Specialty Crop Mechanization Prize Challenge of 2018

Summary: Specialty Crop Mechanization Prize Challenge of 2018  This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a Specialty Crop Mechanization Challenges program to carry out prize competitions for the mechanization of specialty crop production. (Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.)  The program must include at least one prize competition for solutions to automate or alleviate stresses on the workforce during each of the following:    the planting of specialty crops,   tasks associated with the management of specialty crops,   the harvesting of specialty crops, and  processing and preparing specialty crops for distribution.   USDA must assemble prize committees to determine the scope, details, requirements, judging criteria, and incentives for each competition. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Specialty Crop Mechanization Prize 
Challenge of 2018''.

SEC. 2. SPECIALTY CROP MECHANIZATION CHALLENGES.

    (a) Authority.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a program to 
be known as ``Specialty Crop Mechanization Challenges'' for carrying 
out prize competitions described under subsection (c) pursuant to 
section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 
(15 U.S.C. 3719) relating to the mechanization of specialty crop 
production.
    (b) Prize Committees.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall assemble a prize 
        committee with respect to each prize competition that shall 
        define the scope and detail of, and provide the requirements 
        for, the prize competitions under this section. Such committee 
        shall be composed of--
                    (A) representatives of the specialty crop industry, 
                with at least a plurality of committee members from 
                sectors of the specialty crop industry that are labor-
                intensive and lack adequate mechanization technology;
                    (B) members from the Federal agency, department, or 
                office that most appropriately corresponds with the 
                topic of the prize competition; and
                    (C) representatives of any other entities, as 
                determined appropriate by the Secretary, including 
                State and local governments and institutions of higher 
                education.
            (2) Incentive for prize competition.--The prize committee 
        for each prize competition shall determine the incentive for 
        the prize competition. In determining the incentive, the 
        committee shall consider--
                    (A) a cash prize;
                    (B) access to Government facilities, a cooperative 
                research and development agreement, or other method; 
                and
                    (C) any other incentive provided for by law.
            (3) Judging criteria.--The prize committee for each prize 
        competition shall establish judging criteria for the 
        competition that shall include, at a minimum--
                    (A) potential for the solution to become a 
                commercial product or service to further the public 
                good;
                    (B) consideration of how likely the solution is to 
                lead to subsequent research, development, or 
                manufacturing in the United States;
                    (C) the degree to which the solution will alleviate 
                stresses on the agricultural workforce and allow them 
                to work more efficiently;
                    (D) the degree to which the solution will alleviate 
                burdens on agricultural producers, shippers, and 
                packers facing labor shortages; and
                    (E) the degree to which the solution will reduce 
                losses of fresh fruit and vegetables due to lack of 
                available workers to manage and harvest crops.
            (4) Consideration.--In carrying out this section, the 
        committee shall take into consideration the best practices 
        provided for in the challenges and prizes toolkit made publicly 
        available on December 15, 2016, by the General Services 
        Administration.
    (c) Prize Competitions.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
shall provide for prize competitions, including at least one prize 
competition on each of the following:
            (1) Planting.--Solutions to automate or alleviate stresses 
        on the workforce during the planting of specialty crops 
        including, but not limited to, the planting of seeds, 
        seedlings, and plants being transferred from nurseries or 
        greenhouses to the field.
            (2) Crop management.--Solutions to automate or alleviate 
        stresses on the workforce when conducting tasks associated with 
        the management of specialty crops including, but not limited 
        to, weeding, pest management, and the application of crop 
        protectants.
            (3) Harvesting.--Solutions to automate or alleviate 
        stresses on the workforce related to the harvesting of 
        specialty crops.
            (4) Packaging.--Solutions to automate or alleviate stresses 
        on the workforce when processing and preparing specialty crops 
        for distribution.
    (d) Acceptance of Funds.--In addition to such sums as may be 
appropriated or otherwise made available to the Secretary to award 
prizes under this section, the Secretary may accept funds from other 
Federal agencies, private sector entities, institutions of higher 
education, and State and local governments to award prizes under this 
section. The Secretary may not give any special consideration relating 
to the selection of awards under the prize competition to any private 
sector entity or individual in return for a donation to the Secretary 
or prize committee.
    (e) Eligibility.--Notwithstanding section 24(g)(3) of the 
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
3719(g)(3)), for a group to be eligible for an award under this 
section, at least one member of such group shall be a citizen or 
permanent resident of the United States.
    (f) Completion of Prize Competitions.--The prize competitions 
carried out under this section shall be completed not later than the 
date that is 5 years after the program is established under subsection 
(a).
    (g) GAO Report.--Not later than the date of completion under 
subsection (f), the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
submit to Congress a report on the impact and the effectiveness of the 
program carried out under this section.
    (h) Specialty Crop Defined.--In this section, the term ``specialty 
crop'' has the meaning given the term in section 3(1) of the Specialty 
Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note).
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out this Act, to remain available 
until expended.