Bill Summary
The Future of Agricultural Resiliency and Modernization Act is a bill proposed to the Senate and House of Representatives that aims to address the impact of climate change on agricultural communities. It directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement a program that will provide grants to eligible entities for projects that promote agricultural resiliency and modernization. The bill recognizes the increasing evidence of human-induced climate change and the vulnerability of rural communities, and aims to mitigate its negative effects on agricultural productivity and farmers' health and well-being. It also acknowledges the need for sustainable and climate-resilient farming practices and technologies. The bill authorizes the appropriation of $500 million for each fiscal year from 2021 to 2025 to carry out these efforts. Additionally, the bill establishes a Pyrolysis Innovation Fund Grant Program, which will award grants to eligible entities for projects that convert and valorize tree nut harvest by-products and waste into higher value biocarbon products. The bill also requires the Secretary to submit a report on the progress and results of the program within two years. The bill authorizes the appropriation of $2 million for each fiscal year from 2021 to 2025 for this program.
Possible Impacts
1. The agricultural community will be impacted by the legislation through the creation of a program that awards grants to eligible entities for projects that promote agricultural resiliency and modernization. This could provide opportunities for farmers to adopt more sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural practices, which could potentially increase their productivity and revenues.
2. The legislation could also benefit rural communities, which are often more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. By providing resources and support for sustainable farming practices, the legislation could help these communities mitigate the negative effects of climate change, such as revenue losses, infrastructure damages, and labor disruptions.
3. The creation of a Pyrolysis Innovation Fund under the legislation could promote the conversion of agricultural waste into higher value biocarbon products, which could have multiple uses, including as sustainable industrial applications and construction materials. This could not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also create new economic opportunities for farming communities.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7482 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7482
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a program to award
grants to eligible entities to carry out projects that further
agricultural resiliency and modernization, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 2, 2020
Mr. Harder of California (for himself, Mr. Cox of California, Mr.
Costa, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, and Mr. Panetta)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a program to award
grants to eligible entities to carry out projects that further
agricultural resiliency and modernization, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Future of Agricultural Resiliency
And Modernization Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The evidence for human-induced climate change is
undeniable and our agricultural communities are increasingly
experiencing the impacts of climate change.
(2) The volatility of weather patterns, ranging from more
frequent and severe droughts, floods, and wildfires can
negatively impact agricultural productivity.
(3) Rural communities, that often lack federal and state
resources, are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate
change, such as revenue losses, hours lost at work, and
infrastructure damages.
(4) Climate resilient practices and technologies are needed
to help save Federal, State, and local taxpayers money. These
technologies include manure resource recovery systems, which
recover the nutrients contained in organic matter from their
source help protect water quality.
(5) The need for measures that promote energy and water use
efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy will greatly
reduce the adverse impacts of climate change.
(6) Many farmers and agricultural producers are currently
utilizing environmentally beneficial practices that also better
their production costs.
(7) Excessive heat exposure poses a direct threat to farm
workers and the economy. Climate change increases this danger,
as 18 of the 19 hottest years on record have occurred since
2001. Rising temperatures are projected to cause an increase in
heat-related workplace injuries, illnesses, loss in labor
capacity, and decreased productivity. In light of these
findings, the Federal government has an obligation to protect
farmworkers, outdoor workers, and employers in the United
States from climate change.
(8) The Department of Agriculture should use research and
development programs to make dairy digesters more affordable
while mitigating environmental effects. Further, the Department
should provide technical assistance, community support, and
financial incentives and grants for farmers to partner together
to build cooperative digester models. The Department should use
cross-agency collaborative models and utilize existing Federal
programs, such as the Environmental Protection Agency's AgSTAR
program to increase farmer access and engagement in these
efforts.
(9) The Department should engage in partnerships with other
Federal agencies to control invasive species, in a manner that
protects the environment, infrastructure, and agricultural
lands in the United States.
(10) Federal assistance is needed to help farming practices
become more resilient and sustainable for the long-term.
SEC. 3. FUTURE OF AGRICULTURAL RESILIENCY AND MODERNIZATION FUND.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in
this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall carry out a program to award
grants to eligible entities to carry out projects for a qualified
purpose.
(b) Eligible Entities.--An entity eligible to receive a grant under
this section is--
(1) a Federal agency;
(2) a State or a group of States;
(3) a unit of local government or a group of local
governments;
(4) an irrigation district;
(5) a Tribal government or a consortium of Tribal
governments;
(6) a State or regional transit agency or a group of State
or regional transit agencies;
(7) a nonprofit organization;
(8) a special purpose district or public authority;
(9) a third-party private entity, the primary business of
which is related to agriculture (as determined by the
Secretary); and
(10) any other entity, as determined by the Secretary.
(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity selected to receive a grant
under this section may use funds received through the grant to carry
out projects that further agricultural resiliency and modernization
through--
(1) reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing
resilience in the agricultural sector;
(2) increasing carbon sequestration;
(3) improving soil health;
(4) providing multiple benefits, including water supply
reliability, ecosystem preservation, groundwater management and
enhancements, and water quality improvements;
(5) in accordance with state and federal law, expediting
projects with a focus in renewable energy, including biofuels;
(6) incorporating collaborative partnerships that involve
local communities in project planning on economic and social
benefits of sustainable agricultural production;
(7) investing in climate-resilient infrastructure and
technology;
(8) converting plant wastes into higher value biocarbon
products, including practices like pyrolysis;
(9) improving air and water quality, including pollutants
and odors, with dairy digesters and non-digester manure
management practices and technologies;
(10) supporting clean air, water, climate, and a
sustainable environment helping develop local and national
resilience strategies against droughts, wildfires, and floods;
(11) supporting and funding purchases of cleaner and lower
emission agriculture-related equipment like harvesting
equipment, heavy-duty trucks, agricultural pump engines,
tractors, and other equipment used in agricultural operations;
and
(12) increasing research on the most effective methods of
eradicating and controlling invasive species and pests, such as
nutria.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there is authorized to be appropriated $500,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2021 through 2025.
SEC. 4. PYROLYSIS INNOVATION FUND GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a
program under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible
entities to carry out not fewer than 10 pilot projects, with the
potential to reduce or sequester greenhouse emissions that convert and
valorize tree nut harvest by-products and waste into multiple higher
value biocarbon products, including sustainable industrial
applications, agrochemicals, repurposing process heat, energy and
construction materials.
(b) Eligible Entity Defined.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(1) a third-party private entity, the primary business of
which is related to agriculture (as determined by the
Secretary);
(2) a nongovernmental organization with experience working
with agricultural producers (as determined by the Secretary);
and
(3) a governmental organization.
(c) Report.--Not later than two years after the date on which the
first grant is awarded under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit
to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a
report on--
(1) the activities carried out using grants awarded under
such subsection;
(2) best practices used to leverage the investment of the
Federal Government for the purposes specified in subsection
(a); and
(3) an assessment of the results achieved by the program
established under this section.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $2,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2021 through 2025.
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