(a) Establishment of program
The Secretary of Agriculture (hereafter referred to in this section as the Secretary) may establish a program to use volunteers in carrying out the programs of the Department of Agriculture.
(b) Acceptance of personnel The Secretary may accept, subject to regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management, voluntary service for the Department of Agriculture for such purpose if the service:
(1) is to be without compensation; and
(2) will not be used to displace any employee of the Department of Agriculture including the local, county, and State committees established under section
590h (b) of title
16.
(c) Federal employee status Any individual who provides voluntary service under this section shall not be considered a Federal employee, except for purposes of chapter
81 of title
5 (relating to compensation for injury), and sections
2671 through
2680 of title
28 (relating to tort claims).
