Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026

Section 9001(3)(B)(iv) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101(3)(B)(iv)) is amended by inserting “and sustainable aviation fuel” after “diesel-equivalent fuel”.

Section 9002 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8102) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the following:

“(G) Procurement resources.— The Office of Federal Procurement Policy, in coordination with the Secretary, shall provide educational materials to procuring agencies to consider the longevity of a product, economic savings, and the efficacy and performance of a product when making procurement decisions under this subsection.”; and

(B) in paragraph (4)—

(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking clause (ii) and redesignating clauses (iii) and (iv) as clauses (ii) and (iii), respectively;

(ii) in subparagraph (B)(i)—

(I) in the matter preceding subclause (I)—

(aa) by inserting “and the Secretary” after “Policy”; and

(bb) by striking “information concerning—” and inserting “a report that describes, for the year covered by the report—”;

(II) in subclause (I), by inserting “, including the actions taken by the procuring agency to establish and implement the biobased procurement program of the procuring agency under that paragraph” before the semicolon;

(III) in subclause (IV), by striking “and” at the end;

(IV) in subclause (V), by striking “and” at the end; and

(V) by adding at the end the following:

“(VI)

(aa) the specific categories of biobased products that are unavailable to meet procurement needs of the procuring agencies; and

(bb) the desired performance characteristics and other relevant specifications for those products; and

(VII) if applicable, an explanation of the procurement requirement or updated procurement requirement established under paragraph (2)(A)(i) that procuring agencies failed to meet and reasons for the failure; and”; and

(iii) by adding at the end the following:

“(D) Accountability.— The Office of Federal Procurement Policy, in consultation with the Secretary, shall annually—

(i) collect the information required to be reported under subparagraph (B) and make the information publicly available;

(ii) using the information collected under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, document relevant procuring agencies under paragraph (2)(A)(i) that, as applicable, have established a procurement program in accordance with paragraph (2)(A)(i)(I); and

(iii) make the information publicly available, subject to the exemptions from disclosure under section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code.”;

(2) in subsection (f)—

(A) in paragraph (1)—

(i) in the heading, by inserting “and NAPCS” before “codes”;

(ii) by inserting “and North American Product Classification System codes” before “for—”; and

(iii) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting the following:

“(A) renewable chemicals manufacturers and biobased products manufacturers; and

(B) renewable chemicals and biobased products.”; and

(B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3) and inserting after paragraph (1) the following:

“(2) Report.— To inform the development of codes under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, within 90 days after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, a report that provides—

(A) the Federal statistical collections of information related to the North American Industry Classification System codes and the North American Product Classification System codes that utilize bioeconomy-specific data;

(B) recommendations to implement any bioeconomy-related changes as part of the 2027 revisions of the North American Industry Classification System codes and the North American Product Classification System codes; and

(C) an assessment of the impacts that bioeconomy-specific North American Industry Classification System codes and North American Product Classification System codes would have on the measurement by the agency of the economic contributions of the bioeconomy.”; and

(3) in subsection (k)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “2024” and inserting “2031”; and

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

(a) In general.— Section 9003 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8103) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(1)—

(A) by inserting “or innovative” before “commercial-scale”; and

(B) by inserting “, renewable chemicals, or biobased products” after “end-user products”;

(2) in subsection (d)(1)—

(A) in subparagraph (B)—

(i) by striking all that precedes “a loan guarantee” and inserting the following:

“(B) Feasibility.—

(i) In general.— In approving”; and

(ii) by adding after and below the end the following:

“(ii) Waiver.— The Secretary may waive the requirement that the applicant must demonstrate commercial viability for projects adopting commercially available technology.”;

(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively; and

(C) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:

“(C) Technical review agreement.—

(i) In general.— The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with each project applicant that clearly outlines the specific objectives, outcomes, and conditions by which the Secretary determines successful technical feasibility of the project under this section.

(ii) Conditions of agreement.— The agreement provided under clause (i) shall include clear guidelines and expectations for the methodologies, protocols, and procedures, and what the eligible technology must demonstrate, for the Department to determine technical feasibility from an integrated demonstration unit, including—

(I) a set timeline for the integrated demonstration unit campaign and final technical report to show reliable evidence of continuous, steady-state production;

(II) criteria and methods for evaluating the project’s success, including any third-party assessments or evaluations that may be conducted during the demonstration period and at the conclusion of the set timeline;

(III) criteria and methods to prove the ability of the integrated demonstration unit to use project-specific feedstock for the production of advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals, or biobased products at a yield and quality consistent with the design basis of the project;

(IV) required information and conditions that demonstrate operation duration, quality, and quantity specifications; and

(V) any other information that, if supplied to the Secretary, would assist the eligible entity in sufficiently demonstrating a project’s technical feasibility.

(iii) Failure to comply with agreement.—

(I) Noncompliance notification.— If a project applicant fails to comply with the technical feasibility requirements as provided under clause (ii), the Secretary shall issue a written notice to the project applicant detailing the specific deficiencies and providing a reasonable timeframe for the project applicant to rectify the issues.

(II) Corrective action period.— The project applicant shall have a period of not more than 90 days from the date of issuance of the noncompliance notice to address the identified deficiencies and submit a revised technical feasibility assessment for reconsideration.

(iv) Technical feasibility approval.— Upon fulfillment of the conditions of agreement established under clause (ii) or approval of the revised technical feasibility assessment under clause (iii)(II), the Secretary shall determine the project to be technically feasible.”;

(3) in subsection (d)(2)(A), by striking “$250,000,000” and inserting “$400,000,000”; and

(4) in subsection (g)—

(A) by striking all that precedes “is authorized” and inserting the following:

“(g) Funding.— There”; and

(B) by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

(b) Rescission.— Of the unobligated balances of amounts made available under section 9003 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, $18,000,000 are rescinded.

Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101–8115) is amended by inserting after section 9003 the following:

“9004. Bioproduct labeling terminology.—

(a) Uniform standards.—

(1) In general.— Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue rules implementing national uniform labeling standards for, and ensuring the proper use of, the following terms in the labeling and marketing of bioproducts:

(A) Bio-attributed plastic.

(B) Bio-attributed product.

(C) Biobased plastic.

(D) Plant-based product.

(2) Inclusion of certain defined terms.— In implementing the national uniform labeling standards under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall include the following terms, as defined in section 9001:

(A) Biobased product.

(B) Intermediate ingredient or feedstock.

(C) Renewable biomass.

(D) Renewable chemical.

(b) Consultation.— In defining terms under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with—

(1) biomanufacturers;

(2) entities engaged in research and development of bioproducts;

(3) feedstock growers; and

(4) other industry stakeholders.”.

Section 9005(g)(2) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8105(g)(2)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 9006 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8106) is repealed.

(a) In general.— Section 9007 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by inserting “(referred to in this section as the “Program”)” after “Program”;

(2) in subsection (b)(3)—

(A) in subparagraph (D), by inserting “, cost savings,” after “savings”;

(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking “and” at the end;

(C) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(D) by adding at the end the following:

“(G) the potential of the proposed program to meaningfully improve the financial conditions of the agricultural producer or rural small business.”;

(3) in subsection (c)—

(A) in paragraph (1)(A)(i), by inserting “, agricultural cooperatives with less than 2,500 employees,” before “and rural”;

(B) in paragraph (2)—

(i) in subparagraph (F), by striking “and” at the end;

(ii) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (H); and

(iii) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following:

“(G) the potential improvements to the financial conditions of the agricultural producer or rural small business; and”; and

(C) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking “$25,000,000” and inserting “$50,000,000”;

(4) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and (f) as subsections (e), (f), and (g), respectively, and inserting after subsection (c) the following:

“(d) Streamlined application process.— The Secretary shall develop a streamlined application process, including within each tier described in subsection (c)(4), under which an entity may apply for a grant under subsection (b), financial assistance under subsection (c), or a bundled application for a project with components eligible under clauses (i) and (ii) of subsection (c)(1)(A).”;

(5) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated)—

(A) in the subsection heading, by striking “Outreach” and inserting “Outreach, technical assistance, and education”;

(B) by striking “that adequate” and inserting the following:

“(1) adequate”;

(C) in paragraph (1) (as inserted by subparagraph (B) of this paragraph), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(D) by adding at the end the following:

“(2) technical assistance is provided to entities seeking to apply for a grant or financial assistance under the Program; and

(3) outreach, technical assistance, and education is provided to recipients of grants and other financial assistance under the Program relating to integrating renewable energy projects on land shared with crops or livestock.”;

(6) in subsection (g), (as so redesignated by paragraph (4) of this section)—

(A) in paragraph (3), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”; and

(B) by adding at the end the following:

“(4) Reserve fund.—

(A) In general.— Of the funds obligated under paragraph (1) for each fiscal year , not less than 10 percent shall be deposited in a reserve fund in the Treasury and reserved for use in accordance with this subparagraph.

(B) Use of funds.—

(i) In general.— The Secretary shall use amounts reserved under subparagraph (A) to provide grants to support projects using underutilized renewable energy technologies.

(ii) Costs.— The amount of the grant for such a project shall not exceed 25 percent of the installation or maintenance costs of the project for the year in which the grant is awarded.

(C) Frequency of solicitations to fund.— The Secretary shall carry out at least 2 solicitations for applications for grants from the reserve fund in each fiscal year.

(D) Reallocation.— Any funds reserved under subparagraph (A) that remain unobligated 1 year after the end of the fiscal year in which made available under subparagraph (A) shall be reallocated to carry out the program established under this section.

(E) Definition of underutilized renewable energy technologies.— The term underutilized renewable energy technologies means renewable energy technologies for which have been expended not more than 20 percent of the average of the total amounts made available under this section for the 5 fiscal years most recently ending before the date of the enactment of this paragraph.”; and

(7) by adding at the end the following:

“(h) Project diversity.— In approving grant or loan guarantee applications under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, there is diversity in the types of projects approved for grants or loan guarantees to ensure that as wide a range as possible of technologies, products, and approaches are assisted.”.

(b) Conforming amendments.— Section 9007 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 8107) is amended by striking “subsection (f)” each place it appears and inserting “subsection (g)”.

Section 9010(b) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8110(b)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking “2026” and inserting “2031”; and

(2) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking “2026” and inserting “2031”.

Section 9011(f)(1) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8111(f)(1)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 9014 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8115) is repealed.

Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101–8115) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“9015. Study on effects of solar panel installations on covered farmland.—

(a) In general.— The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall conduct a study on the effects of solar panel installations on the conversion of covered farmland out of agricultural production in accordance with this section.

(b) Content.— In conducting the study under this section, the Secretary shall—

(1) analyze the economic effects of solar panel installations on covered farmland, including the effects on—

(A) crop yields;

(B) land values, including adjacent properties;

(C) land access and tenure;

(D) local economies; and

(E) food security;

(2) investigate impacts of solar panel installation, operation, and decommissioning on covered farmland, and suggest best practices to protect—

(A) soil health;

(B) water resources;

(C) wildlife;

(D) vegetation;

(E) water drainage; and

(F) air quality;

(3) assess the impacts of shared solar energy and agricultural production on covered farmland, including best practices to—

(A) maintain or increase agricultural production;

(B) increase agricultural resilience;

(C) retain covered farmland;

(D) increase economic opportunities in farming and rural communities, including new revenue streams and job creation;

(E) reduce nonfarmer ownership of covered farmland; and

(F) enhance biodiversity;

(4) assess the types of agricultural land best suited and worst suited for shared solar energy and agricultural production;

(5) study the compatibility of different species of livestock with different solar panel system designs, including—

(A) the optimal height of and distance between solar panels for livestock grazing and shade for livestock;

(B) manure management considerations;

(C) fencing requirements; and

(D) other animal-handling considerations;

(6) study the compatibility of different crop types with different solar panel system designs, including—

(A) the optimal height of and distance between solar panels for plant shading and farm equipment use; and

(B) the impact on crop yield;

(7) evaluate the degree to which existing Federal, State, or local tax incentives result in the development of covered farmland under study;

(8) recommend effective incentives that could shift solar panel installations toward the built environment, brownfield sites, and other contaminated sites;

(9) evaluate the effectiveness of programs administered by the Federal Government related to solar energy development that—

(A) result in the development of contaminated lands, the built environment, and other preferred sites; and

(B) discourage solar panel installations that would convert covered farmland out of agricultural production; and

(10) estimate the loss of agricultural production on covered farmland due to solar panel installations.

(c) Consultation with relevant stakeholders.— In addition to consultation with the Secretary of Energy, while conducting the study under this section, the Secretary shall consult with—

(1) farmers;

(2) ranchers;

(3) landowners;

(4) agricultural organizations;

(5) State departments of agriculture and energy;

(6) units of local government;

(7) conservation organizations;

(8) 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)); and

(9) solar developers.

(d) Report.— Within 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a written report on the findings of the study and recommendations under this section.

(e) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Covered farmland.— The term covered farmland includes—

(A) farmland, as defined in section 1540(c)(1) of the Farmland Protection Policy Act (7 U.S.C. 4201(c)(1)); and

(B) nonindustrial private forest land, as defined in section 201(a)(18) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)(18)).

(2) Brownfield site.— The term brownfield site has the meaning given that term in section 101(39) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601(39)).

(3) Secretary.— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.”.

Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101–8115) is further amended by adding at the end the following:

“9016. Limitation on USDA funding for ground-mounted solar energy systems.—

(a) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Covered farmland.— The term covered farmland includes—

(A) farmland, as defined in section 1540(c)(1) of the Farmland Protection Policy Act (7 U.S.C. 4201(c)(1)); and

(B) nonindustrial private forest land, as defined in section 201(a)(18) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)(18)).

(2) Conversion.— The term conversion means, with respect to covered farmland, any activity that results in the covered farmland failing to meet the requirements of a State (as defined in section 343 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991)) for agricultural production, activity, or use or timber harvest.

(3) Secretary.— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.

(b) In general.— The Secretary may not provide financial assistance for a project that would result in the conversion of covered farmland for solar energy production.

(c) Exception.— Subsection (b) shall not apply to a project if the project—

(1) results in the conversion of less than 5 acres of covered farmland; or

(2) results in the conversion of less than 50 acres of covered farmland with—

(A) the majority of the energy produced being for on-farm use; and

(B) receipt of a resolution of approval or support, or other similar instrument, from each county and municipality in which the project is sited.

(d) Covered farmland protection.—

(1) Farmland conservation plan required.— A person who has applied to the Secretary for financial assistance for a project to which subsection (c)(2) applies shall—

(A) develop a farmland conservation plan for the project to—

(i) implement best practices to protect future soil health and productivity, and mitigate soil erosion, compaction, and other effects of solar energy production during construction, operation, and decommissioning; and

(ii) remediate and restore the soil health of the farmland to that of the farmland before the solar energy production project construction; and

(B) ensure that sufficient funds, as determined by the Secretary, are provided for the decommissioning of the solar energy production system and the remediation and restoration of covered farmland to carry out the farmland conservation plan described in subparagraph (A).

(2) Obligation and disbursement of funds.— The Secretary may obligate financial assistance for a project described in paragraph (1), but shall not disburse the financial assistance until the Secretary has determined that the applicant for the financial assistance has complied with paragraph (1).

(3) Farmland conservation plan implementation.— A person referred to in paragraph (1) shall carry out—

(A) the provisions of the plan that are described in paragraph (1)(A)(i), on the receipt by the project of financial assistance from the Secretary and for the duration of solar energy production under the project; and

(B) the provisions of the plan that are described in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), on the cessation of solar energy production under the project.

(4) Compliance.— A person who fails to comply with paragraph (3) with respect to a project shall repay to the Secretary the full amount of the financial assistance provided by the Secretary to the person for the project.

(e) Additional limitations.— The Secretary may not provide financial assistance for a project that procures a solar energy component (as defined in section 45x(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) produced, manufactured, or assembled—

(1) in a foreign country of concern (as defined in section 10638(2) of the CHIPS Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. 19237(2))); or

(2) by—

(A) an entity domiciled or controlled by such a foreign country; or

(B) a foreign entity of concern (as defined in section 10638(3) of the CHIPS Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. 19237(3))).”.

The Secretary shall establish a Departmentwide strategy to advance the production of sustainable aviation fuels by—

(1) facilitating the collaboration between relevant Department mission areas to encourage the advancement of the sustainable aviation fuels supply chain, including utilization of agricultural crops grown for sustainable aviation fuels production;

(2) identifying opportunities to maximize sustainable aviation fuels development, deployment, and commercialization;

(3) leveraging the capabilities of America’s farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers to capture opportunities in the sustainable aviation fuels market;

(4) supporting rural economic development through sustainable aviation fuels production; and

(5) promoting public-private partnerships for the development, deployment, and commercialization of sustainable aviation fuels.

(a) Findings.— Congress finds the following:

(1) There are over 600,000 pumping systems used for irrigation on agricultural land in the United States, many of which still rely on fossil fuels.

(2) Improving the efficiency of agricultural irrigation pumping systems can save up to 22,000,000,000 kilowatt hours of energy per year and eliminate 8,300,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.

(3) Energy savings from electrifying agricultural irrigation pumping systems can save farmers and ranchers more than $1,800,000,000 annually in energy costs.

(4) Pumping systems play a central role in the watering of livestock and the management of animal waste in every State.

(5) Pumping systems are a critical component of the Nation’s $2,300,000,000 aquaculture industry.

(6) Improving the efficiency of pumping systems used in raising livestock and fish can significantly reduce energy use, save producers millions of dollars annually, and provide meaningful reductions in carbon emissions.

(7) Agricultural irrigation pumping systems utilizing plastic piping can provide significant drought relief benefits, dramatically reducing water losses from evaporation and seepage; agriculture uses 37 percent of the Nation’s surface and ground water, 30 percent of which is lost to seepage and evaporation.

(8) Reducing the friction in piping used for agricultural irrigation and livestock watering can provide meaningful energy and cost savings; there are potentially 2,500 kWh of energy savings for every 10 miles of plastic piping utilized in delivering water for crops and livestock.

(9) Solar pumping systems can play an important role in protecting riparian habitat and improving water quality in streams, rivers, lakes, and estuaries through providing alternative watering options for livestock.

(b) Information on energy-Efficient pumping systems.—

(1) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary, in consultation with pumping system experts, in order to educate farmers on the benefits of energy-efficient pumping systems, shall develop and make publicly available on the website of the Department easily accessible information on cost savings, energy savings, water conservation, and carbon emissions reductions that can be realized through the use of energy-efficient pumping systems.

(2) Contents.— In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall include information on—

(A) pumps, pipes, motors, drives, and controls that can provide energy savings and cost savings, conserve water, and reduce carbon emissions; and

(B) Department programs that provide farmers resources for acquiring energy-efficient pumping systems and drought management infrastructure, including the environmental quality incentives program, the Rural Energy for America Program, and the conservation stewardship program.

(c) Energy efficiency preassessment tool.—

(1) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary, in consultation with pumping system experts, in order to raise awareness of the benefits of energy-efficient pumping systems and increase participation in Department programs that promote energy efficiency, shall develop and make publicly available on the website of the Department a user-friendly tool to—

(A) assist farmers in making a preliminary assessment of the energy efficiency of existing pumping systems; and

(B) provide an estimate of potential energy savings, cost savings, and carbon emissions reductions that may be realized through pumping system improvements.

(2) Requirements.—

(A) Ease of use.— The Secretary shall ensure that the tool made available under paragraph (1) provides a user with projected energy savings, projected cost savings, and projected carbon emissions reductions through the input by the user of the following data relating to an existing pumping system:

(i) Pump type.

(ii) Flow rating and actual flow.

(iii) Pressure rating and actual pressure.

(iv) Speed rating and actual speed.

(B) Considerations.— The Secretary shall ensure that the tool made available under paragraph (1)—

(i) in assessing the energy efficiency of a pumping system, takes into consideration pumps, pipes, motors, drives, and controls associated with the pumping system; and

(ii) in projecting the energy savings, cost savings, and carbon emissions reductions that may be realized through pumping system improvements, takes into consideration the cost of electricity and the profile of the existing pumping system.

(d) Energy auditor education.—

(1) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary, in consultation with pumping system experts, in order to increase the effectiveness of Department of Agriculture energy efficiency programs, shall establish a process to educate persons performing energy efficiency audits for the Department of Agriculture on energy use and energy efficiency in pumping systems.

(2) Implementation.— In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the use of existing education and training programs focused on energy use and energy efficiency in pumping systems.

(e) Conservation stewardship program activities.— Section 1240I(2)(B)(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–21(2)(B)(i)) is amended by inserting “and energy-efficient pumping systems” before “, as determined”.

(f) Definition of pumping system.— In this section, the term pumping system means any pumps, pipes, motors, drives, and controls used to move water and other fluids on farms, ranches, and aquaculture operations.

Section 9001(15)(A) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101(15)(A)) is amended by striking “or hydroelectric” and inserting “hydroelectric, or waste energy recovery”.

Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101–8115) is further amended by adding at the end the following:

“9017. Study on utilization of second-use batteries for agricultural purposes.—

(a) In general.— The Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall conduct a study on the feasibility, costs, benefits, and barriers to the deployment of second-use electric drive vehicle batteries on farms and ranches.

(b) Content.— In conducting the study under this section, the Secretary shall—

(1) assess the potential of second-use electric vehicle battery systems to support agricultural applications during power outages;

(2) investigate the availability and projected supply of retired electric vehicle batteries suitable for stationary agricultural applications;

(3) analyze the cost-effectiveness of second-use systems relative to new battery storage systems for agricultural producers;

(4) review applicable safety standards and liability considerations;

(5) review the adequacy of Federal programs to support the deployment; and

(6) provide recommendations for Federal actions, including potential grant or cost-share programs, to accelerate deployment of such technologies in rural communities.

(d) Report.— Within 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a written report on the findings of the study and recommendations under this section.

(e) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Electric drive vehicle.— The term “electric drive vehicle” has the meaning given such term in section 641(b)(3) of the United States Energy Storage Competitiveness Act of 2007.

(2) Second-use battery.— The term “second-use battery” means a rechargeable electrochemical energy storage system that—

(A) was originally manufactured for use in a different application and retired from the use;

(B) retains adequate energy capacity at the time of installation in a new application.”.

(a) Establishment.— Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary may award grants to eligible entities to facilitate covered projects in accordance with this section.

(b) Consultation.— In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Energy.

(c) Applications.— To receive a grant under the Program, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including the following:

(1) A description of how the proposed covered project will reduce residential energy consumption.

(2) An estimate of the expected reduction in residential energy consumption to be achieved by the covered project.

(3) A description of the total eligible costs of the project and other sources of funding for the covered project.

(4) A description of anticipated community engagement in the covered project.

(5) A description of the tree species to be planted under the covered project and the suitability of such species to the local environment.

(d) Priority.— In awarding grants under the Program, the Secretary shall give priority to covered projects that—

(1) provide the largest potential reduction in residential energy consumption for households with a high energy burden;

(2) provide maximum amounts of—

(A) shade during periods when residences are exposed to the most sun intensity; and

(B) wind protection during periods when residences are exposed to the most wind intensity;

(3) are located in a neighborhood with a low percentage of tree canopy cover;

(4) are located in a neighborhood with a high percentage of senior citizens or children;

(5) are located in an area where the average annual income is below the regional median;

(6) will collaboratively engage community members to be affected by the tree planting; and

(7) will employ local residents as a substantial percentage of the workforce of the covered project, with a focus on local residents who are unemployed or underemployed.

(e) Tree planting goals.— Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, award grants under the Program in a manner that facilitates the planting of at least 300,000 trees each year.

(f) Federal share.— The Federal share of the cost of a covered project assisted by a grant awarded under the Program shall be 90 percent.

(g) Authorization of appropriations.— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Program, $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2030.

(h) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Covered project.— The term “covered project” means a tree planting project carried out to reduce residential energy consumption.

(2) Eligible cost.— The term “eligible cost” means, with respect to a covered project—

(A) the cost of carrying out the project, including—

(i) planning and design activities;

(ii) establishing nurseries to supply trees;

(iii) purchasing trees; and

(iv) preparing sites and planting trees;

(B) the cost of maintaining and monitoring planted trees for a period of not more than 3 years;

(C) the cost of training activities; and

(D) any other cost determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(3) Eligible entity.— The term “eligible entity” means each of the following:

(A) A State government entity.

(B) A local government entity.

(C) An Indian Tribe.

(D) A nonprofit organization.

(E) A retail power provider.

(4) Energy burden.— The term “energy burden” means the percentage of household income spent on residential energy bills.

(5) Indian tribe.— The term “Indian Tribe” has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

(6) Local government entity.— The term “local government entity” means any municipal government or county government entity with jurisdiction over local land use decisions.

(7) Nonprofit organization.— The term “nonprofit organization” means an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code.

(8) Program.— The term “Program” means the program established under subsection (a).

(9) Retail power provider.— The term “retail power provider” means any entity authorized under State or Federal law to generate, distribute, or provide retail electricity, natural gas, or fuel oil service.

(10) Secretary.— The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.