H.R. 7567 — what changed

Section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)) is amended—

“(20) 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 and biological targeting to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and maintain environmental quality.

“(21) Precision agriculture technology—The term precision agriculture technology means any technology (including targeted inputs and the equipment that is necessary for the deployment of such technology) that directly contributes to a reduction in, or improved efficiency of, inputs used in crop or livestock production, including—

“(A) Global Positioning System-based or geospatial mapping technology;

“(B) satellite or aerial imagery technology;

“(C) yield monitors;

“(D) soil mapping technology;

“(E) sensors for gathering data on crop, soil, or livestock conditions;

“(F) Internet of Things and telematics technologies;

“(G) data management software and advanced analytics;

“(H) network connectivity products and solutions;

“(I) Global Positioning System guidance or auto-steer systems;

changed “(J) variable rate technology for applying inputs, such as section control; andcontrol;

changed “(K) any other technology, as determined by the Secretary, that directly contributes to a reduction in, or improved efficiency of, the use of crop or livestock production inputs, which may include seed, feed, fertilizer, soil amendments, chemicals, water, and time.”immersive technologies; and

added “(L) any other technology, as determined by the Secretary, that directly contributes to a reduction in, or improved efficiency of, the use of crop or livestock production inputs, which may include seed, feed, fertilizer, soil amendments, chemicals, water, and time.”

“(30) Wildlife habitat connectivity—The term wildlife habitat connectivity means the degree to which landscape or habitat elements facilitate native species movement among seasonal habitats.”

“(B) Limitation—For purposes of applying the limitations in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, enroll and maintain not fewer than 8,600,000 acres of land under subparagraph (A) by September 30, 2031.”

added “(IV) land that will be enrolled under the State acres for wildlife enhancement initiative established by the Secretary; and”

changed Section 1240A(6)(B)(v) 1240A(6) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1(6)(B)(v)) 3839aa–1(6)) is amended by inserting “(including the adoption of precision agriculture practices and the acquisition of precision agriculture technology)” after “planning”.amended—

“(1) Easement restoration—The Secretary is authorized to restore appropriate vegetative cover, hydrological functions, and other functions and values of the land subject to a floodplain easement acquired under subsection (a).

“(2) Easement maintenance—The Secretary is authorized to monitor, maintain, and enhance appropriate vegetative cover, hydrological restoration measures, and other restoration measures on land subject to a floodplain easement acquired under subsection (a).

“(3) Contracts and agreements—In carrying out paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary may—

“(A) enter into contracts with landowners; and

“(B) enter into agreements with States, nongovernmental organizations, and Indian Tribes.

“(4) Compatible use authority—The Secretary may authorize a landowner to carry out activities on land subject to a floodplain easement acquired under subsection (a) that are—

“(A) compatible uses necessary to carry out paragraph (1) or (2); or

“(B) compatible economic uses (including such activities as hunting and fishing, managed timber harvest, water management, or periodic haying or grazing) if such uses are consistent with the long-term protection of the floodplain functions and values for which the easement was acquired.”

“(c) Level of restoration—In carrying out this section, the Secretary may undertake measures that increase the level of protection above that which would be necessary to address the immediate impairment of the watershed if the Secretary determines that such restoration is in the best interest of the long-term health of the watershed and the long-term protection of the watershed from repetitive impairments.”

added “(d) Preagreement costs

added “(1) Definition of sponsor—In this subsection, the term “sponsor” means—

added “(A) a State or local government; and

added “(B) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)).

added “(2) Preagreement project costs—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall—

added “(A) identify a list of emergency watershed protection measures the cost of which may be incurred by a sponsor prior to entering into an agreement with the Secretary under this section; and

added “(B) develop a procedure, including appropriate deadlines, to be implemented at the State level, through which a sponsor may request, for a specified natural disaster, additional emergency watershed protection measure the cost of which may be incurred by a sponsor prior to entering into an agreement with the Secretary under this section.

added “(3) Agreement contribution—If the Secretary and a sponsor enter into an agreement under this section, the Secretary shall consider any applicable preagreement costs incurred by the sponsor for undertaking emergency watershed protection measures identified under paragraph (2) as meeting part of the contribution of the sponsor toward the cost of the project.

added “(4) Asuumption of risk—A sponsor that undertakes emergency watershed protection measures prior to entering into an agreement with the Secretary under this section shall assume the risk of incurring any cost of undertaking those measures.

added “(5) Effect—Nothing in this subsection requires the Secretary to enter into an agreement with a sponsor.”

“(i) $2,530,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;

“(ii) $2,730,000,000 for fiscal year 2028;

“(iii) $3,130,000,000 for fiscal year 2029;

“(iv) $3,175,000,000 for fiscal year 2030; and

“(v) $3,255,000,000 for fiscal year 2031; and”

“(5) The forest conservation easement program under subtitle I, using, to the maximum extent practicable—

“(A) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;

“(B) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2028;

“(C) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2029;

“(D) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2030; and

“(E) $65,000,000 for fiscal year 2031.

“(6) The regional conservation partnership program under subtitle J, to the maximum extent practicable—

“(A) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;

“(B) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2028;

“(C) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2029;

“(D) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2030; and

“(E) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2031.”

“(A) subtitle D (except for subchapter B of chapter 1 of such subtitle), subtitle H, subtitle I, or subtitle J;”

added “(2) Composting as conservation practice and activity

added “(A) In general—The Secretary shall by regulation provide that composting is a conservation practice and a conservation activity for the purposes of this title.

added “(B) Composting defined

added “(i) In general—For the purposes of this paragraph, the term composting means—

added “(I) an activity (including an activity that does not require the use of a composting facility) to produce compost from organic waste that is—

added “(aa) generated on a farm; or

added “(bb) brought to a farm from a nearby community and used to produce compost on that farm; and

added “(II) the use and active management of compost on a farm, in accordance with any applicable Federal, State, or local law, to improve water retention and soil health.

added “(ii) Determination of nearby communities—The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall issue regulations for determining whether a community is nearby for purposes of clause (i)(I), which shall ensure that bringing organic waste from the community to the farm to produce compost results in a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.”

changed “(2) Non-Federal certifying entity—The term non-Federal certifying entity means a non-Federal entity, an Indian Tribe, or a State agency described in subparagraph (B), (C), or (D) of subsection (e)(4) that has entered into an agreement under subsection (e)(5)(D).”(e)(5)(D).

added “(3) Farmer-to-farmer network—The term “farmer-to-farmer network” means any affiliation or association of farmers that share information, technical assistance, or any other type of mutually beneficial support.”

“(A) ensure that persons (including commercial entities, nonprofit entities, State or local governments or agencies, and other Federal agencies) with expertise in the technical aspects of conservation planning, watershed planning, environmental engineering, conservation practice design, implementation, and evaluation, and any other technical skills determined appropriate by the Secretary, are eligible to become approved providers of the technical assistance;”

“(4) Certification—A third-party provider may be certified to provide technical assistance under this section only—

“(A) through a certification process administered by the Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service;

“(B) by a non-Federal entity (other than a State agency or an Indian Tribe) approved by the Secretary under paragraph (5) to certify a third-party provider;

“(C) by an Indian Tribe approved by the Secretary under paragraph (5) to certify a third-party provider; or

“(D) by a State agency that—

“(i) has statutory authority to certify, administer, or license professionals in one or more fields of natural resources, agriculture, or engineering; and

“(ii) is approved by the Secretary under paragraph (5) to certify a third-party provider.

“(5) Non-Federal certifying entity

“(A) Establishment of approval process—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the Secretary shall establish a process to approve a non-Federal entity (including a State agency and an Indian Tribe), to become a non-Federal certifying entity.

“(B) Approval—Not later than 60 days after the date on which the Secretary receives an application by a non-Federal entity to certify third-party providers under this section, the Secretary shall make a decision on whether to approve such application.

“(C) Eligibility—In carrying out subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall take into consideration—

“(i) the ability of the applicable non-Federal entity to assess the qualifications of a third-party provider and to certify third-party providers at scale;

“(ii) the experience of the applicable non-Federal entity in working with third-party providers and eligible participants;

“(iii) the expertise of the applicable non-Federal entity in the technical skills described in paragraph (3)(A); and

“(iv) such other qualifications as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

“(D) Agreement—Upon approving an application under this paragraph, the Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the non-Federal entity to become a non-Federal certifying entity.

“(E) Duties of non-Federal certifying entities—In certifying third-party providers under this section, a non-Federal certifying entity shall—

“(i) assess the ability of a third-party provider to appropriately provide technical assistance to eligible participants for specified practices and conservation activities;

“(ii) provide training to ensure that a third-party provider is qualified to provide technical assistance upon certification by the non-Federal certifying entity; and

“(iii) submit to the Secretary, in a timely manner, information on—

“(I) each third-party provider certified by the non-Federal certifying entity, for inclusion on the registry of certified third-party providers maintained by the Secretary; and

“(II) each third-party provider the certification of which is withdrawn by the non-Federal certifying entity.

“(6) Timely decisions

“(A) Certification by Secretary—Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary receives an application from a third-party provider to be certified under the process described in paragraph (4)(A) for particular practices and conservation activities, the Secretary shall—

“(i) make a final decision with respect to such application; and

“(ii) if the final decision is to certify the third-party provider, include the name of the certified third-party provider on the registry of certified third-party providers maintained by the Secretary.

“(B) Certification by non-Federal certifying entity—Not later than 10 days after the date on which the Secretary receives a notification from a non-Federal certifying entity that a third-party provider was certified, pursuant to subparagraph (B), (C), or (D) of paragraph (4), for particular practices and conservation activities, the Secretary shall include the name of the certified third-party provider on the registry of certified third-party providers maintained by the Secretary.

“(7) Streamlined certification—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the Secretary shall establish a streamlined process for the Secretary and non-Federal certifying entities to use to certify under this section a third-party provider that has a relevant professional certification for particular practices and conservation activities, as determined by the Secretary.”

“(3) Update of certification process by the Secretary—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, and periodically thereafter, the Secretary shall—

“(A) review the certification processes under paragraphs (4)(A) and (7) of subsection (e);

“(B) make any adjustments considered necessary by the Secretary to—

“(i) increase the number of third-party providers delivering technical assistance; and

“(ii) improve the quality of technical assistance delivered by third-party providers;

“(C) conduct outreach to, and receive input on the barriers for third-party providers to become certified under this section from—

“(i) third-party providers that are, or have been, certified under this section; and

“(ii) other interested parties associated with eligible participants; and

“(D) set a target rate of utilization of third-party providers to deliver technical assistance across all conservation programs administered by the Secretary.”

“(5) Payment amount

“(A) In general—For payments provided by the Secretary under paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (c), the Secretary shall determine payment amounts for technical assistance provided by third-party providers, which shall be at rates equivalent to, but that do not exceed, the cost to the Secretary of providing technical assistance directly to an eligible participant.

“(B) Considerations—In determining payment amounts under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consider specialized equipment, frequency of site visits, training, travel and transportation, and such other factors as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

“(C) Exclusion—A payment provided under subsection (c)(3) shall be excluded from calculations relating to any cost-sharing requirements of the applicable conservation program under which the payment was provided.

“(6) Transparency—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, and periodically thereafter, the Secretary shall make publicly available information on—

“(A) funds obligated to third-party providers through—

“(i) contracts entered into between eligible participants and individual third-party providers; and

“(ii) agreements with public and private sector entities to secure third-party technical assistance;

“(B) the certification process under this section, including—

“(i) the number of third-party providers certified by the Secretary;

“(ii) the number of non-Federal certifying entities approved by the Secretary;

“(iii) the number of third-party providers certified by non-Federal certifying entities (other than State agencies and Indian Tribes);

“(iv) the number of third-party providers certified by Indian Tribes;

“(v) the number of third-party providers certified by State agencies; and

“(vi) the number of third-party providers certified through the streamlined certification process described in subsection (e)(7);

“(C) how third-party providers contribute to the quality and effectiveness of conservation practices implemented and adopted through conservation programs administered by the Secretary, and what improvements are needed; and

“(D) the target rate of utilization of third-party providers set under paragraph (3)(D) and how actual rate of utilization compares to the target rate.”

“(7) Soil health planning—The Secretary shall emphasize the use of third-party providers in providing technical assistance for soil health planning, including planning related to the use of cover crops, precision agriculture practices, comprehensive nutrient management planning, and other innovative plans.”

“(A) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, and at least every 5 years thereafter, complete a review of each conservation practice standard, including engineering design specifications;”

“(D) evaluate opportunities to increase flexibility in conservation practice standards in a manner that integrates new and innovative technologies that provide equivalent or improved natural resource benefits compared to the standards in effect at the time of the review;”

“(E) provide a process for public input on each conservation practice standard under such review, including a process for consideration of State and local input;

“(F) publicly post a summary of any input received under subparagraph (E) and any decisions made relating to such input; and

“(G) revise any conservation practice standard based on the results of such review, as determined appropriate by the Secretary, and publish any such revised standard.”

“(3) Process for establishment of interim and new conservation practice standards

“(A) In general—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the Secretary shall develop a streamlined process under which the Secretary shall establish interim conservation practice standards and new conservation practice standards.

“(B) Development—In developing the streamlined process under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall—

“(i) ensure that the public can engage with the Department of Agriculture, including by recommending interim conservation practice standards; and

“(ii) establish—

“(I) the types of data, metrics, and other relevant information that are necessary for the establishment of interim conservation practice standards and new conservation practice standards;

“(II) the process by which an interim conservation practice standard may become a new conservation practice standard; and

“(III) specific requirements for an expedited review of a new conservation practice for the purpose of establishing a new conservation practice standard for such practice.

“(C) Considerations—In establishing an interim conservation practice standard or a new conservation practice standard under this subsection, the Secretary shall consider—

“(i) input from State technical committees on recommendations that identify innovations or advancements in conservation practices;

“(ii) technological advancements, including advancements from projects developed under section 1240H;

“(iii) State and local input in the form of—

“(I) recommendations for interim conservation practice standards; and

“(II) partnership-led proposals for new and innovative techniques to facilitate implementing agreements and grants under this title; and

“(iv) input from native entities in the form of information relating to native traditional ecological knowledge that can inform conservation practice standards.

“(D) Innovative technology priority—In reviewing conservation practice standards under this subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize the review of interim conservation practice standards and new conservation practice standards that integrate innovative technologies, including—

“(i) precision agriculture technologies;

“(ii) biological fertilizers, biostimulants, enhanced efficiency fertilizers, and other tools determined by the Secretary to reduce nutrient loss;

“(iii) animal feed additives;

“(iv) perennial production systems, including agroforestry and perennial forages and grain crops; and

“(v) any other innovative technology, as determined by the Secretary.

“(E) Transparency—The Secretary shall make available on a public website a detailed description of the process for recommending, reviewing, and establishing interim conservation practice standards and new conservation practice standards under this paragraph.”

“(D) any other information the Secretary determines useful to improve such streamlined process for reviewing and establishing conservation practice standards.”

“(5) Office of Conservation Innovation

“(A) In general—The Secretary shall establish within the Office of the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service an Office of Conservation Innovation (referred to in this paragraph as the “Office”) which shall be under the direct supervision of the Chief.

“(B) Duties—The Office shall—

“(i) provide support to the Chief in meeting the requirements of this subsection; and

“(ii) encourage innovation in conservation practices through—

“(I) revisions of existing conservation practice standards;

“(II) recommendations of interim conservation practice standards; and

“(III) recommendations of new conservation practice standards.

“(C) Staff—The Chief shall detail to the Office not more than 6 employees of the Department of Agriculture who are technical specialists that possess an understanding of conventional, organic, and other production techniques, representing—

“(i) agronomy and agroecology (including soil health, biological nutrient sources, and compatible cover cropping systems);

“(ii) grazing lands ecology (including rangeland, pastureland, and grazed forest land);

“(iii) animal husbandry (including animal nutrition and feed management);

“(iv) water conservation, drainage water management, and irrigation engineering technology;

“(v) agricultural engineering (including animal waste management, energy, and structural measures); and

“(vi) forest ecology and agroforestry.

changed “(6) Funding—The Secretary shall use funding from the annual appropriations for conservation operations of the Natural Resources Conservation Service to carry out this subsection.”subsection.

added “(7) Development of composting practice standard—In addition to conducting a review under this subsection of any composting facility practice standard established before the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall establish a composting practice standard under the process developed under paragraph (3).”

“(j) NRCS direct hire authority

“(1) In general—The Secretary may appoint, without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code (other than sections 3303 and 3328 of such title), qualified candidates, as described in paragraph (2), directly to positions within the Natural Resources Conservation Service that provide technical assistance under conservation programs administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

“(2) Qualifications—Paragraph (1) applies to a candidate who—

“(A) is qualified to provide the technical assistance described in paragraph (1), as determined by the Secretary; and

“(B) meets qualification standards established by the Office of Personnel Management.”

“(k) Addressing barriers to wildlife habitat connectivity

“(1) In general—The Secretary shall—

“(A) to the maximum extent practicable, fully incorporate nonstructural methods to control livestock distribution, such as virtual fencing, into the conservation practice standards; and

“(B) provide for the appropriate range of conservation practices and resource mitigation measures available to landowners using nonstructural methods described in subparagraph (A).

“(2) Availability of adequate technical assistance—The Secretary shall ensure that adequate technical assistance is available for the implementation of—

“(A) nonstructural methods described in paragraph (1)(A); and

“(B) other practices that support wildlife habitat connectivity through Federal conservation programs.”

added “(l) Provision of assistance to farmer-to-farmer networks

added “(1) Purposes—The purposes of this subsection are—

added “(A) to build capacity for farmer-to-farmer networks, connect farmers with mentors or group learning opportunities, and support goal setting to increase long-term adoption of consistent, science-based, site-specific practices designed to achieve conservation objectives on land active in agricultural, forestry, or related uses;

added “(B) to increase the provision of technical assistance that meets the specific needs of, and is accessible to, farmers, ranchers, and forest owners using different farming models, practices, and scales;

added “(C) to establish and steward farmer-to-farmer networks; and

added “(D) to establish reporting requirements for activities carried out under this subsection.

added “(2) Cooperative agreements

added “(A) In general—The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with eligible entities to carry out the purposes described in paragraph (1).

added “(B) Eligible entities—An entity eligible to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary under subparagraph (A) is—

added “(i) a nonprofit entity described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code;

added “(ii) a farmer-to-farmer network;

added “(iii) an Indian Tribe or a Tribal organization (as such term is defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act);

added “(iv) a unit of local government (including a conservation district and a conservation district association);

added “(v) an institution of higher education;

added “(vi) a State; and

added “(vii) any other entity designated by the Secretary.

added “(C) Prioritization—In selecting eligible entities with which to enter into cooperative agreements under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that seek to meet the specific needs of, and are accessible to—

added “(i) historically underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest owners, including limited-resource farmers, ranchers, and forest owners (as determined by the Secretary); or

added “(ii) farmers, ranchers, and forest owners operating in high-poverty areas (as determined by the Secretary).

added “(3) Responsibilities of providers of assistance to farmer-to-farmer networks

added “(A) In general—If an eligible entity provides assistance to establish a farmer-to-farmer network using assistance provided through a cooperative agreement under paragraph (2), the eligible entity shall be responsible for not less than 2 of the following actions:

added “(i) Facilitating and increasing farmer access to farmer-to-farmer networks.

added “(ii) Facilitating mentor and mentee matchmaking among farmers.

added “(iii) Coordinating training and resources to build the skills of farmer-to-farmer network leaders and participants for effective education, grassroots-based learning, and cross-training with respect to the facilitation of, information about, and other skills with respect to building effective farmer-to-farmer networks.

added “(iv) Maintaining and promulgating a list of relevant entities, associations, and individuals that are supporting, or have an interest in supporting, farmer-to-farmer networks.

added “(v) Administering subawards to increase farmer access to farmer-to-farmer assistance in accordance with paragraph (4).

added “(vi) Other actions determined appropriate by the Secretary.

added “(B) Language assistance—If an eligible entity provides assistance described in subparagraph (A) to a non-English speaking farmer, rancher, or forest owner, the eligible entity shall, to the greatest extent practicable, provide that assistance in the native language of the farmer, rancher, or forest owner.

added “(C) Reporting—An eligible entity that enters into a cooperative agreement under paragraph (2) shall annually submit to the Secretary a report describing—

added “(i) the conservation activities carried out under the cooperative agreement; and

added “(ii) any subawards administered pursuant to subparagraph (A)(v).

added “(4) Subawards

added “(A) In general—If an eligible entity awards a subaward pursuant to paragraph (3)(A)(v) to an eligible subawardee described in subparagraph (B), the eligible subawardee shall use that award—

added “(i) to plan and conduct events, and identify and develop innovative activities, to support building capacity for farmer-to-farmer networks, connecting farmers with mentors or group learning opportunities, and supporting goal setting to increase long-term adoption of consistent, science-based, site-specific conservation objectives on land active in agricultural, forestry, or related uses; and

added “(ii) to compensate participants in the events and activities described in clause (i) at market rates.

added “(B) Eligible subawardees—An entity eligible for a subaward under paragraph (3)(A)(v) is—

added “(i) a nonprofit entity described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code;

added “(ii) a farmer-to-farmer network;

added “(iii) an Indian Tribe or a Tribal organization (as such term is defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act);

added “(iv) a unit of local government (including a conservation district and a conservation district association);

added “(v) an institution of higher education;

added “(vi) an individual; and

added “(vii) any other entity designated by the Secretary.

added “(C) Requirements—The Secretary, in conjunction with the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, shall establish any necessary additional requirements for subawards under paragraph (3)(A)(v).

added “(5) Reporting—Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this subsection, 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 the status of activities funded under this subsection, including—

added “(A) funding awarded;

added “(B) the results of the activities, including, if feasible, conservation practice adoption outcomes; and

added “(C) if applicable, outreach activities the Secretary has considered incorporating into other conservation technical assistance efforts as a result of the program established under this subsection.”

Section 205 of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1725), as amended by section 3101(b)(1), is further amended—

“(4) Technical assistance to improve infrastructure in foreign markets for united states agricultural commodities

“(A) In general—As part of the program established under this subsection, the Secretary shall enter into contracts or other agreements, with eligible trade organizations or with nonprofit organizations with expertise in supply chain infrastructure, to provide needs assessments, training, and other technical assistance to enhance the capabilities of infrastructure in new and developing foreign markets, including infrastructure relating to cold chain capacity, port improvements, and other developments, to ensure that United States agricultural commodities are not damaged or lost due to deficiencies of such infrastructure.

“(B) Limitation—Of the amounts made available to carry out the program established under this subsection, not more than $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2027 and not more than $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2028 and each fiscal year thereafter may be made available to carry out this paragraph.”

“(7) Biennial report

“(A) In general—The Secretary, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, shall submit every two years to the appropriate congressional committees a report detailing the competitiveness of United States specialty crops.

“(B) Elements—The report required by subparagraph (A) shall—

“(i) identify and analyze acts, policies, or practices of foreign countries that constitute significant barriers to, or distortions of, United States exports of specialty crops, including the imposition of—

“(I) tariffs (including retaliatory tariffs) or quotas (including tariff-rate quotas); and

“(II) nontariff barriers, including technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, import licensing procedures, and subsidies;

changed “(ii) identify and analyze acts, policies, or practices of foreign countries that enhance the competitiveness of imported specialty crops with domestic specialty crop producers, including—producers;

removed “(I) the subsidization of exports from the producing country; and

removed “(II) the impact of any lack or circumvention of labor and environmental laws in the producing country;

“(iii) identify and analyze any differences in applicable food safety regulations of foreign countries that may result in imported specialty crops posing a risk to United States consumers;

“(iv) make an estimate of the impacts on the competitiveness of United States specialty crops of any act, policy, or practice identified under clauses (i) and (ii);

“(v) assess the extent to which each act, policy, or practice identified under clauses (i) and (ii) are subject to international agreements to which the United States is a party;

“(vi) include information with respect to any action taken by the executive or legislative branches during the two years preceding submission of the report, or expected to be taken after submission of the report, to eliminate any act, policy, or practice identified under clauses (i) and (ii), including—

“(I) any action under section 301;

“(II) negotiations or consultations with foreign governments, which may include engagement through the standing committee on sanitary and phytosanitary matters established under a free trade agreement to which the United States is a party; and

“(III) action at the World Trade Organization, including dispute settlement actions, consultations, or negotiations; and

“(vii) a description of—

“(I) any funds provided under subsection (f)(3)(A)(iv) that were not obligated in the fiscal year preceding submission of the report; and

“(II) the reason such funds were not obligated.

“(C) Comment period—In preparing the report required by subparagraph (A), the Secretary, in coordination with the United States Trade Representative, shall seek and consider comments from the public and from the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Fruits and Vegetables.

“(D) Form of report—The report required by subparagraph (A) shall be made available to the public in machine-readable format.

“(E) Appropriate congressional committees defined—In this paragraph, the term appropriate congressional committees means—

“(i) the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives; and

“(ii) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Finance of the Senate.”

“(2) Funding amount—Of the funds of, or an equal value of commodities owned by, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section the following amounts, to remain available until expended:

“(A) For fiscal year 2026, $255,000,000.

“(B) For fiscal year 2027, $500,000,000.

“(C) For each of fiscal years 2028 through 2031, $533,000,000.”

“(I) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;

“(II) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; and

“(III) $410,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2031.”

“(I) $34,500,000 for fiscal year 2026;

“(II) $70,500,000 for fiscal year 2027; and

“(III) $82,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2031.”

“(I) $8,000,000 for each of fiscal year 2026 and 2027; and

“(II) $16,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2031.”

“(I) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2026; and

“(II) $18,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.”

added “509. Cooperative agreements for heirs property resolution through direct public interest legal services

added “(a) In general—The Secretary shall enter into cooperative agreements with eligible entities to provide legal or accounting services to underserved heirs, at no cost to the underserved heirs, to assist in resolving undivided ownership interests on farmland or forest land, or land transitioning to farmland or forest land, that has multiple owners. Such a cooperative agreement must be for any of the following purposes:

added “(1) To assist with transitioning land to agricultural production.

added “(2) To maintain land in agricultural production.

added “(3) To increase access to programs administered by the Secretary through the resolution of real property claims in order to allow real property owners to meet land ownership eligibility requirements for participation in a program administered by the Secretary.

added “(b) Administration of cooperative agreements

added “(1) Duration

added “(A) In general—A cooperative agreement under subsection (a) shall be in effect for not more than 4 years, subject to subparagraph (B).

added “(B) Special rule—The Secretary may extend a cooperative agreement or re-enter into a cooperative agreement with the same or a different eligible entity to provide continued services for heirs if—

added “(i) property ownership is not resolved within the initial term of the original cooperative agreement; and

added “(ii) the entity certifies that the entity understands that the cooperative agreement is not guaranteed to be funded for more than 4 years after the commencement of the original cooperative agreement.

added “(2) Management of performance

added “(A) Annual reports—An eligible entity must provide annual reports to the Secretary summarizing the progress made during each fiscal year towards achieving the goals of the cooperative agreement for the heirs for whom services are provided under the cooperative agreement.

added “(B) Information and data—The Secretary may require an eligible entity to provide the Secretary with such information or data as the Secretary deems necessary to determine that the eligible entity is making acceptable progress. The data may not include personally identifiable information.

added “(C) Effect of failure to demonstrate success—If an eligible entity providing services under such a cooperative agreement does not demonstrate success, as determined by the Secretary, in resolving or reasonably attempting to resolve the property claims of an heir, the Secretary may terminate the agreement.

added “(3) Implementation—The Secretary may utilize requests for public input or the formal rulemaking process to effectuate this section. At a minimum, the Secretary shall make publicly available the criteria for selecting an eligible entity to enter into an agreement to provide services, the administrative and performance requirements for cooperative agreements under this section, as well as codify within its internal policy its implementation process.

added “(4) Heirs property not in farming—On a limited basis, and when determined by the Secretary to meet the purposes of a program administered by the Secretary and to expand access to such a program, the Secretary may allow an eligible entity to provide services at no cost to an heir who is not an underserved heir if—

added “(A) the land with respect to which the services are to be provided is not farmland or in agricultural production, but could be viably productive for agricultural, conservation, or forestry purposes;

added “(B) the heir satisfies all other requirements of the definition of “underserved heir”;

added “(C) the heir can provide proof to substantiate that the heir is in control of the real property; and

added “(D) the heir certifies to the Secretary that the heir intends to apply for, and make a good faith effort to enroll the land in, a program administered by the Secretary once property claims to the land are resolved through services provided under a cooperative agreement entered into under this section.

added “(c) Definitions—In this section:

added “(1) Eligible entity—The term “eligible entity” means a nonprofit organization that—

added “(A) provides legal or accounting services to an underserved heir at no cost to the underserved heir to resolve property ownership issues; and

added “(B) has demonstrated experience in resolving issues related to ownership and succession on farmland or forest land that has multiple owners.

added “(2) Limited resource heir—An heir shall be considered a limited resource heir for purposes of this section if—

added “(A) the total household income of the heir is at or below the national poverty level for a family of 4, or less than 50 percent of the county median household income for the 2 immediately preceding calendar years, as determined annually using data of the Department of Commerce; or

added “(B) the property of the heir for which legal services are provided pursuant to a cooperative agreement entered into under this section is in a persistent poverty community, as determined annually on the basis of data from the Department of Commerce, or a socially vulnerable area, as designated by the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention.

added “(3) Underserved heir—The term “underserved heir” means an heir with an undivided ownership interest in farmland or forest land that has multiple owners, who is—

added “(A) a limited resource heir;

added “(B) a member of a socially disadvantaged group (as defined in section 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990); or

added “(C) a veteran (as defined in section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code).

added “(d) Annual reports to congress—Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare, make public, and submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a written report on the activities carried out under this section in the year covered by the report.

added “(e) Limitations on authorization of appropriations—To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.”

removed “(f) Cooperative agreements for heirs property resolution through direct public interest legal services

removed “(1) In general—The Secretary shall enter into cooperative agreements with eligible entities to provide legal or accounting services to underserved heirs, at no cost to the underserved heirs, to assist in resolving undivided ownership interests on farmland or forest land, or land transitioning to farmland or forest land, that has multiple owners. Such a cooperative agreement must be for any of the following purposes:

removed “(A) To assist with transitioning land to agricultural production.

removed “(B) To maintain land in agricultural production.

removed “(C) To increase access to programs administered by the Secretary through the resolution of real property claims in order to allow real property owners to meet land ownership eligibility requirements for participation in a program administered by the Secretary.

removed “(2) Administration of cooperative agreements

removed “(A) Duration

removed “(i) In general—A cooperative agreement under paragraph (1) shall be in effect for not more than 4 years, subject to clause (ii).

removed “(ii) Special rule—The Secretary may extend a cooperative agreement or re-enter into a cooperative agreement with the same or a different eligible entity to provide continued services for heirs if—

removed “(I) property ownership is not resolved within the initial term of the original cooperative agreement; and

removed “(II) the entity certifies that the entity understands that the cooperative agreement is not guaranteed to be funded for more than 4 years after the commencement of the original cooperative agreement.

removed “(B) Management of performance

removed “(i) Annual reports—An eligible entity must provide annual reports to the Secretary summarizing the progress made during each fiscal year towards achieving the goals of the cooperative agreement for the heirs for whom services are provided under the cooperative agreement.

removed “(ii) Information and data—The Secretary may require an eligible entity to provide the Secretary with such information or data as the Secretary deems necessary to determine that the eligible entity is making acceptable progress. The data may not include personally identifiable information.

removed “(iii) Effect of failure to demonstrate success—If an eligible entity providing services under such a cooperative agreement does not demonstrate success, as determined by the Secretary, in resolving or reasonably attempting to resolve the property claims of an heir, the Secretary may terminate the agreement.

removed “(C) Implementation—The Secretary may utilize requests for public input or the formal rulemaking process to effectuate this subsection. At a minimum, the Secretary shall make publicly available the criteria for selecting an eligible entity to enter into an agreement to provide services, the administrative and performance requirements for cooperative agreements under this subsection, as well as codify within its internal policy its implementation process.

removed “(D) Heirs property not in farming—On a limited basis, and when determined by the Secretary to meet the purposes of a program administered by the Secretary and to expand access to such a program, the Secretary may allow an eligible entity to provide services at no cost to an heir who is not an underserved heir if—

removed “(i) the land with respect to which the services are to be provided is not farmland or in agricultural production, but could be viably productive for agricultural, conservation, or forestry purposes;

removed “(ii) the heir satisfies all other requirements of the definition of “underserved heir”;

removed “(iii) the heir can provide proof to substantiate that the heir is in control of the real property; and

removed “(iv) the heir certifies to the Secretary that the heir intends to apply for, and make a good faith effort to enroll the land in, a program administered by the Secretary once property claims to the land are resolved through services provided under a cooperative agreement entered into under this subsection.

removed “(3) Definitions—In this subsection:

removed “(A) Eligible entity—The term eligible entity means a nonprofit organization that—

removed “(i) provides legal or accounting services to an underserved heir at no cost to the underserved heir to resolve property ownership issues; and

removed “(ii) has demonstrated experience in resolving issues related to ownership and succession on farmland or forest land that has multiple owners.

removed “(B) Limited resource heir—An heir shall be considered a limited resource heir for purposes of this subsection if—

removed “(i) the total household income of the heir is at or below the national poverty level for a family of 4, or less than 50 percent of the county median household income for the 2 immediately preceding calendar years, as determined annually using data of the Department of Commerce; or

removed “(ii) the property of the heir for which legal services are provided pursuant to a cooperative agreement entered into under this subsection is in a persistent poverty community, as determined annually on the basis of data from the Department of Commerce, or a socially vulnerable area, as designated by the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention.

removed “(C) Underserved heir—The term underserved heir means an heir with an undivided ownership interest in farmland or forest land that has multiple owners, who is—

removed “(i) a limited resource heir;

removed “(ii) a member of a socially disadvantaged group (as defined in section 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990); or

removed “(iii) a veteran (as defined in section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code).

removed “(4) Annual reports to Congress—Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare, make public, and submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a written report on the activities carried out under this subsection in the year covered by the report.

removed “(5) Limitations on authorization of appropriations—To carry out this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.”

added “(e) Definition of State—In this title, the term ‘State’ has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Animal Welfare Act, and includes any Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act).”

“(e) Carryover of financial assistance—The Secretary shall permit a State that receives financial assistance under subsection (a) for a fiscal year to carry over not more than 25 percent of the financial assistance that is not expended by the end of the fiscal year, for use during the next fiscal year without deducting the amount from any assistance provided under this Act in subsequent fiscal years.”

Section 306(a)(22) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(22)) is amended to read as follows:

“(22) Rural water and wastewater circuit rider program

“(A) Establishment—The Secretary, through the Rural Utilities Service, shall continue a national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program that is consistent with the activities and results of the program conducted before the date of enactment of this Act, and with this section, as determined by the Secretary.

“(B) Purpose—The Rural Water and Wastewater Circuit Rider Program shall provide a network of expert rural water Circuit Riders located in all 50 States, including United States territories and Freely Associated States, which work one-on-one with eligible rural water and wastewater systems in major assistance categories described in subparagraph (D). The program is intended to help rural water systems operate effectively and efficiently and achieve long-term sustainability and compliance with certain Federal laws and requirements, including the Safe Water Drinking Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.) and the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.).

“(C) Eligible entities—In selecting recipients of grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to be made available for activities listed under subparagraph (D), the Secretary shall select nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated experience providing technical assistance and disaster and recovery assistance for water and wastewater utilities nationwide. Awardees shall rely on personnel that possess active water and wastewater operators’ licenses or overall knowledge of water utilities necessary to carry out eligible activities under subparagraph (D).

“(D) Eligible uses of funds—An eligible entity shall use funds under the Rural Water and Wastewater Circuit Rider program for a rural water, wastewater, or wastewater disposal facility for—

“(i) technical assistance, including—

“(I) Board training;

“(II) managerial and financial operations with the effort to enhance the long-term sustainability of rural water and wastewater systems, including partnerships, consolidation, and regionalization;

“(III) physical operation and maintenance of rural water and wastewater infrastructure;

“(IV) water treatment;

“(V) regulatory compliance;

“(VI) facility security;

“(VII) loan application and reporting;

“(VIII) cybersecurity;

“(IX) implementation of cybersecurity plans, procedures, and technologies to protect against cyberthreats; or

“(X) other areas the Secretary deems appropriate;

“(ii) disaster and recovery assistance including—

“(I) direct on-site personnel and equipment to eligible utilities;

“(II) coordinating in statewide emergency response networks;

“(III) facilitating the development of action plans between utilities, local governments, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State emergency management agencies;

“(IV) resiliency and mitigation planning;

“(V) GIS mapping;

“(VI) updating vulnerability assessments, preparation of emergency response plans, communication protocols, hazard recognition and evaluation skills;

“(VII) conducting preliminary damage assessments of critical infrastructure;

“(VIII) addressing outstanding deficiencies focused on resolving health-based regulatory, operational, financial, and managerial deficiencies that impact the sustainability of the affected utilities;

“(IX) application and reporting assistance for Federal and State requirements including Federal Emergency Management Agency and insurance recovery claims;

“(X) providing for disaster readiness, support, and response activities targeted to disadvantaged communities that lack the financial resources and human capital necessary to adequately address significant health, safety, or sanitary concerns; and

“(XI) other areas the Secretary deems appropriate.

“(iii) Additional uses—In response to activities under subparagraph (B) related to natural disasters and emergencies, not more than 5 percent of each award may be used to purchase or reimburse the rental costs of appropriate emergency equipment, as determined by the Secretary.

“(E) Eligible project areas—To receive assistance under the Rural Water and Wastewater Circuit Rider Program and carry out activities, an eligible entity must serve—

“(i) an area with a population of—

“(I) 10,000 or fewer inhabitants for technical assistance under subparagraph (D)(i); or

“(II) 50,000 or fewer inhabitants for disaster and recovery assistance under subparagraph (D)(ii); and

“(ii) a public body, nonprofit corporation, or Indian tribe with legal authority to own and operate the water facility.

changed “(F) Authorization of appropriations—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this paragraph $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 through fiscal year 2031.”2031.

added “(G) Continuity of essential circuit rider activities—Activities carried out under this subparagraph that are necessary to prevent imminent harm to life or property may continue during a lapse in appropriations, using unobligated balances previously appropriated under the heading “Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account”.”

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

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

added “(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.”

“(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;”

added “(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—

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

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

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

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

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

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

“(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.”

removed 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”.

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

“(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.

changed “(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.”crops.

added “(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.”

“(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.”

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

“(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))).”

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

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

“(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.

changed “(D) Other Federal agencies—In addition to the memoranda Department of understanding with Federal agencies described in subparagraphs (A) Health 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).Human Services

added “(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.

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

added “(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—

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

added “(bb) genetics of such crops;

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

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

added “(II) promote collaboration and information sharing with stakeholders;

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

added “(aa) Federal agencies;

added “(bb) institutions of higher education;

added “(cc) nonprofit institutions;

added “(dd) industry partners; and

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

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

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

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

added “(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.

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

added “(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

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

added “(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.)).”

“(B) Feasibility

“(i) In general—In approving”

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

“(C) Technical review agreement

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“(iii) Failure to comply with agreement

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

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

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

“(g) Funding—There”

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

changed “9014. “9015. Study on effects of solar panel installations on covered farmland

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

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

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

“(A) crop yields;

“(B) land values, including adjacent properties;

“(C) land access and tenure;

“(D) local economies; and

“(E) food security;

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

“(A) soil health;

“(B) water resources;

“(C) wildlife;

“(D) vegetation;

“(E) water drainage; and

“(F) air quality;

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

“(A) maintain or increase agricultural production;

“(B) increase agricultural resilience;

“(C) retain covered farmland;

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

“(E) reduce nonfarmer ownership of covered farmland; and

“(F) enhance biodiversity;

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

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

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

“(B) manure management considerations;

“(C) fencing requirements; and

“(D) other animal-handling considerations;

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

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

“(B) the impact on crop yield;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“(1) farmers;

“(2) ranchers;

“(3) landowners;

“(4) agricultural organizations;

“(5) State departments of agriculture and energy;

“(6) units of local government;

“(7) conservation organizations;

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

“(9) solar developers.

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

“(e) Definitions—In this section:

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

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

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

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

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

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

changed “9015. “9016. Limitation on USDA funding for ground-mounted solar energy systems

“(a) Definitions—In this section:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“(d) Covered farmland protection

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“(2) by—

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

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

Section 101 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note; Public Law 108–465) is amended—

added “(2) No cost-sharing or matching requirements—The Secretary may not impose any cost-sharing or matching requirement on any award or sub-award made using funds made available to carry out this section.”

“(e) Plan requirements—The State plan shall identify the lead agency charged with the responsibility of carrying out the plan and indicate—

“(1) how the grant funds will be utilized to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops; and

“(2) how outreach to, and consultation with, specialty crop producers and producer groups will be achieved.”

“(ii) a procedure under which a hemp producer shall be required to designate the type of production of the hemp producer as—

“(I) only industrial hemp; or

“(II) hemp grown for any purpose other than industrial hemp;”

“(i) notwithstanding subparagraph (A)(iii), a procedure for the use of visual inspections, performance-based sampling methodologies, certified seed, or a similar procedure when developing sampling plans for any producer who elects to be designated as a producer of only industrial hemp under subparagraph (A)(ii)(I);

“(ii) notwithstanding subsection (e)(3)(B)(i), a procedure for eliminating the 10-year period of ineligibility following the date of conviction for a felony related to a controlled substance for producers who elect to be designated as producers of only industrial hemp under subparagraph (A)(ii); and

“(iii) any other practice”

“(4) Inspection of industrial hemp producers

“(A) In general—If a State or Tribal plan referred to in paragraph (1) includes procedures for reducing or eliminating sampling or testing requirements under paragraph (2)(B)(i) for a producer of industrial hemp, the State or Indian tribe shall require the producer to provide documentation that demonstrates a clear intent to produce, and use in-field practices consistent with production of, only industrial hemp, such as a seed tag, sales contract, Farm Service Agency report, harvest technique, or harvest inspection.

“(B) Testing—If a producer fails to provide the documentation required under subparagraph (A), the State or Indian tribe involved shall require the producer to conduct the testing described in paragraph (2)(A)(iii).”

“(A) Reporting

“(i) In general—In the case of a State department of agriculture or a Tribal Government with respect to which a State or Tribal plan is approved under subsection (b), such State department of agriculture or Tribal Government (as applicable) shall immediately report a hemp producer to the Attorney General and, as applicable, the chief law enforcement officer of the State or Indian tribe, if the State department of agriculture or Tribal Government (as applicable) determines that the hemp producer has—

“(I) violated the State or Tribal plan with a culpable mental state greater than negligence; or

“(II) violated the State or Tribal plan by producing a crop that is inconsistent with the designation of only industrial hemp under subsection (a)(2)(A)(ii).

“(ii) Exception—Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to—

“(I) a violation described in subclause (I) of clause (i); or

“(II) the production of a crop inconsistent with its designation, as described in subclause (II) of such clause.”

“(ii) Exception—Clause (i) shall not apply to any person growing hemp that designates the type of production as only industrial hemp under subsection (a)(2)(A)(ii) if—

“(I) the State or Tribal plan approved under subsection (b) includes a procedure described in subsection (a)(2)(B)(ii); or

“(II) the plan established by the Secretary under section 297C includes a procedure described in subsection (a)(2)(B)(ii) of such section.”

“(D) Production inconsistent with industrial hemp designation—Any person who knowingly produces a crop that is inconsistent with the designation of only industrial hemp under subsection (a)(2)(A)(ii) shall be ineligible to participate in the program established under this section for a period of 5 years beginning on the date of the violation.”

“(A) shall include—

“(i) a practice to maintain”

“(ii) a procedure under which the Secretary shall require a hemp producer to designate the type of production of the hemp producer as—

“(I) only industrial hemp; or

“(II) hemp grown for any purpose other than industrial hemp;”

“(B) may include—

“(i) notwithstanding subparagraph (A)(iii), a procedure for the use of visual inspections, performance-based sampling methodologies, certified seed, or a similar procedure when developing sampling plans for any producer who elects to be designated as a producer of only industrial hemp under subparagraph (A)(ii);

“(ii) notwithstanding section 297B(e)(3)(B)(i), a procedure for eliminating the 10-year period of ineligibility following the date of conviction for a felony related to a controlled substance for producers who elect to be designated as producers of only industrial hemp under subparagraph (A)(ii); and

“(iii) such other practices or procedures as the Secretary considers to be appropriate, to the extent that the practice or procedure is consistent with this subtitle.”

“(3) Inspections of industrial hemp producers

“(A) In general—If a plan referred to in paragraph (1) includes procedures for reducing or eliminating sampling or testing requirements under paragraph (2)(B)(i) for a producer of only industrial hemp, the Secretary shall require the producer to provide documentation that demonstrates a clear intent to produce, and use in-field practices consistent with production of, industrial hemp, such as a seed tag, sales contract, Farm Service Agency report, harvest technique, or harvest inspection.

“(B) Testing—If a producer fails to provide the appropriate documentation required under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall require the producer to conduct the testing described in paragraph (2)(A)(iii).”

“(i) the designation of the type of production of the hemp producers under section 297B(a)(2)(A)(ii) or under subsection (a)(2)(A)(ii) of this section;”

“(D) the laboratory certificate of analysis for hemp disposed of under section 297B(a)(2)(A)(iv) or subsection (a)(2)(A)(iv) of this section.”

“(3) Laboratory accreditation—The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, shall establish a process by which the Department of Agriculture can issue certificates of accreditation to laboratories for the purposes of testing hemp in accordance with this subtitle.”

Section 12306 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 1632c) is amended—

“(e) Consultations

“(1) In general—Beginning with the first request for applications under this section that occurs at least 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, not later than 6 months before such a request for applications, the Secretary shall solicit input from maple syrup industry stakeholders with respect to the research and education priorities of the maple syrup industry.

“(2) Consideration—The Secretary shall consider the information provided through the consultation required under paragraph (1) when making grants under this section.”

removed Section 515(b) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1515(b)) is amended—

“(A) Initial finding—Notice”

“(B) Response—During the 90-day period beginning on the date the Corporation notifies an approved insurance provider through an initial finding under paragraph (1), such approved insurance provider may appeal such initial finding in writing.

“(C) Final finding—Not later than 90 days after the date on which an approved insurance provider appeals pursuant to subparagraph (B), the Corporation shall issue a final finding in writing to such approved insurance provider.

“(D) Request for final administrative determination—An approved insurance provider shall have not more than 90 days after the receipt of the Corporation’s final finding under subparagraph (C) to request, in writing, a final administrative determination, if such approved insurance provider has reason to believe that the Corporation’s final finding under subparagraph (C) is not in accordance with—

“(i) the applicable laws, regulations, custom, or practice of the crop insurance industry; or

“(ii) the approved policy and procedure of the Corporation.

“(E) Final determination—The Corporation shall have not more than 90 days after the receipt of a request for a final administrative determination under subparagraph (D) to provide such final administrative determination, unless substantial new information, as determined by the Corporation, is provided by the approved insurance provider.

“(F) Appeal to Civilian Board of Contract Appeals—An approved insurance provider shall have not more than 90 days after receipt of a final administrative determination provided pursuant to subparagraph (E) to appeal such determination to the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals.”

“(3) Effect of failure to timely notify

“(A) In general—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), failure of the Corporation to comply with the requirements under paragraph (2) shall relieve the approved insurance provider from the debt owed to the Corporation.

“(B) Exception—Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any matters referred to the Office of the Inspector General or the Department of Justice.”

“30. Protection of greyhounds

“(a) In general—It shall be unlawful—

changed “(1) for any person to knowingly engage in commercial greyhound racing, live lure training, or open field coursing events racing in which any greyhound is moved in interstate or foreign commerce;

“(2) to conduct any commercial greyhound racing or racing meeting where any form of betting or wagering on the speed or ability of greyhounds occurs;

changed “(3) to conduct open field coursing engage in or live lure training with the use of any bait that is not an inanimate object;facilitate simulcast betting or wagering on greyhound races in interstate or foreign commerce; and

changed “(4) for any person to engage in or facilitate simulcast betting knowingly sell, buy, possess, train, transport, deliver, or wagering on receive any greyhound races for purposes of having the greyhound participate in interstate or foreign commerce; andcommercial greyhound racing.

removed “(5) for any person to knowingly sell, buy, possess, train, transport, deliver, or receive any greyhound for purposes of having the greyhound participate in commercial greyhound racing, live lure training, or open field coursing events.

“(b) Investigations—The Secretary, or any other person authorized by the Secretary, shall make such investigations as the Secretary determines necessary to determine whether any person has violated or is violating any provision of this section. The Secretary may obtain the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of the Treasury, or other law enforcement agencies of the United States, and State and local governmental agencies, in the conduct of such investigations, under cooperative agreements with such agencies.

“(c) Penalties—Any person who violates any of paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (a) shall be fined under this Act, imprisoned for not more than 7 years, or both, for each such violation. Each instance of a violation of any such paragraph shall be considered a single violation.

“(d) Definitions—In this section:

“(1) Commercial greyhound racing—The term commercial greyhound racing means any event involving the participation of greyhounds in which betting or wagering on the speed or ability of such greyhounds occurs.

“(2) Simulcast—The term simulcast means the simultaneous audio or visual transmission from one location of foreign or domestic greyhound races taking place at a different location and gambling on the results of such races.”