(a) Delegations. The following delegations of authority are made by the Secretary of Agriculture to Director, Office of Communications:

(1) Related to public affairs.

(i) Advise and counsel general officers on public affairs matters to the Department.

(ii) Organize and direct the activities of a public affairs office to include press relations of the secretary of agriculture and other executive functions and services for general officers of the Department.

(2) Related to information activities.

(i) Advise the secretary and general officers in the planning, development, and execution of Department policies and programs.

(ii) Direct and coordinate the overall formulation and development of policies, programs, plans, procedures, standards and organization structures and staffing patterns for the information activities of the Department and its agencies, both in Washington and in the field.

(iii) Exercise final review and approval of all public information material prepared by the Department and its agencies and select the most effective method and audience for distributing this information.

(iv) Serve as the central public information authority in the USDA, with authority to determine policy for all USDA and Agency communication activities, as well as emergency public information and messaging communication activities, in order to provide leadership and centralized operational direction for all USDA public information activities and ensure all materials shall effectively support USDA policies and programs, including the defense program.

(v) Serve as the central printing authority in the USDA, with authority to represent the USDA with Joint Committee on Printing of the Congress, the Government Printing Office, and other Federal and State agencies on information matters.

(vi) Cooperate with and secure the cooperation of commercial, industrial and other nongovernmental agencies and concerns regarding information work as required in the execution of the Department's programs.

(vii) Plan and direct communication research and training for the Department and its agencies.

(viii) [Reserved]

(ix) Supervise and provide leadership and final clearance for the planning, production, and distribution of visual information material for the department and its agencies in Washington, D.C., and the field, and provide such information services as may be deemed necessary.

(x) Maintain overall responsibility and control over the preparation of the “Agricultural Decisions.”

(xi) Administer, direct and coordinate publications and user fee authority granted under section 1121 of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981, as amended by section 1769 of the Food Security Act of 1985, 7 U.S.C. 2242a; and publish any appropriate regulations necessary to the exercise of this authority.

(xii) Serve as the central authority to determine policy, plans, procedures, and standards for the Department and agency strategic communications plans; request, receive, review, and approve agency communications plans; and provide centralized communication strategies for the Secretary and agencies, including the creativity, production, and oversight of communication products.

(xiii) When required, support and coordinate staffing of a JIC as identified in the NIMS, and if required, establish and administer a JIC to provide a structure for developing and delivering incident-related coordinated messages.

(xiv) Serve as the central authority to determine policy, plans, procedures, guidelines, and standards for the creation and use of logos/marks by the Department's mission areas, staff offices or agencies, not otherwise provided for by specific laws and regulations, and excluding the Official USDA Seal and Official USDA Symbol.

(b) [Reserved]

[60 FR 56393, Nov. 8, 1995, as amended at 74 FR 19373, Apr. 29, 2009; 76 FR 66601, 66602, Oct. 27, 2011]