scope:

NSIIC establishment and purpose.

(a) There is hereby established a National Sheep Industry Improvement Center. The purpose of the Center shall be to:

(1) Promote strategic development activities and collaborative efforts by private and State entities to maximize the impact of Federal assistance to strengthen and enhance production and marketing of sheep or goat products in the United States;

(2) Optimize the use of available human capital and resources within the sheep or goat industries;

(3) Provide assistance to meet the needs of the sheep or goat industry for infrastructure development, business development, production, resource development, and market and environmental research;

(4) Advance activities that empower and build the capacity of the U.S. sheep or goat industry to design unique responses to the special needs of the sheep or goat industries on both a regional and national basis; and

(5) Adopt flexible and innovative approaches to solving the long-term needs of the United States sheep and goat industry.

(b) The NSIIC shall submit to the Secretary an annual strategic plan for the delivery of financial assistance provided by the NSIIC. A strategic plan shall identify:

(1) Goals, methods, and a benchmark for measuring the success of carrying out the plan and how the plan relates to the national and regional goals of the NSIIC;

(2) The amount and sources of Federal and non-Federal funds that are available for carrying out the plan;

(3) Funding priorities;

(4) Selection criteria for funding; and

(5) A method of distributing funding.