(a) Authority

The Department of Agriculture shall be the principal Federal agency responsible and accountable for the development and delivery of educational programs, technical assistance, and research programs for the users and dealers of agrichemicals to insure that—

(1) the use, storage, and disposal of agrichemicals by users is prudent, economical, and environmentally sound; and

(2) agrichemical users, dealers, and the general public understand the implications of their actions and the potential effects on water.

The Secretary is authorized to undertake such programs and assistance in cooperation with other Federal, State, and local governments and agencies, and appropriate nonprofit organizations. The Secretary shall disseminate the results of efforts in extension, technical assistance, research, and related activities. The Secretary shall undertake activities under this subtitle in coordination with the Office of Agricultural Environmental Quality in section 5402 of this title.

(b) Effect on existing authority

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The authority granted in subsection (a) does not alter or effect the responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.).

(c) Participation

The following agencies shall participate in the Department’s water program: the Agricultural Research Service; the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service; the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in conjunction with the system of State agricultural experiment stations and State and county cooperative extension services; the Economic Research Service; the Forest Service; the National Agricultural Library; the National Agricultural Statistics Service; the Soil Conservation Service; and other agencies within the Department deemed appropriate by the Secretary.