National Agricultural Research Policy Act

National Agricultural Research Policy Act - Declares that the purposes of this Act are to emphasize agricultural research as a distinct mission of the Department of Agriculture, to be certain such research is effectively coordinated, and to provide a mechanism for identifying the Nation's highest priority problems for agricultural research.

Provides for an additional Assistant Secretary of Agriculture to be responsible for the agricultural research activities of the Department of Agriculture and to serve as co-chairman of the National Agricultural Research Policy Committee. Directs the Secretary to appoint a scientist to serve and report to such new Assistant Secretary and to act as Executive Secretary of such Committee.

Establishes, within the Department of Agriculture, the National Agricultural Research Policy Committee. Specifies the membership of such Committee.

States that the Committee's responsibilities shall include: (1) reviewing programs, policies and goals of agricultural research agencies; (2) providing a forum for research sponsoring agencies to exchange information on agricultural plans and programs; and (3) making recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture regarding applications for funding of mission-oriented basic agricultural research. Requires such Committee to annually submit a report of its activities to specified committees of the Congress. Defines "mission-oriented basic agricultural research" as research on fundamental science topics with regard to which there is a basic need in existence for new knowledge that would be genrated by such research, has a strong potential for benefitting mankind and deals with more than an unproven concept.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to land grant colleges and universities eligible for assistance under the First and Second Morrill Acts and to State agricultural experiment stations eligible for assistance under the Hatch Act to carry out mission-oriented basic research.

Allows the Secretary to make grants on a competitive basis to Federal agencies, research institutions, organizations and individuals for agricultural research, without regard to matching State funds.

Authorizes appropriations of $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1977, $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 and $250,000,000 for fiscal year 1979.

Declares it to be the sense of Congress that Federal funding for existing agricultural research programs be increased by $250,000,000 annually.