORY DUTIES OF SECRETARY. — In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall— "(i) insofar as practicable, protect the interests of tenants and sharecroppers; "(ii) accord such encoiu'agement to producer-owned and Eroducer-controUed cooperative sissociations as wUl be in armonv with the policy toward cooperative associations set forth in Federal laws and as will tend to promote efficient methods of marketing and distribution; "(iii) in every practicable manner, protect the interests of small producers; and "(iv) in every practical way, encourage and provide for soil-conserving and soil-rebuilding practices.
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