UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
WASHINGTON, D.C.
20250
August 5, 2011
SECRETARY’S MEMORANDUM 1074-001
USDA Scientific Integrity Policy
1.
BACKGROUND
AND PURPOSE
This Memorandum establishes
the USDA Scientific Integrity Policy to provide guidance to Departmental
leadership and scientists to ensure the highest level of integrity in all
aspects of the executive branch's involvement with scientific and technological
processes. This policy includes guidance
to decision makers as we develop public policies based on sound science
relevant to food, agriculture, natural resources, and related issues. This information will ensure public confidence
by articulating the principles of scientific integrity and roles and
responsibilities of all USDA employees, including career staff and political
appointees, in maintaining these principles within the Department of Agriculture.
The policy
directs employees, political and career, on both the proper use of scientific
findings and the principles of conducting scientific activities and is consistent
with the Presidential Memorandum on Scientific Integrity, dated March 9, 2009,
the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s 2010 guidance on scientific
integrity, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Information Quality
Guidelines[1],
and the 2005 OMB Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review.[2]
2.
REFERENCES
a.
5
USC 301, Departmental Regulations
b.
PL
106-554, The Information Quality Act
c.
65
FR 76260-76264, Federal Policy of Research Misconduct
d.
5
CFR 735, Employee Responsibilities and Conduct
e.
5
CFR 2635, Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch
f.
DR
2401-001, USDA Intramural Research Misconduct Policies and Guidelines
g.
DR
4070-735-001, Employee Responsibilities and Conduct
h.
7
CFR 2.69, Establishment of the Office of the Chief Scientist
i.
DR
1041-001, Advisory Committee Management
j.
5 USC 1221, Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989
k. Statistical
Policy Directive No. 3, Compilation, Relevance, and Evaluation of Principal
Federal Economic Indicators
l.
Statistical Policy Directive No. 4,
Release and Dissemination of Statistical Products Produced by Federal
Statistical Agencies
3.
POLICY
Pursuant to the Presidential Memorandum on Scientific
Integrity dated March 9, 2009, and complying with applicable statutes,
regulations, trade agreements and/or international protocols, Executive Orders,
or Presidential Memoranda, the policy of the Department is to:
a.
Promote a culture of scientific
integrity. Scientific progress depends
upon honest investigation, open discussion, refined understanding, and a firm
commitment to evidence. Science, and
public trust in science, thrives in an environment that shields scientific data
and analyses from inappropriate influence.
Scientific and technological findings should not be suppressed or
altered;
b.
Select and retain candidates for
science and technology positions at USDA, based on the candidate's scientific
and technological knowledge, credentials, experience, and integrity;
c.
Utilize information based on
well-established scientific processes, including peer review where appropriate,
when considering scientific or technological information in policy decisions;
d.
Reflect scientific information appropriately
and accurately when complying with and applying relevant statutory and regulatory
standards and procedures;
e.
Make publicly available, to the
extent practicable and in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act or
other applicable statutes, regulations or document handling procedures and
policies, the scientific or technological findings or conclusions considered or
relied on in policy decisions, and provide information on the specific approach
and data used to develop such scientific information;
f.
Ensure that mechanisms are in place
to resolve disputes that arise from instances in which the scientific process
or the integrity of scientific and technological information may be
compromised;
g.
USDA shall continue to comply with
the requirements of the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 and adopt
additional procedures as are necessary to ensure the integrity of scientific
and technological information and processes on which the agency relies in its
decision making;
h.
USDA will continue to develop
policies, in coordination with the General Services Administration and
consistent with the Administration’s guidance on lobbyists serving on Federal
advisory committees (FACs), for convening FACs tasked with giving scientific
advice, consistent with the following:
(1)
The recruitment process for new FAC
members should be as transparent as practicable. When practicable and appropriate, FAC member
vacancies will be announced widely, including notification in the Federal
Register with an invitation for the public to recommend individuals for consideration
and for self-nominations;
(2)
Professional biographical
information (including current and past affiliations) will be made widely
available to the public (e.g., via a Web site) subject to Privacy Act and
other statutory/regulatory considerations;
(3)
The selection of members to serve on
a scientific or technical FAC will be based on expertise, knowledge, and
contribution to the relevant subject area.
Additional factors for consideration will include the availability of
the member to serve, diversity among members of the FAC, and the ability to
work effectively on advisory committees.
Committee membership should be fairly balanced in terms of points of
view represented with respect to the functions to be performed by the FAC;
(4)
Except when prohibited by law, USDA
will make all Conflict of Interest waivers granted to the committee members
publicly available; and
(5)
Except when explicitly stated in a
prior agreement between USDA and a FAC, all reports, recommendations, and
products produced by FACs will be treated as solely the findings of such
committees rather than of the U.S. Government, and thus will not be subjected
to intra- or inter-agency revision.
i.
USDA
scientists are encouraged but not required to participate in communications
with the media regarding their research with appropriate coordination with
their immediate supervisor and public affairs office. The role of the public affairs office is to
assist with presentation, style, and logistics of the communication, not to
alter its substance; and
j.
Promote and facilitate, as permitted
by law, the professional development of USDA scientists and engineers, and analysts
in a manner that is consistent with Federal rules of ethics, job
responsibilities, and existing agency policies.
Promotion and facilitation of professional development include:
(1)
Encouraging publication of research
findings in peer-reviewed, professional, or scholarly journals;
(2)
Encouraging presentation of research
findings at professional meetings;
(3)
Allowing USDA scientists and engineers
to become editors or editorial board members of professional or scholarly
journals;
(4)
Allowing participation in
professional societies, committees, task forces and other specialized bodies of
professional societies, including removing barriers for serving as officers or
on governing boards of such societies; and
(5)
Allowing Government scientists and
engineers to receive honors and awards for their research and discoveries with
the goal of minimizing, to the extent practicable, disparities in the potential
for private-sector and public sector scientists and engineers to accrue the professional
benefits of such honors or awards.
4.
RESPONSIBILITIES
This Memorandum
establishes the USDA’s scientific integrity policy to direct the conduct of
scientific investigation, management of scientific activities, and use of
scientific information.
a.
This
policy applies to:
(1)
All
USDA Mission Areas, Agencies, and Offices;
(2)
All
USDA employees, political and career, who engage in, supervise, or manage
scientific activities, analyze and/or publicly communicate information
resulting from scientific activities, or who utilize the information in decision
making; and
(3)
All
contractors who assist with developing or applying the results of scientific
and technical activities.
b.
The
USDA Chief Scientist is directed to implement all aspects of this
directive. Specific responsibilities, which may be
delegated as appropriate, include:
(1)
Seek
consultation with the USDA Science Council in regard to implementation of this
policy;
(2)
Review
Mission Area, Agency, and Office compliance with this policy;
(3)
Develop
training to ensure that employees understand the policy and are adequately
prepared to comply; and
(4)
Issue
and update as appropriate, a Departmental Regulation.
c.
The
USDA Agencies and Offices will:
(1)
Adhere
to the Departmental policy on scientific integrity;
(2)
Develop
an implementation plan that addresses communications education, training, and
fiscal resources to support scientific integrity as appropriate; and
(3)
Monitor
and report compliance with the USDA Scientific Integrity Policy.
5.
IMPLEMENTATION
This policy is
effective immediately and will remain in effect for one year. Prior delegations of authority,
administrative regulations, and other directives not inconsistent with the
provisions of this Memorandum shall remain in full force and effect.
/s/Thomas
J. Vilsack
Secretary
of Agriculture
[1] Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility,
and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies, 2002; http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/omb/fedreg/reproducible2.pdf
[2] On December 16, 2004, OMB, in
consultation with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), issued
its Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review to the heads of
departments and agencies
(available at http://
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/memoranda/ fy2005/m05–03.html).