[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9667 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9667
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to
establish a sustainable agriculture research and education resilience
initiative, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 21, 2022
Ms. Schrier (for herself and Ms. Pingree) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to
establish a sustainable agriculture research and education resilience
initiative, 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 ``Sustainable Agriculture Research and
Education Modernization Act'' or the ``SARE Modernization Act''.
SEC. 2. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PURPOSE,
DEFINITIONS, AND FUNDING.
(a) Purpose and Definitions.--Section 1619 of the Food,
Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5801) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(B) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(7) increase resilience and climate change mitigation in
the context of a changing climate and related economic, social,
environmental, and biodiversity challenges.''; and
(2) by subsection (b) to read as follows:
``(b) Definitions.--For purposes of this subtitle:
``(1) The terms `1890 Institution' and `1994 Institution'
have the meanings given such terms in section 2 of the
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of
1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601).
``(2) The term `agribusiness' includes a producer or
organization engaged in an agricultural enterprise with a
profit motive.
``(3) The term `climate change mitigation' means, with
respect to agricultural management systems, the ability of such
system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester and
store carbon in agricultural soils and plant biomass.
``(4) The term `extension' has the meaning given such term
in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research,
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103).
``(5) The term `Hispanic-serving institution' has the
meaning given such term in section 1404 of the National
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of
1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103).
``(6) The term `regional host institution' means an entity
that is identified pursuant to section 1622(a) to carry out
projects under section 1621 in a specific region of the United
States.
``(7) The term `integrated crop and livestock management
systems and practices' means a set of management measures and
activities that integrate all controllable agricultural
production and conservation factors for long-term sustained
productivity, profitability, resilience, soil carbon
sequestration and storage, and ecological soundness.
``(8) The term `nonprofit organization' means an
organization, group, institute, or institution that--
``(A) has a demonstrated capacity to conduct
agricultural research or education programs;
``(B) has experience in research, demonstration,
education, or extension in sustainable agricultural
practices and systems; and
``(C) qualifies as a nonprofit organization under
section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
``(9) The term `resilience' means, with respect to an
agricultural management system, the ability of such system to
absorb, mitigate, and recover from climate and other
disturbances, such that the system thrives in the face of
severe challenges.
``(10) The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of
Agriculture.
``(11) The term `State' means each of the 50 States, the
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam,
the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Trust
Territory of the Pacific Islands, or federally recognized
Indian tribes.
``(12) The term `State agricultural experiment stations'
shall have the same meaning given to that term by section 1404
of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching
Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103).
``(13) The term `sustainable agriculture' shall have the
same meaning given to that term by section 1404 of the National
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of
1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103).''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Title XVI of the Food,
Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5801 et
seq.) is amended--
(1) by inserting after section 1620 the following:
``SEC. 1620A. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028.'';
(2) by striking section 1624; and
(3) in section 1627, by striking subsection (d).
SEC. 3. BEST UTILIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS.
(a) Research and Extension Projects.--Section 1621 of the Food,
Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5811) is
amended--
(1) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
``(b) Grants and Agreements.--The Secretary shall carry out this
section through grants awarded to, and agreements entered into with,
land-grant colleges or universities (including 1890 Institutions and
1994 Institutions), other universities (including Hispanic-serving
institutions), State agricultural experiment stations, the State
cooperative extension services, nonprofit organizations with
demonstrable expertise, or Federal, State, or Tribal governmental
entities.'';
(2) in subsection (f), by striking ``and environmental
implications'' and inserting ``, environmental, and public
policy implications''; and
(3) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:
``(g) Selection; Terms.--
``(1) Regional host institution selection.--The Secretary
shall select regional host institutions not more frequently
than once every 10 years.
``(2) Cooperative agreements.--The term of a cooperative
agreement entered into under subsection (b) with a regional
host institution shall be 10 years.
``(3) Grants.--The term of a competitive grant awarded by a
regional host institution under this section may not exceed 5
years.''.
(b) Program Administration.--Section 1622(b) of the Food,
Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990(b) (7 U.S.C. 5812) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) through (K)
as subparagraphs (F) through (L);
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the
following:
``(E) 1890 Institutions, 1994 Institutions,
Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native serving
institutions, or Native Hawaiian serving
institutions;'';
(C) in subparagraph (F), as so redesignated, by
striking ``Soil'' and inserting ``Natural Resources'';
and
(D) by amending subparagraph (K), as so
redesignated, to read as follows:
``(K) rural sociologists or other social scientists
with demonstrable expertise; and'';
(2) in paragraph (2)(C), by inserting ``, with diverse
representation of farmers, scientists, educators, and non-
profit representatives,'' after ``technical committee''; and
(3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, fellowships, or
other awards'' after ``proposed projects''.
(c) Sunset of Federal-State Matching Grant Program.--Section 1623
of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C.
5813) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Sunset.--The Secretary may not award grants under this
section on or after September 30, 2023.''.
SEC. 4. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER
PROGRAM.
(a) Technical Guides and Books.--Section 1628 of the Food,
Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5831) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``Not later than two years after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary''
and inserting ``The Secretary''; and
(B) by striking ``educational materials'' and
inserting ``educational and outreach resources and
materials'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``and
Coordination'';
(B) by striking ``educational materials'' and
inserting ``educational and outreach resources and
materials''; and
(C) by striking ``The Secretary shall coordinate
activities'' and all that follows through ``section
1446'';
(3) in subsection (c), by striking ``educational
materials'' and inserting ``educational and outreach resources
and materials'';
(4) in subsection (d)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking ``educational materials'' and inserting
``educational and outreach resources and materials'';
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as
paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate
change;'';
(5) in subsection (e), by striking ``Soil Conservation''
and inserting ``Natural Resources Conservation''; and
(6) by striking subsection (f).
(b) National Training Program.--Section 1629 of the Food,
Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5832) is
amended--
(1) by striking subsections (c), (d), and (i);
(2) by redesignating subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h) as
subsections (c), (d), (e), and (f), respectively;
(3) in subsection (e), as so redesignated--
(A) in paragraph (5), by striking ``Soil
Conservation Service and the Agricultural Stabilization
and Conservation Service'' and inserting ``Natural
Resources Conservation Service and the Farm Service
Agency'';
(B) in paragraph (7), by inserting ``cover crops,
perennial production systems, integrated crop and
livestock management systems and practices'' after
``alternative crops,'';
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (10) and (11) as
paragraphs (13) and (14), respectively; and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following;
``(10) develop and provide information concerning climate
change adaptation and mitigation developed under this subtitle
and other research and education programs of the Department;
``(11) provide specific information on ecological systems-
based pest management practices developed under this subtitle
and other research and education programs of the Department;
``(12) provide specific information on organic farming
systems developed under this subtitle and through the research
program section 1672B and other appropriate research programs
of the Department;''; and
(4) in subsection (f), as so redesignated, by striking
``Soil Conservation Service'' and inserting ``Natural Resources
Conservation Service''.
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