S. 3580: To require the Secretary of Agriculture to make cost-share grants for retrofitting agricultural tractors with rollover protection structures, and for other purposes.

This bill aims to enhance agricultural safety by providing financial assistance for retrofitting tractors with rollover protection structures. The main points of the bill are as follows:

Cost-Share Grants for Rollover Protection Structures

The bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to offer grants to eligible entities, which includes:

• Agricultural producers.
• Vocational schools providing agricultural instruction, higher education institutions with agricultural training programs, and secondary schools with agricultural curriculum.

These grants will cover costs associated with purchasing, transporting, and installing approved rollover protection structures on eligible agricultural tractors.

Definitions

Key terms defined in the bill include:

• Approved rollover protection structure: A safety feature for tractors that meets specific standards, includes a seatbelt, and is suitable for certain types of tractors.
• Eligible equipment: Agricultural tractors identified as suitable for retrofitting with the rollover protection structures.
• Program Administrator: An organization chosen by the Secretary to manage the grant process.

Grant Amounts and Limitations

The grants will typically cover:

• 70% of the costs incurred by eligible entities for the approved structures.
• If the cost exceeds $500, eligible entities may receive a higher percentage of the costs as determined by the Secretary.

Administration of the Program

The Secretary of Agriculture will select a Program Administrator through competitive bidding. The responsibilities of this administrator include:

• Identifying approved rollover protection structures and the eligible equipment.
• Managing the application process for grants.
• Setting up a public website and a hotline to inform eligible entities about the program.

Application Process

Eligible entities must submit applications that include documentation of their costs. The Program Administrator is responsible for assessing these applications and notifying the Secretary of the eligibility and grant amounts.

Funding

The bill authorizes $725,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, allocated as follows:

• $500,000 for the grants.
• $125,000 for the Program Administrator's website updates and promotions.
• $100,000 for the hotline operations.

Disbursement of Funds

Upon confirming an applicant's eligibility, the Secretary will disburse the grant funds to the selected eligible entity.

Relevant Companies

None found