Bill > S1825

This bill aims to address the significant maintenance and infrastructure challenges facing agricultural research facilities in the United States by establishing a competitive grant program through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The bill highlights the economic importance of agriculture, which contributed $1.53 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product in 2023 and provided 22 million jobs, while noting that deferred maintenance needs at agricultural schools increased from $8.4 billion in 2015 to $11.5 billion in 2021. The legislation creates a new grant program that will provide federal funding for the construction, renovation, modernization, and equipment of agricultural research facilities, with the potential for the federal government to cover up to 100% of project costs on a case-by-case basis. The bill ensures an equitable distribution of funds across geographic regions, diverse institutions, and different areas of agricultural science, with a limit of no more than 20% of funds going to any single state. To support this initiative, the bill mandates $1 billion in funding annually from 2025 to 2029, transferred from the Treasury, and authorizes additional appropriations as needed. The goal is to help U.S. agricultural research facilities remain globally competitive by addressing critical infrastructure and equipment needs.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1825/all-info