Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026”.
Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026
A BILL
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to establish research and extension grant priorities, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Research and extension priorities
Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(21) Advanced mechanized harvester technologies research and extension
“(A) In general—Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of developing and evaluating technologies to mechanize agricultural processes.
“(B) Emphasis—In awarding grants under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may place emphasis on mechanizing the process for harvesting specialty crops.
“(22) Agricultural application of artificial intelligence research and extension
“(A) In general—Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of developing and evaluating agricultural uses of artificial intelligence.
“(B) Emphasis—In awarding grants under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may place emphasis on uses of artificial intelligence that improve specialty crop production.
“(23) Invasive species research and extension—Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of supporting research projects at 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)) to develop and apply methods to manage and eradicate invasive species of plants and animals, including through methods of biocontrol.
“(24) Aquaculture research and extension—Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of supporting research projects at 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)) to develop and apply aquaculture methods, including through the propagation and rearing of economically and ecologically valuable aquatic and marine species.”