Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026

Section 1408 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “15” and inserting “16”;

(B) in paragraph (3), by adding at the end the following:

“(E) 1 member representing the industry, consumer, or rural interests of insular areas.”; and

(C) in paragraph (5), by striking “7” and inserting “3”; and

(2) in subsection (h), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1408A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123a) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “Not later than” and all that follows through “initial members of” and inserting “The Secretary shall continue to implement, and appoint the members of”; and

(B) in paragraph (2)—

(i) in subparagraph (C), by adding a period at the end; and

(ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”; and

(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking “executive committee” and inserting “Secretary”.

Section 1415A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3151a) is amended—

(1) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

“(b) Determination of veterinarian shortage situations.— In determining “veterinarian shortage situations”, the Secretary—

(1) may consider—

(A) geographical areas that the Secretary determines have a shortage of veterinarians;

(B) areas of veterinary practice that the Secretary determines have a shortage of veterinarians, such as food animal medicine, public health, epidemiology, and food safety; and

(C) areas described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) identified by appropriate State agencies; and

(2) shall—

(A) develop quantitative mechanisms for predicting the emergence of new veterinarian shortage situations in the short-term and long-term; and

(B) make available to State agencies described in paragraph (1)(C) the quantitative mechanisms developed under subparagraph (A).”; and

(2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:

“(9) Eligibility.— The Secretary shall not make a veterinarian ineligible for the program under this section based on a veterinarian's participation in a comparable Federal, State, or local program.

(10) Application process.— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the Secretary shall establish streamlined application procedures and guidelines for entering into agreements with veterinarians under this section.”.

Section 1415B of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3151b) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in paragraph (1)(A)(i), by striking “, as defined in” and all that follows through “1991(a))”; and

(B) by adding at the end the following:

“(3) Rural area.— The term “rural area” has the meaning given such term in section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)).”;

(2) in subsection (b)(2)—

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

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

“(B) expand, retain, or attract additional veterinary practices in rural areas;”;

(3) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:

“(5) Application process.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 the Secretary shall establish a streamlined application process.”; and

(4) in subsection (d)—

(A) in the subsection heading, by striking “To Relieve Veterinarian Shortage Situations and Support Veterinary Services”; and

(B) in paragraph (1)—

(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “situations and support” and inserting “situations, to expand, retain, or attract additional veterinary practices in rural areas, and to support”; and

(ii) by adding at the end the following:

“(G) To cover expenses associated with starting a new veterinary practice or attracting new veterinarians to existing practices, including—

(i) relocation expenses;

(ii) the purchase of necessary startup equipment; and

(iii) housing or living stipends for veterinary students, veterinary interns, externs, fellows, and residents, and veterinary technician students.”.

Section 1417(m)(2) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(m)(2)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1419A(e) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3155(e)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1419B of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3156) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following: “The term of such grants may be for a period of more than 1 year, but not more than 5 years.”; and

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

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following: “The term of such grants may be for a period of more than 1 year, but not more than 5 years.”; and

(B) in paragraph (3), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1425(g) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3175(g)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1433 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3195) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:

“(4) Carryover.— The balance of any annual funds provided to an eligible institution for a fiscal year under this subsection that remains unexpended at the end of that fiscal year may be carried over for use during the following fiscal year.”; and

(2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

(a) Extension.— Section 1444(a)(2) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3221(a)(2)) is amended by striking “20 percent” and inserting “40 percent”.

(b) Research.— Section 1445 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking “30 percent” and inserting “40 percent”;

(2) in subsection (c), by striking “the research director” each place it appears and inserting “the agricultural research director”; and

(3) in subsection (d)—

(A) by striking “a research director” and inserting “an agricultural research director”; and

(B) by striking “or other officer”.

Section 1446 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222a) is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by inserting “(commonly known as the David A. Scott Scholarship Program for Students at 1890 Institutions)” before the period at the end; and

(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1447(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222b(b)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1447B(d) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222b–2(d)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1449 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222d) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)—

(A) by striking “Not later than September 30, 1999” and inserting “Beginning on September 30, 2026, and not later than September 30 of each fiscal year thereafter”; and

(B) by striking “fiscal year 1999” and inserting “the fiscal year ending on that September 30”; and

(2) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

“(c) State matching funds requirement.— Notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle, for each fiscal year, a State shall provide to each eligible institution located in the State matching funds from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to the amounts provided to the eligible institution under sections 1444 and 1445 for the purposes described in subsection (b)(1).”.

Section 1450 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222e) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (4), by striking “land-grant college or university” and inserting “land-grant college or university (except for a 1994 Institution (as defined in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (Public Law 103–382; 7 U.S.C. 301 note)))”; and

(B) by striking paragraph (5); and

(2) in subsection (d), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1455(c) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3241(c)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1458(e) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3291(e)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking “entered into” and inserting “, as entered into in 1977,”;

(2) in paragraph (2), by striking “United States and Israel” and inserting “United States, Israel, or other signatories of the Abraham Accords Declaration”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(3) BARD Fund Accelerator.— The BARD Fund shall establish an accelerator program that supports mid-stage research, as determined by the technology readiness level, in priority areas established by the BARD Fund that—

(A) fast-tracks cooperative research between scientists participating in activities described in paragraph (2);

(B) accelerates the successful development of agricultural research through resources and services developed or orchestrated by the BARD Fund;

(C) provides management guidance, technical assistance, and consulting to scientists participating in activities described in paragraph (2); or

(D) advances cooperative agricultural research projects of mutual interest to the United States, Israel, or other signatories of the Abraham Accords Declaration.”.

(a) In general.— Section 1458A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3292) is amended—

(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows “Grants and partnerships for international agricultural research, extension, and education”;

(2) by striking subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the following:

“(a) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Developing country.— The term developing country means a country that meets such criteria as determined by the Secretary, established using a gross national income per capita test selected by the Secretary.

(2) Eligible institution.— The term eligible institution means—

(A) a land-grant colleges or university;

(B) a non-land-grant college of agriculture;

(C) a Hispanic-serving agricultural college or university; and

(D) a cooperating forestry school.

(3) International partner institution.— The term international partner institution means a higher education institution in a developing country that is performing, or desiring to perform, activities similar to agricultural research, extension, and education activities carried out through eligible institutions in the United States.

(b) Grants and partnerships.—

(1) Grants.— The Secretary may make competitive grants to eligible institutions in order to strengthen United States economic competitiveness and to promote international market development through—

(A) enhancing the international content of the curricula in colleges and universities so as to ensure that United States students acquire an understanding of the international dimensions and trade implications of their studies;

(B) ensuring that United States scientists, extension agents, and educators involved in agricultural research and development activities outside of the United States have the opportunity to convey the implications of their activities and findings to their peers and students in the United States and to the users of agricultural research, extension, and teaching;

(C) enhancing the capabilities of colleges and universities to do collaborative research with other countries, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, on issues relevant to United States agricultural competitiveness;

(D) enhancing the capabilities of colleges and universities to provide cooperative extension education to promote the application of new technology developed in foreign countries to United States agriculture; and

(E) enhancing the capability of United States colleges and universities, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, to provide leadership and educational programs that will assist United States natural resources and food production, processing, and distribution businesses and industries to compete internationally, including through the use of product market identification, international policies limiting or enhancing market production, the development of new or enhancement of existing markets, and production efficiencies.

(2) Partnerships.— The Secretary may promote cooperation and coordination between eligible institutions and international partner institutions through—

(A) improving extension by—

(i) encouraging the exchange of research materials and results between eligible institutions and international partner institutions;

(ii) facilitating the broad dissemination of agricultural research through extension;

(iii) assisting with efforts to plan and initiate extension services in developing countries; and

(iv) developing self-sustaining regional agricultural markets and promoting the application of new agricultural technologies and techniques;

(B) improving agricultural research by—

(i) in partnership with international partner institutions, encouraging research that addresses problems affecting food production and security, human nutrition, agriculture, forestry, livestock, and fisheries, including local challenges; and

(ii) supporting and strengthening national agricultural research systems in developing countries;

(C) improving agricultural teaching and education by—

(i) in partnership with international partner institutions, supporting education and teaching relating to food and agricultural sciences, including technical assistance, degree training, research collaborations, classroom instruction, workforce training, and education programs; and

(ii) assisting with efforts to increase student capacity, including to encourage equitable access for women and other underserved populations, at international partner institutions by promoting partnerships with, and improving the capacity of, eligible institutions;

(D) assisting eligible institutions in strengthening their capacity for food, agricultural, and related research, extension, and teaching programs relevant to agricultural development activities in developing countries to promote the application of new technology to improve education delivery;

(E) providing support for the internationalization of resident instruction programs of eligible institutions;

(F) establishing a program, to be coordinated by the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service, to place interns from eligible institutions in, or in service to benefit, developing countries; and

(G) establishing a program to provide fellowships to students at eligible institutions to study at foreign agricultural colleges and universities.”;

(3) in subsection (c), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “covered Institutions” and inserting “eligible institutions”; and

(4) in subsection (d), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

(b) Conforming amendment.— Section 1459A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3292b) is repealed.

Section 1462A(e) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310a(e)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1463 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3311) is amended by striking “2023” each place it appears in subsections (a) and (b) and inserting “2031”.

Section 1464 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3312) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1473D of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3319d) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”;

(2) in subsection (c)(3)—

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

(B) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (G); and

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

“(F) to examine potential benefits and opportunities for supplemental and alternative crops (including winter-planted rapeseed and winter-planted canola crops); and”; and

(3) in subsection (e)(3), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1473E of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3319e) is amended—

(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows: “Grants for community college agriculture and natural resources programs”;

(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e);

(3) by striking subsections (a) through (c) and inserting the following:

“(a) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Eligible entity.— The term eligible entity means—

(A) a junior or community college (as defined in section 312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058)) supporting agriculture advancement;

(B) a consortium or alliance of 2-year public colleges supporting agriculture advancement; or

(C) an area career and technical education school (as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302)) that offers a program of study in agriculture.

(2) Work-based learning.— The term work-based learning has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).

(b) Competitive grants.— The Secretary shall make competitive grants to eligible entities to conduct workforce training, education, research, and outreach activities relating to food and agricultural sciences.

(c) Priority.— In making grants under subsection (b), the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity coordinating with a local agriculture industry operator or conservation district to provide work-based learning, experiential training, and other opportunities for students.

(d) Use of funds.— An eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection (b) may use the funds made available through the grant—

(1) to offer educational programming on agricultural industry jobs, including farm business management-related subjects, such as accounting, paralegal studies, finance, and soil, water, and related resource conservation;

(2) to develop apprenticeships and other work-based learning opportunities; and

(3) other services that would increase workforce training, education, research, and outreach activities relating to food and agricultural sciences, as determined by the Secretary.”; and

(4) in subsection (e), as so redesignated, by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1473F(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3319i(b)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1473H of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3319k) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in paragraph (2)—

(i) by inserting “, including precision agriculture,” after “equipment”; and

(ii) by striking “relating to the research and development of qualified products and projects”;

(B) in paragraph (5)—

(i) in the paragraph heading, by striking “Person” and inserting “Eligible entity”;

(ii) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “person” and inserting “eligible entity”;

(iii) by striking subparagraph (E); and

(iv) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) through (H) as subparagraphs (E) through (G), respectively;

(C) in paragraph (6)—

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

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

(iii) by adding at the end the following:

“(D) any other product or project, as determined by the Secretary.”;

(D) in paragraph (7), by striking “that is developed to assist in the discovery, development, or manufacture of a qualified product or project”; and

(E) by adding at the end the following:

“(8) Precision agriculture.— The term “precision agriculture” means managing, tracking, or reducing crop or livestock production inputs (including seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time) at a heightened level of spatial and temporal granularity to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and maintain environmental quality.”;

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (2)—

(i) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:

“(B) to overcome the long-term and high-risk technological barriers in the development of agricultural technologies, research tools, and qualified products and projects that enhance export competitiveness, environmental sustainability, water conservation, and resilience to extreme weather, drought, infectious diseases, plant and animal pathogens, and plant and animal pests;”;

(ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking “and” at the end;

(iii) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E); and

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

“(D) to enhance the role of sustainable agriculture (as defined in section 1404) in innovative voluntary resilience solutions in the United States through the development of agricultural technologies that may address—

(i) the impact of extreme weather on crop production;

(ii) the effects of drought and the potential of building water holding capacity in soils on crop and rangelands;

(iii) the expansion of the potential for long-term carbon storage through sustainable agriculture;

(iv) increased economic and practical feasibility for sustainable energy, including conventional and advanced biofuels, on farms and in the agriculture industry;

(v) increased voluntary adoption of conservation practices that sequester carbon and build on-farm climate resilience; and

(vi) increased economic and practical feasibility for, and voluntary adoption of, precision agriculture technology; and”;

(B) in paragraph (4)—

(i) in subparagraph (C), by striking “persons” and inserting “eligible entities”; and

(ii) in subparagraph (G), by striking “persons” and inserting “eligible entities”; and

(C) in paragraph (7)(A)—

(i) by striking “a person” and inserting “an eligible entity”; and

(ii) by striking “the person” and inserting “the eligible entity”;

(3) in subsection (c)—

(A) in paragraph (2), by striking “persons” and inserting “eligible entities”; and

(B) by adding at the end the following:

“(4) Use of strategic plan.— The Secretary shall use the strategic plan developed under paragraph (1) to inform the administration of AGARDA under this section.”;

(4) in subsection (d)(3), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”; and

(5) in subsection (e)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “5 years” and inserting “13 years”; and

(B) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking “5-year” and inserting “13-year”.

(a) In general.— Section 1477(a)(2) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3324(a)(2)) is amended by striking “2023” and insert “2031”.

(b) Study on development of aquaculture businesses.—

(1) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a study to identify locations in the United States Virgin Islands and Guam that are suitable for the development of aquaculture small businesses, including an assessment of water quality, coastal access, infrastructure needs, and applicable environmental and regulatory requirements.

(2) Consultation.— In conducting the study under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the Guam Department of Agriculture.

Section 1484(a)(3) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3351(a)(3)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

(a) In general.— Section 1485 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3352) is amended—

(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows: “Agriculture and food protection grant program”;

(2) by striking subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) and inserting the following:

“(a) In general.— The Secretary shall establish a competitive grant program under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to support research, extension, and education activities that improve the capability of the United States to protect the food and agricultural system from any chemical, biological, cybersecurity, or bioterrorism attack.

(b) Use of funds.— Grants made under this section shall be used to—

(1) encourage basic and applied research and development of agricultural countermeasures;

(2) promote the development and expansion of teaching programs in agriculture, veterinary medicine, and other disciplines closely allied to the food and agriculture system to increase the number of trained individuals with an expertise in agricultural biosecurity and cybersecurity;

(3) expand or upgrade facilities to meet biosafety and biosecurity requirements necessary to protect facility staff, members of the public, and the food supply while carrying out agricultural biosecurity research;

(4) costs associated with the acquisition of equipment and other capital costs related to expansion of food, agriculture, and veterinary medicine teaching programs in agricultural biosecurity and cybersecurity; or

(5) otherwise improve the capacity of the United States to respond in a timely manner to emerging or existing threats.

(c) Eligible entities.— Entities eligible to receive a grant under this section include—

(1) State agricultural experiment stations;

(2) State departments of agriculture;

(3) colleges and universities;

(4) university research foundations;

(5) other research institutions and organizations;

(6) Federal agencies;

(7) national laboratories; or

(8) any group consisting of 2 or more of the entities described in paragraphs (1) through (7).”;

(3) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (d); and

(4) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by striking “for each fiscal year.” and inserting “for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.”.

(b) Conforming amendments.— Chapters 1 and 2 of subtitle B of title XIV of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8912, 8913, 8921, and 8922) are repealed.

Section 1490(f)(2) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3362(f)(2)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1491(c)(2) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3363(c)(2)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

(a) Section 1410 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 ((7 U.S.C. 3125) is repealed.

(b) Section 1419C of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3158) is repealed.

(c) Section 1447A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3222b–1) is repealed.

(d) Subtitle M of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3331 et seq.) is repealed.

Subtitle B of title XVI of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.) is amended by striking “2023” each place it appears in sections 1624 (7 U.S.C. 5814), 1627(d) (7 U.S.C. 5821(d)), 1628(f)(2) (7 U.S.C. 5831(f)(2)), and 1629(i) (7 U.S.C. 5832(i)), and inserting “2031”.

Section 1635(b)(2) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5844(b)(2)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1671(g) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5924(g)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925) is amended—

(1) in subsection (d)—

(A) by striking paragraphs (5), (6), (9), (10), (11), (13), and (18);

(B) by redesignating paragraphs (7), (8), (12), (14), (15), (16), (17), (19), and (20) as paragraphs (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), and (13), respectively;

(C) in paragraph (11), as so redesignated, by inserting “and harmful algal blooms” after “macro-algae systems”; and

(D) by adding at the end the following:

“(14) Fertilizer and nutrient management initiative.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of carrying out research to improve fertilizer use efficiency in crops and examining nutrient management based on the source, rate, timing, and placement of crop nutrients.

(15) Tropical plant health initiative.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of—

(A) developing and disseminating science-based tools and treatments to combat plant pests and noxious weeds (as those terms are defined in section 403 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7702)) that impact tropical plants, including—

(i) coffee plants;

(ii) macadamia trees;

(iii) cacao trees;

(iv) plantains and bananas;

(v) mangos;

(vi) vanilla plants;

(vii) tropical floriculture and nursery crops; and

(viii) any other tropical plant as determined by the Secretary;

(B) establishing an areawide integrated pest management program in areas affected by, or areas at risk of being affected by, plant pests or noxious weeds;

(C) surveying and collecting data on tropical plant production and health;

(D) investigating tropical plant biology, immunology, ecology, genomics, and bioinformatics; and

(E) conducting research on various factors that may contribute to, or be associated with, tropical plant immune systems and other serious threats to tropical plants.

(16) Biochar research.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of testing the full range of biochar types across soil types, soil health and soil management conditions, application methods, and climatic and agronomic regions, including through the establishment of a national biochar research network, to—

(A) assess the soil carbon sequestration potential of various biochars and management systems integrating biochar use;

(B) understand how to use biochar productively to contribute to climate mitigation, crop production, resilience to extreme weather events, ecosystem and soil health, natural resource conservation, and farm profitability; and

(C) deliver science-based, region-specific, cost-effective, and practical information to farmers, ranchers, foresters, land reclamation managers, urban land managers, and other land and natural resource managers and businesses on sustainable biochar production and application.

(17) Wildfire smoke exposure research.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of studying the impact of wildfire smoke exposure on specialty crops, including wine grapes, hops, stone fruit, and apples, by—

(A) conducting research—

(i) to identify the compounds responsible for smoke exposure; and

(ii) to establish standard methodologies for sampling and testing smoke-exposed specialty crops and smoke-affected products, including fast and inexpensive screening methods;

(B) establishing a reliable database of background levels of smoke exposure compounds that occur naturally in specialty crops;

(C) developing risk assessment tools or mitigation methods to reduce or eliminate smoke exposure; and

(D) studying compounds that can act as a barrier between specialty crops and smoke compounds.

(18) Invasive species research.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of developing and disseminating science-based tools and treatments to manage or eradicate (including through methods of biocontrol and sterile insect techniques) invasive species of plants and animals, such as the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), navel orangeworm (Amyelois transitella), and spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii).

(19) Microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on farmland.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of carrying out or enhancing research on the agricultural impacts of microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, including structural firefighting foam, in land-applied biosolids or compost on farmland, including by—

(A) conducting surveys and collecting data on concentration, particle size, and chemical composition of such substances in land-applied biosolids on farmland;

(B) the development or analysis of techniques, including wastewater treatment and composting, to filter out or biodegrade such substances from biosolids intended to be used for agricultural purposes;

(C) conducting an analysis of the impact on agricultural crops and soil health of such substances in land-applied biosolids on farmland, including the uptake of such substances by various crops or livestock;

(D) conducting research to better understand how wastewater processing impacts such substances;

(E) conducting research to better understand the fate, residence time, and transport of such substances on farmland; and

(F) conducting research on how to remediate soil and water systems contaminated with such substances.

(20) Agricultural byproducts research.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of converting agricultural byproducts or forest residuals into valuable materials and products, including innovations in production processes for easily deployable refining facilities, developing alternatives to agricultural burning, and fostering energy production through recycling animal byproducts, wet waste, and plant-based waste.

(21) Soil health research.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of—

(A) developing management practices that improve soil health, including establishing tools that aid soil preservation or improve composition of soil organic compounds that are beneficial to soil quality and the environment; and

(B) disseminating such practices through methods such as innovative coursework and work-based learning.

(22) White oak research.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of white oak research, including conducting research on—

(A) white oak genes with resistance and stress tolerance;

(B) white oak trees that exhibit vigor for the purpose of increasing survival and growth;

(C) establishing a diverse white oak seed bank capable of responding to stressors;

(D) providing a sustainable supply of white oak seedlings and genetic resources;

(E) reforestation of white oak through natural and artificial regeneration; and

(F) the best methods for reforesting abandoned mine land sites.

(23) Alternative growing media research.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of developing and enhancing research on the characterization, utilization, and evaluation of alternative growing media, including science-based techniques that maximize functions in the growth of plants and harvest yields.

(24) Rangeland research.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of carrying out or enhancing research on the development of forage production and improved grazing and range management, including the adoption of virtual fencing technology that simultaneously enhance wildlife habitat, protect watersheds, and reduce hazards of erosion and flooding.

(25) Specialty crop mechanization and automation research.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of developing and evaluating mechanization and automation technologies for specialty crops.

(26) Biological pest control.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of supporting research, development, or education materials, information, and outreach programs regarding biological pest control to limit crop damage and food-borne illnesses.”;

(2) in subsection (e)(5), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”;

(3) in subsection (f)(5), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”;

(4) in subsection (g)—

(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”;

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

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

(5) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i);

(6) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:

“(h) Report.— Not later than February 1, 2028, and not less frequently than once every other year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing how the Department carried out research and extension activities specified in subsections (d) through (f) for the previous two fiscal years, including the amount of funding allocated to each high-priority research and extension initiative, through—

(1) amounts made available under appropriations Acts to the Agricultural Research Service;

(2) amounts made available to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture under capacity and infrastructure programs (as defined in section 251 of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6971));

(3) amounts made available to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture under competitive programs (as defined in such section); and

(4) amounts made available through other agencies within the Department.”; and

(7) in subsection (i) (as redesignated by paragraph (4)), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1672B of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925b) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”;

(2) by striking subsection (e);

(3) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (e); and

(4) in subsection (e), as so redesignated—

(A) in paragraph (2), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”; and

(B) by striking paragraph (3).

Section 1672D(d)(2) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925f(d)(2)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1672E(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925g(a))—

(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—

(A) by striking “the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee established under section 222(b) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994” and inserting “the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee and the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production established under section 222 of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6923)”; and

(B) by striking “emerging agricultural production” and inserting “emerging agricultural production practices (as described in subsection (a)(3) of such section)”;

(2) in paragraph (3), by striking “emerging agricultural production” and inserting “emerging agricultural production practices”;

(3) in paragraph (7), by striking “or” at the end;

(4) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(5) by adding at the end the following:

“(9) managing waste streams to improve the environmental footprint; or

(10) advising 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)), minority-serving institutions (as described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a))), junior or community colleges (as defined in section 312(f) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1058(f))), and vocational schools, with respect to career and technical education.”.

Section 1673 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5926) is amended—

(1) by striking subsections (a), (b), and (c) and inserting the following:

“(a) Centers of excellence.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish at least one center of excellence for the purpose of carrying out research, extension, or education activities for each of the areas of focus described in paragraph (3).

(2) Host institutions.—

(A) In general.— Institutions eligible to host or co-host a center of excellence established under this subsection include—

(i) 1862 Institutions, as defined in section 2 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601);

(ii) 1890 Institutions, as defined in section 2 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601);

(iii) 1994 Institutions, as defined in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note);

(iv) non-land-grant colleges of agriculture, as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103);

(v) Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges or universities, as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103); and

(vi) accredited schools of veterinary medicine.

(B) Distribution.— To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure the geographic diversity of institutions selected to host or co-host a center of excellence established under this subsection.

(C) Limitation.— An institution may host or co-host only one center of excellence under this subsection at a time.

(D) Duties.— The institution or institutions selected to host or co-host a center of excellence established under this subsection shall partner with the Agricultural Research Service, other Federal agencies, State governments, other institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), agricultural industry groups, or other relevant entities to—

(i) reduce duplicative efforts and focus on filling gaps across research, extension, or education activities by enhancing coordination and improving cost-effectiveness;

(ii) leverage available resources by using public-private partnerships;

(iii) implement training and educational initiatives to increase awareness and effectively disseminate solutions to target audiences through extension activities;

(iv) increase the economic returns to rural communities by identifying, attracting, and directing funds to high-priority agricultural issues;

(v) rapidly respond to emerging issues that threaten any sector of the United States agricultural industry;

(vi) focus on workforce development for employers to recruit and retain high-quality employees in rural areas; and

(vii) engage in assistance for administrative management and education regarding potentially valuable intellectual property derived from federally-supported research, extension, or education activities.

(3) Areas of focus.—

(A) Aquaculture.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on developing and applying aquaculture methods, including through the propagation and rearing of economically and ecologically valuable aquatic and marine species.

(B) Beginning farmers and ranchers.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension or education activities focused on training beginning farmers and ranchers, including farm and agribusiness management, mentoring and technical assistance, and access to capital.

(C) Biosecurity and cybersecurity.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on agricultural biosecurity and cybersecurity efforts to defend the United States food supply from any attacks.

(D) Biosystems and agricultural engineering.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on biosystems and agricultural engineering, including precision agriculture technologies and mechanization and automation technologies for specialty crops.

(E) Biotechnology.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on development of animal and plant biotechnologies that will increase agricultural productivity.

(F) Crop production, protection, and resilience.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on crop production and protection, including the development, manufacture, and use of fertilizer, crop protection tools, and adjuvants in increasing productivity and protecting crops from damaging pests and diseases.

(G) Digital agriculture.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on developing, evaluating, and deploying digital agriculture, including artificial intelligence and remote sensing systems.

(H) Farm business and financial management.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on farm business and financial management activities, including marketing plans, production diversification, and cash forward contracting.

(I) Food quality.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on improving food quality, including research on the uptake of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in food, the presence of microplastics in biosolids, and the efficacy and feasibility of reducing levels of inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium, or mercury in food.

(J) Foreign animal disease.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on foreign animal diseases, including the ecology and etiology of emerging diseases, control methods, and implementation strategies to enhance preparedness and response efforts to protect the livestock and poultry industry.

(K) Forestry.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on forest productivity and forest health, including invasive species control, biochar and pyrolysis development and commercialization, reforestation and restoration of damaged landscapes, and new wood-based materials.

(L) Invasive species.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on the control and eradication of invasive species that pose a persistent and growing threat to United States agricultural production, forest resources, global food security, and rural economies.

(M) Livestock and poultry.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on issues impacting livestock (including equines) and poultry production in the United States, including economic research to understand policy implications for producers.

(N) Veterinary medicine.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on developing additional veterinarians, including large animal veterinarians, to address the veterinarian shortage in rural areas.

(O) Water quality and quantity.— A center of excellence established under this subsection may engage in research, extension, or education activities focused on water quality and quantity efforts, including drought, water management, natural resource benefits, and the health and resilience of the water supply in the United States.

(4) Terms.—

(A) Duration.— The term of an award under this subsection shall be for a five-year period, and may be renewed for not more than one additional five-year period.

(B) Construction prohibited.— Funds made available under this subsection shall not be used for the construction of a new building or facility or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an existing building or facility (including site grading and improvement, and architect fees).

(5) Annual report.— Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this subsection, and every year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing—

(A) the projects initiated by each center of excellence established under this subsection in the preceding year;

(B) the amount of funding for each such project and the funding source;

(C) the institutions participating in each such project and their shares of the overall funding for each project;

(D) the level of cost sharing for each such project;

(E) any technology transfer and intellectual property management actions taken by each such center of excellence, such as the number of relevant invention disclosures, any provisional patents filed, any non-provisional patents filed and issued, the number of licenses executed, and any start-up companies registered; and

(F) any additional information deemed necessary.”;

(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (b);

(3) in subsection (b), as so redesignated—

(A) in paragraph (1)—

(i) by striking “The Secretary” and inserting “In addition to the centers of excellence established under subsection (a), the Secretary”; and

(ii) by striking “not less than 3 centers of excellence” and inserting “not less than 8 centers of excellence”;

(B) in paragraph (2)—

(i) in subparagraph (A)—

(I) in the subparagraph heading, by striking “and workforce development” and inserting “, workforce development, and rural studies”; and

(II) by inserting “economics, psychology, rural sociology, data sciences,” after “mathematics,”;

(ii) in subparagraph (E), by inserting “and nature-based solutions to improve the composition of soil organic compounds, including carbon, that are beneficial to soil quality and the environment” before the period at the end; and

(iii) by adding at the end the following:

“(G) Forest health and conservation.— A center of excellence established under paragraph (1) may focus on forest health, sustainable forest management, agroforestry, enhancing forest resilience to catastrophic wildfire, supporting rural infrastructure, and urban and community forestry programs to promote healthy forest ecosystems and resilient communities.

(H) Food safety, bioprocessing, and value-added agriculture.— A center of excellence established under paragraph (1) may focus on food safety, bioprocessing, value-added agriculture enterprise development, and innovative food and agriculture product development.”; and

(C) in paragraph (3), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 1680 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5933) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(3)—

(A) in subparagraph (D), by striking “and” at the end;

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

(C) by adding at the end the following:

“(F) provide education and support to youth and young adults with disabilities interested in farming and farm-related occupations.”; and

(2) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279) is amended—

(1) in subsection (c)—

(A) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—

(i) by striking “Secretary of Agriculture” and inserting “Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture,”; and

(ii) by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”; and

(B) in paragraph (4)—

(i) in subparagraph (F), by inserting “and organizations that provide training and technical assistance in budgeting, business planning, and similar financial and management skills that focus on the ongoing economic viability of beginning farm and ranch enterprises” after “veteran farmers and ranchers”;

(ii) in subparagraph (I)(ii), by striking “shall include a broad representation of peers of the eligible entity” and inserting “shall include a broad representation of individuals with demonstrated expertise in farm business management”; and

(iii) in subparagraph (J), by striking “to the eligible entities providing that technical assistance” and inserting “to the needs of farmers and ranchers’ ongoing economic viability”;

(2) in subsection (d)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”;

(B) in paragraph (2)—

(i) by striking subparagraph (J); and

(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (K), (L), (M), (N), and (O) as subparagraphs (J), (K), (L), (M) and (N), respectively;

(C) in paragraph (8), by striking “to partnerships and collaborations that are led by or include nongovernmental, community-based organizations and school-based educational organizations with expertise in new agricultural producer training and outreach” and inserting “to programs that provide training and technical assistance in budgeting, business planning, and similar financial and management skills that focus on the ongoing economic viability of beginning farm and ranch enterprises”; and

(D) in paragraph (12)(B), by striking “a broad representation of peers of the applicant for the grant or cooperative agreement” and inserting “a broad representation of the United States agriculture industry and individuals with demonstrated expertise in farm business management”; and

(3) in subsection (l)(2), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 2381(e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 3125b(e)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Subtitle D of title XVI of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5851 et seq.) is repealed.

Title XVI of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 is amended by inserting after section 1673 (7 U.S.C. 5926) the following:

“1674. Researching the transition to organic.—

(a) Competitive specialized research and extension grants authorized.— The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”), in consultation with the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board, may make competitive grants to support research, education, and extension activities relating to the transition of nonorganic production systems into organic agricultural production systems for the purposes of—

(1) overcoming barriers to transitioning to organic agricultural production;

(2) documenting and understanding the effects of organic practices on ecosystem services, including soil health and fertility, greenhouse gas mitigation and sequestration, water management, biodiversity-related services, and pest management; and

(3) developing improved technologies, methods, models, and metrics to document, describe, and optimize ecosystem services of transitioning agricultural production into organic management.

(b) Grant administration.— Paragraphs (4), (7), (8), and (11)(B) of subsection (b) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(b)) shall apply with respect to the making of grants under this section.

(c) Authorization of appropriations.— There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $7,500,000 for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter.”.

Section 405 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7625) is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (d);

(2) by redesignating subsections (e) through (j) as subsections (d) through (i), respectively; and

(3) in subsection (i), as so redesignated, by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 406(f) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7626(f)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 408(e)(3) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7628(e)(3)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 410(d)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7630(d)(2)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 412 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7632) is amended—

(1) in subsection (f)(3), by striking “subsection (d) and (j)” and inserting “subsections (d), (j), and (k)”;

(2) in subsection (g)(3), by adding at the end the following:

“(C) Waiver.— The Secretary may waive the matching funds requirement under subparagraph (A) with respect to a grant if the Secretary determines that—

(i) the results of the grant are of a particular benefit to a specific specialty crop, but such results are likely to be applicable to specialty crops or agricultural commodities, generally; or

(ii)

(I) the grant—

(aa) involves a minor commodity; and

(bb) deals with scientifically important research; and

(II) the recipient is unable to satisfy the matching funds requirement.”;

(3) in subsection (j)(5), by striking “subsection (k)(1)(C)” and inserting “subsection (l)(1)(C)”;

(4) by redesignating subsection (k) as subsection (l);

(5) by inserting after subsection (j) the following:

“(k) Specialty crop mechanization and automation research and extension program.— The Secretary shall establish a competitive research and extension grant program to award grants to eligible entities to increase the competitiveness of specialty crops in the United States through the advancement and acceleration of mechanization and automation, including projects that—

(1) create or improve cost-effective mechanization and automation technologies to—

(A) reduce the manual labor requirements of a specialty crop grower; or

(B) increase the efficiency of—

(i) crop production;

(ii) resource management;

(iii) harvesting;

(iv) processing;

(v) post-harvest technologies; or

(vi) packing;

(2) increase adoption of mechanization and automation technologies by—

(A) emphasizing adoption drivers, including—

(i) connectivity;

(ii) autonomy;

(iii) reliability;

(iv) durability;

(v) in-field validation; or

(vi) cost-effectiveness; or

(B) investing in, and developing human capital to, increase the capacity to—

(i) utilize new technologies; or

(ii) manage a more tech-focused farm workforce; or

(3) accelerate automation and mechanization through—

(A) prototype development;

(B) in-field trial testing;

(C) ongoing industry engagement; or

(D) rapid commercialization.”; and

(6) in subsection (l), as redesignated by paragraph (4)—

(A) in paragraph (1)—

(i) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows:

“(C) Reservation for specialty crop mechanization and automation research and extension program.— For each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031, the Secretary shall reserve not less than $30,000,000 of the funds made available under subparagraph (B) to carry out the program established under subsection (k).”; and

(ii) by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows:

“(D) Reallocation.— Notwithstanding paragraph (4), any funds reserved under subparagraph (C) that remain unobligated at the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which such funds are first made available shall be reallocated to carry out activities of the specialty crop research initiative established under subsection (b).”;

(B) in paragraph (2)—

(i) in the paragraph heading, by striking “for fiscal years 2014 through 2023”; and

(ii) by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”;

(C) by striking paragraph (3); and

(D) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively.

Title IV of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7624 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“414. Agriculture grants for veteran education and training services.—

(a) In general.— The Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary will award competitive grants to eligible entities for the purpose of establishing and enhancing farming and ranching opportunities for veterans (as defined in section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code).

(b) Eligible entities.— An entity is eligible for a grant under this section if such entity is—

(1) a cooperative extension service;

(2) a land-grant college or university (as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103));

(3) a non-land-grant college of agriculture (as defined in such section);

(4) a Hispanic-serving agricultural college and university (as defined in such section);

(5) a State department of agriculture;

(6) a nonprofit organization;

(7) a community-based organization; or

(8) a combination of 2 or more eligible entities described in paragraphs (1) through (7).

(c) Use of funds.— An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use the funds received through the grant—

(1) to provide training and classroom education that leads to a comprehensive understanding of farm and ranch business operations and management practices;

(2) to develop or identify curriculum that veteran farmers and ranchers can adopt to help manage their enterprise;

(3) to offer education, workshops, tours, and instructor-supervised field experiences; or

(4) to support any other activity, as identified by the Secretary, to increase the number of veterans pursuing knowledge and skills development in agriculture.

(d) Matching funds.— An entity that receives a grant under this section shall provide non-Federal matching funds for the purposes of carrying out this section in an amount equal to not less than the amount of the grant.

(e) Authorization of appropriations.— There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2031.”.

Section 604(e) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7642(e)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 614(f)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7653(f)(2)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 617(f)(1) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7655b(f)(1)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

The Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601 et seq.) is amended—

(1) by striking section 404 (7 U.S.C. 7624); and

(2) by striking section 411 (7 U.S.C. 7631).

Section 7502 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–246; 122 Stat. 2019) is amended by striking “, or otherwise be conveyed or transferred in whole or in part, for the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on September 30, 2026” and inserting “, beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act”.

(a) In General.— Section 7522 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 5936) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by inserting “, including crisis hotlines” after “websites”;

(2) in subsection (d), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”;

(3) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g); and

(4) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:

“(f) Referrals to providers.— As part of the efforts of the recipient of a grant under subsection (a) to connect individuals to behavioral health counseling and wellness support and to ensure individuals have access to a comprehensive scope of mental health and substance use treatments and supports, when applicable, the grant recipient may establish referral relationships with—

(1) certified community behavioral health clinics described in section 223 of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note; Public Law 113–93);

(2) health centers (as defined in section 330(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(a)));

(3) rural health clinics (as defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)));

(4) Federally qualified health centers (as defined in that section); and

(5) critical access hospitals (as defined in section 1861(mm) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(mm))).”.

(b) Farmer assistance, resilience, and mental health evaluation research study.—

(1) Study.— Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, in coordination with the regional lead institutions of the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network established under section 7522 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 5936), submit to Congress a report that contains—

(A) an assessment on the availability and usage of mental health care, including tele-mental health services, by agricultural professionals, including—

(i) the incidence and prevalence of common mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety disorders, trauma- and stressor- related disorder (including adjustment disorders), or suicidal ideation, among agricultural professionals;

(ii) the incidence and prevalence of agricultural professionals seeking treatment for mental health conditions, including counseling, psychotherapy, or support groups in traditional mental health care settings;

(iii) the incidence and prevalence of agricultural professionals seeking treatment for mental health conditions including counseling, psychotherapy, or support groups via tele-mental health care;

(iv) the availability of traditional mental health care settings and treatment in rural areas, including counseling, psychotherapy, or support groups;

(v) the availability of tele-mental health care treatment in rural areas, including counseling, psychotherapy, or support groups; and

(B) the Secretary’s recommendations to improve the uptake, effectiveness, and deployment of, and access to, traditional mental health services and tele-mental health services among agricultural professionals in rural areas.

(2) Coordination.— In preparing the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary may consult with the following:

(A) The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

(B) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

(C) State departments of agriculture.

(D) Cooperative extension services (as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)).

(E) Within the Department—

(i) the Economic Research Service; and

(ii) the Office of Rural Development, including the Rural Health Liaison.

(3) Definitions.— In this subsection:

(A) The term “farmer” means an individual whose primary occupation is the planting and cultivation of crops or other agricultural products.

(B) The term “rancher” means an individual whose primary occupation is the rearing and care of animals for agricultural purposes.

(C) The term “agricultural professional” means a farmer or a rancher.

(D) The term “mental health condition” means a condition commonly affecting individuals as prescribed by clinical guidance or consensus, including conditions listed in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or another source, as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(E) The term “tele-mental health care” means mental health care that is furnished by a mental health care provider primarily through the use of a phone, the internet, or videoconferencing.

Section 7526 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8114) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting “and bioproduct” before “technologies”;

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking “product” and inserting “bioproduct”; and

(C) in paragraph (3), by striking “product” and inserting “bioproduct”;

(2) in subsection (c)(2), by striking “4 percent” and inserting “30 percent”; and

(3) in subsection (g), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8701 et seq.) is amended—

(1) by striking section 7521 (7 U.S.C. 3202); and

(2) by striking section 7525 (7 U.S.C. 5937).

The Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 103–382) is amended—

(1) in section 533(b), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”;

(2) in section 534(a)(1), by striking “equal to” and inserting “that is not less than”;

(3) in section 535, by striking “2023” each place it appears in subsections (b)(1) and (c) and inserting “2031”; and

(4) in section 536—

(A) in subsection (a), by inserting before the period at the end the following: “and to acquire, alter, repair, maintain, and operate relevant equipment necessary for strengthening the capacity of the Institution to conduct research in the food and agricultural sciences”;

(B) by striking subsection (b);

(C) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b); and

(D) in subsection (b) (as so redesignated), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 6(a) of the Research Facilities Act (7 U.S.C. 390d(a)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Subsection (b) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(b)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (2)—

(A) in subparagraph (A)(iii)—

(i) by inserting “regionally adapted” before “cultivar”; and

(ii) by inserting “breeding for environmental resilience,” before “and participatory breeding”;

(B) in subparagraph (B)(i), by inserting “, including methods of increasing survival rate and adaptability of shellfish” after “aquaculture”;

(C) in subparagraph (E)—

(i) in clause (iv), by striking “and” at the end;

(ii) in clause (v), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(iii) by adding at the end the following:

“(vi) hydroponics, aquaponics, aeroponics, and other production technologies used in controlled-environment agriculture production.”; and

(D) in subparagraph (F)—

(i) in clause (i), by inserting “, including supply chain coordination and capacity building” after “overseas markets”;

(ii) in clause (vii), by striking “; and” at the end and inserting a semicolon;

(iii) in clause (viii), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(iv) by adding at the end the following:

“(ix) workforce training and development, including meat and poultry processing (including rendering) and precision agriculture; and

(x) reducing food loss and food waste.”;

(2) in paragraph (7)—

(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (I) as subparagraphs (E) through (J), respectively;

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

“(D) area career and technical education schools;”; and

(C) in subparagraph (J), as so redesignated, by striking “(H)” and inserting “(I)”; and

(3) in paragraph (11)(A), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Subsection (d)(6) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(d)(6)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Section 9008(h)(2) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8108(h)(2)) is amended by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

The Renewable Resources Extension Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1671 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 6 (16 U.S.C. 1675), in the first sentence, by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”; and

(2) in section 8 (16 U.S.C. 1671 note), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

The National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 4 (16 U.S.C. 2803)—

(A) in subsection (a)(2), by striking “acquaculture” and inserting “aquaculture”;

(B) in subsection (d), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting “, not less than once every 3 years,” after “periodic reviews”; and

(C) in subsection (e)—

(i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting “, not less than once every 3 years,” after “undertake a continuing assessment of aquaculture in the United States”;

(ii) in paragraph (5), by striking “and” at the end;

(iii) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(iv) by adding at the end the following:

“(7) a catalog of new and existing capital constraints, as described in the capital requirements plan formulated under section 8(b), that affect the development of the aquaculture industry in the United States; and

(8) a catalog of new and existing Federal or State regulatory barriers, as described in the regulatory constraints plan formulated under section 9(b), to the initiation and operation of commercial aquaculture ventures.”;

(2) in section 5 (16 U.S.C. 2804), by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:

“(d) Aquaculture advisory committee.—

(1) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the Secretary shall establish an advisory committee, to be known as the Aquaculture Advisory Committee (referred to in this subsection as the “Committee”), to advise the Secretary on—

(A) oversight of programs of the Department and other members of the coordinating group to support development of, and to advance, aquaculture best practices using the best available science, in consultation with farmers and industry partners;

(B) providing technical assistance to aquaculture farmers and businesses, including technical assistance that pertains to shellfish, algae, and land-based aquaculture systems, using the best available science; and

(C) any other aspects of the implementation of this Act.

(2) Membership.—

(A) In general.— The Committee shall be composed of 14 members, who are not officers or employees of the Federal Government.

(B) Initial appointments.— The Secretary shall appoint the members of the Committee not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section.

(C) Period of initial appointment; vacancies.—

(i) In general.— Except as provided in clause (ii), a member of the Committee shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.

(ii) Initial appointments.— Of the members first appointed to the Committee—

(I) 5 of the members, as determined by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a term of 3 years;

(II) 5 of the members, as determined by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a term of 2 years; and

(III) 4 of the members, as determined by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a term of 1 year.

(iii) Vacancies.— Any vacancy in the Committee—

(I) shall not affect the powers of the Committee; and

(II) shall be filled as soon as practicable in the same manner as the original appointment.

(D) Consecutive terms.— An initial appointee of the Committee may serve an additional consecutive term if the member is reappointed by the Secretary.

(3) Meetings.—

(A) Frequency.— The Committee shall meet not fewer than 3 times per year.

(B) Initial meeting.— Not later than 180 days after the date on which the members are appointed under paragraph (2)(B), the Committee shall hold the first meeting of the Committee.

(4) Duties.— The Committee shall—

(A) develop recommendations and advise the Secretary on aquaculture policies, initiatives, and outreach administered by the Department;

(B) evaluate and review ongoing research and extension activities relating to aquaculture practices;

(C) identify new and existing barriers to successful aquaculture practices; and

(D) provide additional assistance and advice to the Secretary as appropriate.

(5) Personnel matters.—

(A) Compensation.— A member of the Committee shall serve without compensation.

(B) Travel expenses.— A member of the Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.

(6) Termination.—

(A) In general.— Subject to subparagraph (B), the Committee shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date on which the members are appointed under paragraph (2)(B).

(B) Extensions.— Before the date on which the Committee terminates, the Secretary may renew the Committee for 1 or more 2-year periods.

(e) Annual report.— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, and each year thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the coordinating group and in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior, shall prepare on an annual basis, and submit to Congress, a report on the status of aquaculture in the United States. Such report shall contain—

(1) a description and evaluation of the actions undertaken with respect to the Plan during the reporting period;

(2) an explanation of any revisions made to the Plan during the reporting period;

(3) the results of the continuing assessment established under section 4(e);

(4) an evaluation of the role each Federal department or agency has in supporting the aquaculture industry;

(5) the total amount and value of expenditures of Federal departments or agencies on—

(A) aquaculture purchases;

(B) aquaculture promotion and outreach supporting the aquaculture industry;

(C) grants made to the aquaculture industry; and

(D) grants to facilitate aquaculture research and the subject matter of such research;

(6) a summary of the activities and recommendations of the Aquaculture Advisory Committee established under subsection (d);

(7) a summary of the activities and recommendations of the coordinating group; and

(8) such other comments and recommendations as the Secretary determines appropriate.”; and

(3) in section 10 (16 U.S.C. 2809), by striking “2023” each place it appears in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) and inserting “2031”.

Section 7116 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (7 U.S.C. 2207d) is amended—

(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “Not later than” and inserting the following:

“(a) In general.— Not later than”; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

“(b) Outreach.— Not later than February 1 of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide information relating to each matching requirement applicable to the State under the programs referred to in subsection (a) to the Governor and legislature of each State in which an 1862 Institution or 1890 Institution (as those terms are defined in section 2 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601)) is located.

(c) Attestations.—

(1) In general.— Not less frequently than once each calendar year, the Governor of each State described in subsection (b) shall submit to the Secretary an attestation that describes if the State is able to fulfill each matching requirement with respect to which information is provided by the Secretary under such subsection for such State and calendar year.

(2) Reports.— Not later than December 31 of each calendar year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress, and make publicly available on the website of the Department of Agriculture, an annual report describing the attestations received under paragraph (1) during that calendar year.”.

Section 1431 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act Amendments of 1985 (title XIV of Public Law 99–198; 99 Stat. 1556) is repealed.

Section 3(b)(3) of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 343(b)(3)) is amended by inserting after “for the purposes set forth in section 2” the following: “, and for 1994 Institutions to acquire, alter, repair, maintain, and operate relevant equipment necessary to strengthen the capacity of such 1994 Institutions to achieve the purposes set forth in section 2”.

Section 7601 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 5939) is amended—

(1) in subsection (d)(1)—

(A) in subparagraph (B)—

(i) in clause (ii), by striking “of Agriculture; and” and inserting a semicolon; and

(ii) by striking clause (iii); and

(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking “the roadmap for agricultural research, education, and extension authorized by section 7504 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 7614a)” and inserting “the national research policies and priorities set forth in section 1402 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101)”;

(2) in subsection (e)(2)(C)(i)—

(A) in subclause (I), by striking “National Academy of Sciences” and inserting “National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board established under section 1408 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123)”; and

(B) in subclause (II), by striking “industry” and inserting “national farm, producer, or research organizations”; and

(3) in subsection (f)(3)(B)(i)—

(A) in subclause (I)—

(i) in the matter preceding item (aa), by striking “and post online” and inserting “online and submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate”;

(ii) in item (bb), by striking “and” at the end;

(iii) in item (cc), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(iv) by adding at the end the following:

“(dd) the source and a description of all gifts to the Foundation of real or personal property;

(ee) the source and amount of each gift to the Foundation of money, including a specification of any restrictions on the purposes for which a gift to the Foundation may be used;

(ff) the source and amount of any Federal or State grant, contract, or cooperative agreement awarded to the Foundation;

(gg) an accounting of the use of funds made available under subsection (g)(1);

(hh) a description of the Foundation’s outreach activities to agricultural stakeholders and potential research partners; and

(ii) a description of the Foundation’s consultation process with the Department under subsection (d)(1)(B).”;

(B) by striking subclauses (II) and (III); and

(C) by redesignating subclause (IV) as subclause (II).

Section 6402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1632b) is amended—

(1) in subsection (d)—

(A) in paragraph (2)—

(i) by striking “Each Agriculture Innovation Center” and inserting “Subject to paragraph (3), each Agriculture Innovation Center”; and

(ii) by striking “following::” and inserting “following:”; and

(B) by adding at the end the following:

“(3) Waiver.— The Secretary may waive the requirement described in paragraph (2) with respect to an eligible entity if the Secretary determines that the eligible entity has a board of directors adequate for the purpose of carrying out this section.”; and

(2) in subsection (g), by striking “2023” and inserting “2031”.

Public Law 100–208 (101 Stat. 1439) is amended by striking “Knipling-Bushland Research Laboratory” each place it appears and inserting “Knipling-Bushland Research Center”.

(a) Designation.— The U.S. National Poultry Research Center of the Department of Agriculture located in Athens, Georgia shall be known and designated as the “U.S. Abit Massey National Poultry Research Center”.

(b) References.— Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the “U.S. Abit Massey National Poultry Research Center”.

Section 5 of the Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361e) is amended—

(1) in the second sentence—

(A) by striking “known as a director” and inserting “known as an experiment station director”; and

(B) by striking “or other officer appointed by the government board of the station”;

(2) in the third sentence, by striking “or other officer”; and

(3) in the fourth sentence, by striking “the authorized receiving officer” and inserting “the experiment station director”.

(a) Establishment.— There is established a commission to be known as the Commission on National Agricultural Statistics Service Modernization (referred to in this section as the “Commission”).

(b) Study.— The Commission shall conduct a study of the National Agricultural Statistics Service and provide recommendations on—

(1) how data collection can be modernized and streamlined to—

(A) improve the quality of statistics reported;

(B) account for differences of national, regional, and local production;

(C) accelerate adoption of new and innovative technologies to reduce the number of surveys needed;

(D) improve producer response rates in statistical surveys and identifying ways to reduce survey fatigue;

(E) increase transparency and confidence in statistical reports through improved collaboration with agricultural stakeholders;

(F) use more real-time statistical and environmental data to complement existing survey-based data and reporting; and

(G) improve collection and generation of timely data on the specialty crop industry; and

(2) how the recommendations under paragraph (1) with respect to modernizing and streamlining data collection can be implemented and the estimated costs of such implementation.

(c) Membership.—

(1) Composition.— The Commission shall be composed of 11 members, as follows:

(A) The Administrator of the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

(B) The Administrator of the Economic Research Service.

(C) The Chief Economist of the Department.

(D) The Chair of the World Agricultural Outlook Board of the Department.

(E) A representative from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

(F) 3 members appointed by the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, of which—

(i) 1 shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee;

(ii) 1 shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee; and

(iii) 1 shall be appointed jointly by the chair and ranking member of the Committee.

(G) 3 members appointed by the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, of which—

(i) 1 shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee;

(ii) 1 shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee; and

(iii) 1 shall be appointed jointly by the chair and ranking member of the Committee.

(2) Date of appointments.— The appointment of all members of the Commission shall be made not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

(3) Term; vacancies.—

(A) Term.— A member shall be appointed for the life of the Commission.

(B) Vacancies.— A vacancy on the Commission—

(i) shall not affect the powers of the Commission; and

(ii) shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made.

(4) Initial meeting.— Not later than 60 days after the date on which all members of the Commission have been appointed, the Commission shall hold the initial meeting of the Commission.

(d) Quorum.— A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.

(e) Chair.— The Chair of the Commission shall be selected by a majority of the members of the Commission.

(f) Report.— Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the President, the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report containing the results of the study required by subsection (b), including—

(1) an inventory of surveys conducted by the Commission, and the frequency with which they are conducted; and

(2) such recommendations for administrative, regulatory, and legislative changes as the Commission considers appropriate.

(g) Hearings.— The Commission shall hold such hearings, meet and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out this section.

(h) Stakeholder engagement.— The Commission shall establish a process to collect feedback from agricultural stakeholders to inform the results of the study required under subsection (b) and the report required under subsection (f).

(i) Information from Federal agencies.— The Commission may secure directly from a Federal agency such information as the Commission considers necessary to carry out this section. On request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of the agency shall provide the information to the Commission.

(j) Postal services.— The Commission may use the United States mail in the same manner and under the same conditions as other agencies of the Federal Government.

(k) Assistance from secretary.— The Secretary shall provide to the Commission appropriate office space and such reasonable administrative and support services as the Commission may request.

(l) Compensation of members.—

(1) Non-Federal employees.— A member of the Commission who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel time) during which the member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the Commission.

(2) Federal employees.— A member of the Commission who is an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall serve without compensation in addition to the compensation received for the services of the member as an officer or employee of the Federal Government.

(3) Travel expenses.— A member of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from the home or regular place of business of the member in the performance of the duties of the Commission.

(m) Federal advisory committee act.— Sections 1009 and 1013 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the Commission or any proceeding of the Commission.

(n) Termination.— The Commission shall terminate on September 30, 2031.

(o) Funding.— Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, to remain available until expended.

(a) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) 4–H club.—

(A) In general.— The term 4–H club means a 4–H club recognized under the 4–H Program.

(B) Inclusion.— The term 4–H club includes an authorized agent of a 4–H club.

(2) 4–H emblem or name.— The term 4–H emblem or name means the 4–H sign or emblem, consisting of a green four-leaf clover with stem and the letter “H” in white or gold on each leaflet, and the words “4–H”, “4–H Club”, and “4–H Clubs”, used to identify and distinguish the 4–H Program and the activities, clubs, members, goods, and services of the 4–H Program.

(3) 4–H program.— The term 4–H Program—

(A) In general.— The term 4–H Program means the youth development program of the land-grant colleges or universities, the Cooperative Extension System (as defined by the Secretary), and the Department.

(B) Inclusion.— The term 4–H Program includes an authorized agent of the 4–H Program.

(4) Land-grant college or university.— The term land-grant college or university—

(A) In general.— The term land-grant college or university means an 1862 Institution, an 1890 Institution, or a 1994 Institution (as those terms are defined in section 2 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601)).

(B) Inclusion.— The term land-grant college or university includes an authorized agent of a land-grant college or university.

(b) Effect of repeal; ratification.—

(1) Civil acts.— Any civil act or action of the 4–H Program, a 4–H club, the Secretary, or a land-grant college or university taken with respect to the use of the 4–H emblem or name, or the recognition of any 4–H club, during the period beginning on May 8, 1914, and ending on the date of enactment of this Act, is deemed to be of legal force and effect and ratified as if section 1002(3) of the Clean Up the Code Act of 2019 (title X of division O of Public Law 116–260; 134 Stat. 2155) had not been enacted into law.

(2) Effect on criminal law.— Nothing in this subsection affects the effect on criminal law of the repeal made by section 1002(3) of the Clean Up the Code Act of 2019 (title X of division O of Public Law 116–260; 134 Stat. 2155).

(c) Authorizations for use of 4–H emblem or name; fees; deposits.—

(1) Authorization.— The Secretary may—

(A) use the 4–H emblem or name; and

(B) grant authorizations to use the 4–H emblem or name, as provided by regulations issued by the Secretary.

(2) Fees.— An authorization under paragraph (1) may be granted—

(A) without a fee or other consideration; or

(B) for a fee or other consideration.

(3) Use of fees.— The Secretary shall deposit into a special account any fees collected under paragraph (2)(B), the amounts in which shall remain available to the Secretary until expended, without further appropriation, for furthering the 4–H Program.

(d) Unauthorized use of 4–H emblem or name.—

(1) Prohibition.— Whoever, other than the 4–H Program, a 4–H club, the Department, a land-grant college or university, and those authorized by them, uses in commerce the 4–H emblem or name or any reproduction, counterfeit, copy, or colorable imitation of the 4–H emblem or name to indicate membership in an association, organization, or other collective group, or in connection with the sale, offering for sale, distribution, or advertising of goods or services, on or in connection with which that use is likely to cause confusion, to cause mistake, or to deceive as to membership or participation in, an affiliation, connection, or association with, or authorization or approval by, a 4–H club or the 4–H Program, shall be subject to the civil action under paragraph (2).

(2) Civil action.— The Attorney General, on behalf of the Secretary, or contract counsel procured by the Secretary, may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States against whoever engages in any of the prohibited acts described in paragraph (1) for the remedies provided in the Act of July 5, 1946 (commonly known as the “Trademark Act of 1946” or the “Lanham Act”) (15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.).

(e) Savings clauses.—

(1) Prior authorized uses.— Nothing in this section makes unlawful the use of any emblem, name, sign, symbol, insignia, or words that was lawful on December 26, 2020.

(2) Delegation.— Nothing in this section limits the authority of the Secretary to delegate the authority of the Secretary as otherwise authorized by law.

Section 251 of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6971) is amended—

(1) in subsection (c)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “and” at the end;

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

“(3) be responsible for the coordination of research activities with other Federal agencies.”;

(2) in subsection (e)(3)(C), by striking “not less than 3 years” and inserting “not less than 1 year”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(h) Interagency coordination.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary shall carry out cross-cutting and collaborative research and development activities focused on the joint advancement of the mission requirements and priorities of the Department of Agriculture and other Federal agencies.

(2) Memoranda of understanding.—

(A) Department of Energy.—

(i) In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the Secretary and the Secretary of Energy(referred to in this subparagraph as the “Secretaries”) shall coordinate the activities under paragraph (1) through the establishment of memoranda of understanding or other appropriate interagency agreements. Such a memorandum or such an agreement shall require the use of a competitive, merit-reviewed process as appropriate. Activities may include components proposed by Federal agencies, National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and other entities deemed appropriate under the memorandum or agreement.

(ii) Coordination.— In carrying out the activities under paragraph (1), the Secretaries may—

(I) conduct collaborative research in a variety of focus areas;

(II) develop methods to accommodate large voluntary standardized and integrated data sets on agricultural, environmental, supply chain, and economic information with variable accuracy and scale;

(III) promote collaboration and open community-based development between—

(aa) Federal agencies;

(bb) National Laboratories;

(cc) institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));

(dd) nonprofit institutions;

(ee) industry partners; and

(ff) other entities deemed appropriate under the memorandum or agreement involved;

(IV) support research infrastructure, including new facilities and equipment, and workforce development as the Secretaries determine necessary;

(V) conduct collaborative research, development, and demonstration of methods and technologies; and

(VI) facilitate relations between public and private entities to carry on the activities of this clause upon the termination of any agreement established under this subparagraph.

(iii) Agreements.— In carrying out the activities under this subparagraph, the Secretaries are authorized to—

(I) carry out reimbursable agreements between the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, and other entities in order to maximize the effectiveness of research and development; and

(II) collaborate with other Federal agencies, as appropriate.

(B) National Science Foundation.—

(i) In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the Secretary and the Director of the National Science Foundation (referred to in this subparagraph as the “Director”) shall coordinate the activities under paragraph (1) through the establishment of memoranda of understanding or other appropriate interagency agreements. Such a memorandum or such an agreement shall require the use of a competitive, merit-reviewed process as appropriate. Activities may include components proposed by Federal agencies, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and other entities deemed appropriate under the memorandum or agreement.

(ii) Coordination.— In carrying out the activities under paragraph (1), the Secretary and the Director may—

(I) conduct collaborative research in a variety of focus areas;

(II) promote collaboration and open, community-based development between—

(aa) Federal agencies;

(bb) institutions of higher education;

(cc) community colleges (as defined in section 3167B of the Energy Science Education Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C. 7381c–3));

(dd) area career and technical education schools (as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302));

(ee) nonprofit institutions;

(ff) industry partners; and

(gg) other entities deemed appropriate under the memorandum or agreement;

(III) support research infrastructure, including new facilities, equipment and broadband deployment, as the Secretary and Director determine necessary;

(IV) develop translational technologies for commercial utilization;

(V) organize education, training, and research initiatives relating to STEM education and workforce development, which may include—

(aa) activities supported by the Cooperative Extension System;

(bb) industrial partnership programs;

(cc) workshops for educating kindergarten through grade 12 teachers on how to increase agricultural literacy;

(dd) development of agricultural-based science curricula for kindergarten through grade 12 students; and

(ee) distribution of resources for educators to implement curricula; and

(VI) facilitate relationships between public and private entities to carry on the activities under this clause upon the termination of any agreement established under this subparagraph.

(iii) Agreements.— In carrying out the activities under this subparagraph, the Secretary and the Director are authorized to—

(I) carry out reimbursable agreements between the Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, and other entities in order to maximize the effectiveness of research and development; and

(II) collaborate with other Federal agencies as appropriate.

(C) Department of Defense.—

(i) In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense (referred to in this subparagraph as the “Secretaries”) shall coordinate the activities under paragraph (1) through the establishment of memoranda of understanding or other appropriate interagency agreements. Such a memorandum or such an agreement shall require the use of a competitive, merit-reviewed process as appropriate. Activities may include components proposed by Federal agencies, National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, industry, and other entities deemed appropriate under the memorandum or agreement.

(ii) Coordination.— In carrying out the activities under paragraph (1), the Secretaries may—

(I) conduct collaborative research in a variety of focus areas, including the areas specified in clause (iv);

(II) develop methods to accommodate large voluntary standardized and integrated data sets on agricultural, environmental, supply chain, and economic information with variable accuracy and scale;

(III) promote collaboration and secure information sharing with stakeholders that are capable of increasing market-based adoption of technologies developed pursuant to the memoranda of understanding or other appropriate interagency agreements entered into under this subparagraph;

(IV) promote collaboration and open community-based development between—

(aa) Federal agencies;

(bb) National Laboratories;

(cc) institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));

(dd) nonprofit institutions;

(ee) industry partners; and

(ff) other entities deemed appropriate under the memorandum or agreement involved;

(V) support research infrastructure, including new facilities and equipment, and workforce development as the Secretaries determine necessary;

(VI) conduct collaborative research, development, and demonstration of methods and technologies; and

(VII) facilitate relations between public and private entities to carry on the activities of this clause upon the termination of any agreement established under this subparagraph.

(iii) Agreements.— In carrying out the activities under this subparagraph, the Secretaries are authorized to—

(I) carry out reimbursable agreements between the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, and other entities in order to maximize the effectiveness of research and development; and

(II) collaborate with other Federal agencies, as appropriate.

(iv) Focus areas described.— The focus areas described in this clause are the following:

(I) Management strategies for water, energy, soil, forests, and food to reduce scarcity risks to civilian and military operations.

(II) Innovations applicable to defense objectives and beneficial to rural agricultural economies, including—

(aa) precision agriculture technologies;

(bb) drones;

(cc) remote sensing; and

(dd) positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities.

(III) Mitigation of the impacts of chemicals, specifically perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly referred to as PFAS), released through activities carried out by the Department of Defense, to farmland contiguous to military bases.

(D) Department of Health and Human Services.—

(i) In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this paragraph as the “Secretaries”) shall coordinate the activities under paragraph (1) through the establishment of memoranda of understanding or other appropriate interagency agreements. Such a memorandum or such an agreement shall require the use of a competitive, merit-reviewed process as appropriate. Activities may include components proposed by Federal agencies, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, industry, and other entities deemed appropriate under the memorandum or agreement.

(ii) Coordination.— In carrying out the activities under paragraph (1), the Secretaries may—

(I) conduct collaborative research in a variety of focus areas related to enhancing the capacity of domestic producers to increase production of those crops which are appropriate for natural color additives, including—

(aa) which crops are most effectively used in the reliable production of natural color additives;

(bb) genetics of such crops;

(cc) ways to address barriers to production at scale, including pest and disease pressure, harvesting technologies, and other such areas; and

(dd) infrastructure needs relevant to such production and processing, such as juicing or extraction facilities;

(II) promote collaboration and information sharing with stakeholders;

(III) promote collaboration and open, community-based development between—

(aa) Federal agencies;

(bb) institutions of higher education;

(cc) nonprofit institutions;

(dd) industry partners; and

(ee) other entities deemed appropriate under the memorandum or agreement involved;

(IV) support research infrastructure, including new facilities and equipment, and workforce development as the Secretaries deem necessary;

(V) conduct collaborative research, development, and demonstration of methods and technologies;

(VI) conduct research on economic impact on the supply chain to transition to natural colors; and

(VII) facilitate relations between public and private entities to carry on the activities of this clause upon the termination of any agreement established under this subparagraph.

(iii) Agreements.— In carrying out the activities under this subparagraph, the Secretaries are authorized to—

(I) carry out reimbursable agreements between the Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other entities in order to maximize the effectiveness of research and development; and

(II) collaborate with other Federal agencies, as appropriate.

(E) Other Federal agencies.— In addition to the memoranda of understanding with Federal agencies described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), the Secretary shall, as appropriate, enter into memoranda of understanding with the heads of other Federal agencies to coordinate the activities under paragraph (1).

(3) Report.— Not later than two years after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report detailing—

(A) interagency coordination between each Federal agency involved in the research and development activities carried out under this section;

(B) potential opportunities to expand the technical capabilities of each Federal agency involved in the research and development activities carried out under this section;

(C) collaborative research achievements;

(D) areas of future mutually beneficial successes;

(E) continuation of coordination activities between each Federal agency involved in the research and development activities carried out under this section;

(F) potential opportunities for additional memoranda of understanding with other Federal agencies; and

(G) any additional information as the Secretary deems appropriate.

(4) Research security.— The activities authorized under this section shall be applied in a manner consistent with subtitle D of title VI of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as division B of the CHIPS Act of 2022 (Public Law 117–167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.)).”.

(a) In general.— The Secretary shall establish an Agricultural Innovation Corps (referred to in this section as the “Ag I–Corps”) to promote technology transfer and increase the economic impact of federally-funded research through—

(1) supporting agricultural researchers, students, and institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), in exploring the commercial potential of technologies developed in laboratories through a standardized entrepreneurial training program; and

(2) bringing together Agriculture Research Service researchers and institutions of higher education within a distinct geographical region to collaborate and deliver a standardized entrepreneurial training curriculum.

(b) Eligibility.— Agricultural researchers, students, and institutions of higher education receiving funds from the Department shall be eligible to participate in Ag I–Corps.

(c) Follow-on grants.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary may make funds available from the Small Business Innovation Research Program for competitive grants to Ag I–Corps participants to help support—

(A) prototype or proof-of-concept development; and

(B) such activities as the Secretary considers necessary to build local, regional, and national infrastructure for agricultural entrepreneurship.

(2) Limitation.— Grants under paragraph (1) shall be limited to participants in Ag I–Corps with innovations that, because of the early stage of development of such innovations, are not eligible to participate in a Small Business Innovation Research Program or Small Business Technology Transfer Program (as defined in section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638)).

(d) Partnerships.— The Secretary may engage in partnerships with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, economic development organizations, and nonprofit organizations to provide access to Ag I–Corps to support entrepreneurship education and training for agricultural researchers, students, and institutions of higher education under this section.

(e) Report.— Not later than September 30, 2027, and not less frequently than once every other year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report on the efficacy of Ag I–Corps, including metrics on the effectiveness of the program.

(a) In general.— Not later than September 30, 2026, the Secretary of Agriculture shall conduct a study on, and submit to Congress a report on, ways to increase opportunities for 1890 Institutions (as defined in section 2 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601)) to conduct educational programs and provide technical assistance with respect to issues relating to the transfers of agricultural land and assets, including heirs property, to the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

(b) Heirs property defined.— In this section, the term “heirs property” means real property held in tenancy in common which, as of the date on which a partition action is filed, satisfies all of the following requirements:

(1) There is no recorded agreement binding all the co-tenants which governs the partition of the property.

(2) One or more of the co-tenants acquired title from a relative, whether living or deceased.

(3) Any of the following applies:

(A) 20 percent or more of the interests are held by co-tenants who are relatives.

(B) 20 percent or more of the interests are held by an individual who acquired title from a relative, whether living or deceased.

(C) 20 percent or more of the co-tenants are relatives.

It is the Sense of Congress that—

(1) institutions of higher education that offer two-year degree programs, such as junior or community colleges (as defined in section 312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058)), are at the forefront of agricultural workforce development and education opportunities, especially in the conservation space;

(2) such programs have a proven record of success in developing a skilled workforce for agriculture, providing landowners the resources and expertise necessary to reduce erosion and damage, improve long-term sustainability, and solve land management problems, which all ultimately improve agricultural productivity; and

(3) investing in agricultural programs at two-year degree programs at institutions of higher education is crucial to the success of the United States agriculture industry, economy, and environment.

(a) Limitation on REE Research Portfolio.— The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, shall ensure that none of the research, education, or extension activities carried out or funded under the jurisdiction of the Research, Education, and Economics mission area involve domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) or domestic cats (Felis catus) in which the animals are subjected to pain or distress that is not alleviated with appropriate sedation, analgesia, or anesthesia, consistent with pain categories established by the Secretary pursuant to the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) and described in paragraphs (5) through (7) of section 2.36(b) of title 9, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act).

(b) Exception.— Subsection (a) shall not apply to research related to the training and use of dogs for the purpose of safeguarding domestic agricultural and natural resources from foreign and invasive pests and diseases, including activities authorized under the Beagle Brigade Act of 2023 (Public Law 118–191).

(c) Waiver Authority.— The Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, and the Under Secretary alone, may waive the prohibition under subsection (a) on a case-by-case basis if the Under Secretary determines that—

(1) the research is necessary to protect national security, animal and crop health, or public health, safety, or welfare; and

(2) no reasonable alternative methods exist that would achieve the same scientific objective without the use of procedures described in subsection (a).

(d) Congressional Notification.— Not later than 30 days before granting a waiver under subsection (c), the Under Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a written notification that includes—

(1) a detailed justification for the waiver, including the specific national security or public health need;

(2) a description of the research to be conducted, including the number and species of animals involved;

(3) the projected cost to taxpayers;

(4) an explanation of why alternatives are not feasible; and

(5) the expected duration of the waiver.

The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, shall—

(1) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act—

(A) conduct a survey on grape production in each State, including—

(i) total acreage; and

(ii) production, utilization, and acreage by type, variety, county, and year planted; and

(B) make publicly available on the website of the National Agricultural Statistics Service the results of such survey, including the data from such survey; and

(2) not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 years, for each of the 5 States with the highest grape production, as determined based on the survey required under paragraph (1), conduct a survey in the State, and make the results available, in accordance with such paragraph.

(a) Limitation on foreign research.— The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, shall prohibit research, education, or extension activities involving vertebrate animals carried out or funded under the jurisdiction of the Research, Education, and Economics mission area from being conducted in, or performed in collaboration with, the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation or other foreign countries of concern (as defined in section 10638(2) of the CHIPS Act of 2022 (42 3 U.S.C. 19237(2)).

(b) Waiver authority.— The Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (and no other Federal official) may waive the prohibition under subsection (a) on a case-by-case basis if the Under Secretary determines that the research is necessary to protect national security, animal and crop health, or public health, safety, or welfare.

(c) Congressional Notification.— Not later than 30 days before granting a waiver under subsection (b), the Under Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a written notification that includes—

(1) a detailed justification for the waiver, including the specific national security or public health need;

(2) a description of the research to be conducted, including the location, collaborators, and number and species of animals involved;

(3) the projected cost to taxpayers; and

(4) the expected duration of the waiver.