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Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026

law / bill 2026-07-02 3 898 characters Artificial intelligence
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SUMMARY

Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026

This bill includes additional priorities as Department of Agriculture (USDA) high-priority research and extension areas.

Under the bill, USDA may award grants for developing and evaluating (1) technologies to mechanize agricultural processes (and may emphasize processes for harvesting specialty crops), and (2) agricultural uses of artificial intelligence (and may emphasize uses for improving specialty crop production).

Further, USDA may award grants to support research projects at land-grant colleges and universities to develop and apply methods to manage and eradicate invasive species of plants and animals, including through methods of biocontrol; and aquaculture methods, including through the propagation and rearing of economically and ecologically valuable aquatic and marine species.

FULL TEXT

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7734 Introduced in House (IH)]

119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7734

To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to include additional priorities as research and extension initiatives, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 26, 2026

Mr. Scott Franklin of Florida (for himself and Mr. Bishop) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to include additional priorities as research and extension initiatives, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PRIORITIES.

Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade

Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``(21) Advanced mechanized harvester technologies research and extension.-- ``(A) In general.--Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of developing and evaluating technologies to mechanize agricultural processes.

``(B) Emphasis.--In awarding grants under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may place emphasis on mechanizing the process for harvesting specialty crops.

``(22) Agricultural application of artificial intelligence research and extension.-- ``(A) In general.--Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of developing and evaluating agricultural uses of artificial intelligence.

``(B) Emphasis.--In awarding grants under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may place emphasis on uses of artificial intelligence that improve specialty crop production.

``(23) Invasive species research and extension.--Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of supporting research projects at land-grant colleges and universities (as defined in section 1404 of the National

Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)) to develop and apply methods to manage and eradicate invasive species of plants and animals, including through methods of biocontrol.

``(24) Aquaculture research and extension.--Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of supporting research projects at land-grant colleges and universities (as defined in section 1404 of the National

Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)) to develop and apply aquaculture methods, including through the propagation and rearing of economically and ecologically valuable aquatic and marine species.''.

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