H.R. 7142: Advancing Cutting Edge Agriculture Act

This bill, known as the Advancing Cutting Edge Agriculture Act or ACE Agriculture Act, aims to amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977. Its primary focus is to extend and permanently authorize the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA). Here are the key components of the bill:

Key Provisions

The bill proposes several amendments to enhance the operations of AGARDA, which include:

• Reauthorization: The bill removes the term "pilot" from the designations of AGARDA to signify that it is not a temporary initiative but a permanent entity.
• Focus on Technological Development: It emphasizes the development of agricultural technologies that are aimed at overcoming long-term and high-risk technological barriers. This encompasses:
• Enhancing export competitiveness.
• Improving environmental sustainability.
• Fostering water conservation.
• Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
• Increasing resilience against extreme weather, infectious diseases, and agricultural pests.
• Funding Increase: The bill proposes to increase the funding for AGARDA from $50 million to $100 million annually for the fiscal years 2027 through 2032.
• Personnel Management: It states that the AGARDA Director will report directly to the Chief Scientist of the Department of Agriculture. The Director will also establish a qualified staff to carry out the responsibilities of the authority.
• Utilization of Strategic Plan: The Secretary of Agriculture is required to use a strategic plan for the administration of AGARDA to ensure effective operations.
• Funding Sources: The Secretary may also use other federal funds to support AGARDA's activities, but explicitly states that these cannot be from the Commodity Credit Corporation's funds.

By advancing these measures, the bill aims to strengthen agricultural research and development, ultimately benefiting the agricultural sector in the U.S.

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