Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026
Latest action (11 Mar 2026): Introduced
What this bill does
S. 4067, the Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026, would amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to add four new categories of eligible purposes for existing agricultural research and extension grants administered by the Secretary of Agriculture. These new priority areas cover: developing mechanized harvesting technologies, with possible emphasis on specialty crops; agricultural applications of artificial intelligence, with possible emphasis on improving specialty crop production; research on managing and eradicating invasive plant and animal species, including biocontrol methods; and aquaculture research, including propagation and rearing of aquatic and marine species. The bill does not create new funding but authorizes these topics as eligible uses of existing grant programs.
The bill primarily affects land-grant colleges and universities, which would become eligible to seek grants for research and extension projects in these four areas, as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which retains discretion over whether and how to emphasize these priorities when awarding grants. Farmers and agricultural sectors involved in specialty crops, aquaculture, and invasive species management could benefit indirectly from resulting research.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on March 11, 2026, by Senator Jon Ossoff along with several cosponsors, and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. It would need to be approved by that committee, pass both chambers of Congress, and be signed by the President before becoming law. No further action has yet occurred.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026
This bill includes additional priorities as Department of Agriculture (USDA) high-priority research and extension areas.
Under the bill, USDA may award grants for developing and evaluating (1) technologies to mechanize agricultural processes (and may emphasize processes for harvesting specialty crops), and (2) agricultural uses of artificial intelligence (and may emphasize uses for improving specialty crop production).
Further, USDA may award grants to support research projects at land-grant colleges and universities to develop and apply
• methods to manage and eradicate invasive species of plants and animals, including through methods of biocontrol; and
• aquaculture methods, including through the propagation and rearing of economically and ecologically valuable aquatic and marine species.
Common questions
- What does S. 4067 do?
- S. 4067, the Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026, would amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to add four new categories of eligible purposes for existing agricultural research and extension grants administered by the Secretary of Agriculture. These new priority areas cover: developing mechanized harvesting technologies, with possible emphasis on specialty crops; agricultural applications of artificial intelligence, with possible emphasis on improving specialty crop production; research on managing and eradicating invasive plant and animal species, including biocontrol methods; and aquaculture research, including propagation and rearing of aquatic and marine species. The bill does not create new funding but authorizes these topics as eligible uses of existing grant programs. The bill primarily affects land-grant colleges and universities, which would become eligible to seek grants for research and extension projects in these four areas, as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which retains discretion over whether and how to emphasize these priorities when awarding grants. Farmers and agricultural sectors involved in specialty crops, aquaculture, and invasive species management could benefit indirectly from resulting research. The bill was introduced in the Senate on March 11, 2026, by Senator Jon Ossoff along with several cosponsors, and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. It would need to be approved by that committee, pass both chambers of Congress, and be signed by the President before becoming law. No further action has yet occurred.
- Has S. 4067 become law?
- Not yet. As of 11 Mar 2026, S. 4067 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 4067?
- S. 4067 was sponsored by Sen. Jon Ossoff [D-GA] (Democrat-GA), with 3 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 4067?
- Introduced (11 Mar 2026).
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