2011 US Code
Title 7 - Agriculture
Chapter 14 - AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS (§§ 361 - 390d)
Subchapter I - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 361 - 386g)
Section 361a - Congressional declaration of purpose; definitions

It is the policy of Congress to continue the agricultural research at State agricultural experiment stations which has been encouraged and supported by the Hatch Act of 1887 [7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.], the Adams Act of 1906, the Purnell Act of 1925, the Bankhead-Jones Act of 1935, and title I, section 9, of that Act as added by the Act of August 14, 1946, and Acts amendatory and supplementary thereto, and to promote the efficiency of such research by a codification and simplification of such laws. As used in this Act [7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.], the terms “State” or “States” are defined to include the several States (including the District of Columbia), Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. As used in this Act [7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.], the term “State agricultural experiment station” means a department which shall have been established, under direction of the college or university or agricultural departments of the college or university in each State in accordance with an Act approved July 2, 1862, (12 Stat. 503), entitled “An Act donating public lands to the several States and Territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts” [7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.]; or such other substantially equivalent arrangements as any State shall determine.

(Mar. 2, 1887, ch. 314, §1, 24 Stat. 440; Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 790, §1, 69 Stat. 671; Pub. L. 92–318, title V, §506(k), June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 351; Pub. L. 93–471, title II, §208(e), Oct. 26, 1974, 88 Stat. 1429; Pub. L. 105–185, title II, §203(c)(1), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 534.)

The Hatch Act of 1887, referred to in text, is act Mar. 2, 1887, ch. 314, 24 Stat. 440, as amended, which is classified generally to sections 361a to 361i of this title. For complete classification of this act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below, and Tables.

The Adams Act of 1906, referred to in text, is act Mar. 16, 1906, ch. 951, 34 Stat. 63, as amended, which was classified to sections 361, 366, 369, 371, 373 to 376, 380, and 382 of this title, and was repealed by act Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 790, §2, 69 Stat. 674. For complete classification of this Act to the Code prior to repeal, see Tables.

The Purnell Act of 1925, referred to in text, is act Feb. 24, 1925, ch. 308, 43 Stat. 970, as amended, which was classified to sections 361, 366, 370, 371, 373 to 376, 380, and 382 of this title, and was repealed by act Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 790, §2, 69 Stat. 674. For complete classification of this Act to the Code prior to repeal, see Tables.

The Bankhead-Jones Act, referred to in text, is act June 29, 1935, ch. 338, 49 Stat. 436, also popularly known as the Agricultural Research Act, which was classified principally to sections 329 and 427 to 427j of this title, and was repealed by act Aug. 11, 1966, ch. 790, §2, 69 Stat. 674, except for sections 1, 10, and 22 of the Act, which are classified to sections 427, 427i, and 329, respectively, of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note under section 427 of this title and Tables.

Title I, section 9, of that Act, referred to in text, was classified to section 427h of this title prior to repeal.

The Act approved July 2, 1862 (12 Stat. 503), referred to in text, is act July 2, 1862, ch. 130, 12 Stat. 503, popularly known as the “Morrill Act” and also as the “First Morrill Act”, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§301 et seq.) of chapter 13 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 301 of this title and Tables.

Section 208 of Pub. L. 93–471, cited as a credit to this section, was renumbered section “209” by D.C. Law 1–36, §4, Nov. 1, 1975, 22 DCR 2911.

Section was formerly classified to section 362 of this title.

1998—Pub. L. 105–185 struck out “Alaska, Hawaii,” before “Puerto Rico” in second sentence.

1974—Pub. L. 93–471 defined “State” to include the District of Columbia.

1972—Pub. L. 92–318 defined “State” to include Guam and the Virgin Islands.

1955—Act Aug. 11, 1955, amended section generally to continue agricultural research at the agricultural experiment stations, to restate the declaration of purpose, and to insert definitions of “State” and “State agricultural experiment station.” Former provisions which required division of appropriations between colleges of same state are now contained in section 361h of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 93–471 effective July 1, 1975, unless Pub. L. 93–471 repealed by District of Columbia Council after Jan. 2, 1975, and prior to July 1, 1975; or such amendment by Pub. L. 93–471, as amended by the District Council, also effective July 1, 1975, or some other date prescribed by the Council as authorized under provisions of section 407 of Pub. L. 93–471.

Amendment by Pub. L. 92–318 effective after June 30, 1970, see section 506(n) of Pub. L. 92–318, set out as an Effective Date note under section 326a of this title.

Act Mar. 2, 1887, ch. 314, §10, as added by Pub. L. 105–185, §3(b), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 526, provided that: “This Act [enacting sections 361a to 361i of this title] may be cited as the ‘Hatch Act of 1887’.”

Besides the provisions establishing agricultural experiment stations, contained in act Mar. 2, 1887, a portion of the Arlington estate in the State of Virginia was set apart for experimental agricultural purposes by act April 18, 1900, ch. 243, 31 Stat. 135, and provisions for establishing and maintaining a general experimental farm and agricultural station thereon were made by the subsequent agricultural appropriation acts.

Alaska was admitted into the Union on Jan. 3, 1959, on issuance of Proc. No. 3269, Jan. 3, 1959, 24 F.R. 81, 73 Stat. c16, and Hawaii was admitted into the Union on Aug. 21, 1959, on issuance of Proc. No. 3309, Aug. 21, 1959, 24 F.R. 6868, 73 Stat. c74. For Alaska Statehood Law, see Pub. L. 85–508, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 339, set out as a note preceding section 21 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions. For Hawaii Statehood Law, see Pub. L. 86–3, Mar. 18, 1959, 73 Stat. 4, set out as a note preceding section 491 of Title 48.