HR3707-119

What This Bill Does

The NSF and USDA Interagency Research Act creates an interagency research framework. The Agriculture Secretary and NSF Director must carry out cross-cutting and collaborative research and development activities that advance both USDA and NSF mission requirements. They coordinate through memoranda of understanding or other interagency agreements, with competitive merit review where appropriate. Activities may include proposals from federal agencies, higher education institutions, nonprofits, and other appropriate entities. Research focus areas include plant, animal, and microbial biology relevant to agricultural challenges; food and nutrition security; rural economic revitalization; cyber-physical systems; smart and connected communities; advanced sensors and soil or plant process models; nano-biosensing and analytical technologies for food safety, water quality, biosecurity, plant and animal diseases, and soil health; monitoring of food- or water-borne pathogens, allergens, and accidental, natural, or intentional bio- or chemical contaminants; AI, machine learning, automation, robotics, digital agriculture, distributed ledger technologies including blockchain, and agricultural information and communication technology; precision agriculture tools; and workforce needs. USDA and NSF may promote collaboration and secure data sharing among agencies, colleges, community colleges, CTE schools, nonprofits, and other entities; support infrastructure including facilities, equipment, and broadband; develop commercial technologies; organize STEM education, cooperative extension, industry partnerships, teacher workshops, K-12 agricultural curricula, and educator resources; award grants for Centers for Agricultural Research, Education, and Workforce Development; and facilitate public-private relationships after MOUs end. They may use reimbursable agreements and collaborate with other agencies. A report to Congress is due within two years.

Who Benefits and How

Agricultural researchers benefit from coordinated USDA and NSF funding priorities across biology, sensors, AI, robotics, food safety, and soil health. Community colleges and CTE schools benefit from eligibility for workforce and center grants. Precision agriculture companies benefit from research, testing, commercialization, and public-private collaboration. Rural communities benefit from research on food security, rural economic revitalization, broadband, and workforce development. K-12 educators benefit from agricultural literacy workshops, curricula, and resources.

Who Bears the Burden and How

USDA research staff must coordinate MOUs, agreements, reimbursable arrangements, and mission priorities with NSF. NSF program officers must align merit-reviewed research with USDA priorities. Grant recipients must compete under merit review and manage data sharing or center requirements. Congressional agriculture and science committees must review the two-year coordination report.

Key Provisions

• Requires USDA and NSF cross-cutting collaborative research and development.
• Requires coordination through MOUs or interagency agreements with competitive merit review where appropriate.
• Authorizes research in agricultural biology, food security, rural revitalization, sensors, AI, robotics, and digital agriculture.
• Supports research infrastructure, secure data sharing, commercialization, STEM education, and workforce development.
• Authorizes grants for Centers for Agricultural Research, Education, and Workforce Development.
• Requires a report to Congress within two years.