Advancing Cutting Edge Agriculture Act or the ACE Agriculture Act
This bill reauthorizes the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) and expands the program's environmental sustainability goals. (The program supports innovative research and development of technology, research tools, and products to address long-term and high-risk challenges related to food and agriculture.)
The bill expands the program's goals to include water conservation and responding to greenhouse gas emissions, as well as resilience to (1) drought, (2) infectious diseases, and (3) plant and animal pathogens and pests.
The bill also removes the current pilot program designation and requires the Department of Agriculture to establish and maintain an AGARDA staff.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2385 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2385
To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching
Policy Act of 1977 to extend and permanently authorize the Agriculture
Advanced Research and Development Authority, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 29, 2023
Mr. Panetta (for himself and Mr. Feenstra) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching
Policy Act of 1977 to extend and permanently authorize the Agriculture
Advanced Research and Development Authority, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Advancing Cutting Edge Agriculture
Act'' or the ``ACE Agriculture Act''.
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF AGARDA.
Section 1473H of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3319k) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``pilot'';
(2) in subsection (a)(6), by striking ``growing,'' and
inserting ``growing (including water conservation technologies
and innovation),'';
(3) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``pilot'';
(B) 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, the reduction, avoidance, sequestration,
or mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, and
resilience to extreme weather, drought, infectious
diseases, plant and animal pathogens, and plant and
animal pests;''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``or
economic cost'' after ``financial
uncertainty'';
(C) in paragraph (3)(B)--
(i) in clause (ii), in the matter preceding
subclause (I), by striking ``advise the Chief
Scientist on, and''; and
(ii) by amending clause (iii) to read as
follows:
``(iii) Relationship within the department
of agriculture.--
``(I) Chief scientist.--The
Director shall report to the Chief
Scientist.
``(II) Other programs.--No other
official who is the head of any other
program of the Department of
Agriculture shall report to the
Director.'';
(D) in paragraph (6), by striking ``pilot'' each
place it appears in subparagraphs (A) and (B); and
(E) by amending paragraph (9) to read as follows:
``(9) Personnel matters.--
``(A) In general.--The Director shall establish and
maintain within the AGARDA a staff with sufficient
qualifications and expertise to enable the AGARDA to
carry out the responsibilities of the AGARDA under this
section in conjunction with other operations of the
Department of Agriculture.
``(B) Use of existing personnel authorities.--In
carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may appoint
highly qualified individuals to scientific or
professional positions on the same terms and conditions
as provided in subsections (b)(3), (b)(4), (c), (d),
(e), and (f) of section 620 of the Agricultural
Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998
(7 U.S.C. 7657).'';
(4) in subsection (c), 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 the AGARDA under this section.'';
(5) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (C);
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``$50,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting
``$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through
2029''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Other funding.--In addition to amounts otherwise made
available to carry out this section, the Secretary may use to
carry out this section other funds available to the Secretary
for any other purpose.
``(5) Clarification.--Nothing in paragraph (2) or (4)
authorizes the use of the funds of the Commodity Credit
Corporation to carry out this section.''; and
(6) by striking subsection (e).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
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