(a) Establishment

The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a fellowship program for,¹ to be known as the “Cochran Fellowship Program”, to provide fellowships to individuals from eligible countries (as determined under subsection (b)) who specialize in agriculture for study—

(1) in the United States; or

(2) at a college or university located in an eligible country that the Secretary determines—

(A) has sufficient scientific and technical facilities;

(B) has established a partnership with at least one college or university in the United States; and

(C) has substantial participation by faculty members of the United States college or university in the design of the fellowship curriculum and classroom instruction under the fellowship.

(b) Eligible countries

Countries described in any of the following paragraphs shall be eligible to participate in the program established under this section:

(1) Middle-income country

A country that has developed economically to the point where it no longer qualifies for bilateral foreign aid assistance from the United States because its per capita income level exceeds the eligibility requirements of such assistance programs (hereafter referred to in this section as a “middle-income” country).

(2) Ongoing relationship

A middle-income country that has never qualified for bilateral foreign aid assistance from the United States, but with respect to which an ongoing relationship with the United States, including technical assistance and training, would provide mutual benefits to such country and the United States.

(3) Type of government

A country that has recently begun the transformation of its system of government from a non-representative type of government to a representative democracy and that is encouraging democratic institution building, and the cultural values, institutions, and organizations of democratic pluralism.

(4) Independent states of the former Soviet Union

A country that is an independent state of the former Soviet Union (as defined in section 5602(8) of this title), to the extent that the Secretary of Agriculture determines that such country should be eligible to participate in the program established under this section.

(5) Emerging market

Any emerging market, as defined in section 1542(e).

(c) Purpose of fellowships

Fellowships under this section shall be provided to permit the recipients to gain knowledge and skills that will—

(1) assist eligible countries to develop agricultural systems (which may include agricultural extension services) necessary to meet the food and fiber needs of their domestic populations; and

(2) strengthen and enhance—

(A) trade linkages between eligible countries and agricultural interests in the United States; or

(B) linkages between agricultural interests in the United States and regulatory systems governing sanitary and phytosanitary standards for agricultural products that—

(i) may enter the United States; and

(ii) may pose risks to human, animal, or plant life or health.

(d) Individuals who may receive fellowships

The Secretary shall utilize the expertise of United States agricultural counselors, trade officers, and commodity trade promotion groups working in participating countries to help identify program candidates for fellowships under this section from both the public and private sectors of those countries. The Secretary may provide fellowships under the program authorized by this section to private agricultural producers from eligible countries.

(e) Program implementation

The Secretary shall consult with other United States Government agencies, United States universities, and the private agribusiness sector, as appropriate, to design and administer training programs to accomplish the objectives of the program established under this section.

(f) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated without fiscal year limitation such sums as may be necessary to carry out the program established under this section, except that the amount of such funds in any fiscal year shall not exceed—

(1) for eligible countries that meet the requirements of subsection (b)(1), $4,000,000;

(2) for eligible countries that meet the requirements of subsection (b)(2), $3,000,000; and

(3) for eligible countries that meet the requirements of subsection (b)(3), $6,000,000.

(g) Complementary funds

If the Secretary of Agriculture determines that it is advisable in furtherance of the purposes of the program established under this section, the Secretary may accept money, funds, property, and services of every kind by gift, devise, bequest, grant, or otherwise, and may, in any manner, dispose of all such holdings and use the receipts generated from such disposition as general program funds under this section. All funds so designated for the program established under this section shall remain available until expended.