Native American Seeds Protection Act of 2013

Summary: Native American Seeds Protection Act of 2013 - Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to award grants to, and enter into agreements with, Indian tribes and 1994 Institutions to conduct research and education and training programs concerning the purity of Native American seeds. (1994 Institutions are Native American tribally-controlled colleges and universities that were granted land-grant status in 1994.) Requires grant applicants to certify that any research conducted will be performed under a cooperative agreement with at least one other entity that has the capacity and infrastructure necessary to carry out agricultural research projects. Authorizes the use of the grants to fund research to assess the impact of: (1) public law and policies on traditional ways of life and cultural practices relating to the harvesting and cultivating of Native American seeds, and (2) contaminants that compromise the integrity and purity of those seeds. Authorizes the use of the grants to fund education and training programs on: (1) the methods necessary to conduct such research; and (2) the best methods to continuously test, monitor, and otherwise protect the purity of Native American seeds. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize the use of grants under the community facilities grant program to expand, construct, and develop seed storage facilities that are used to protect and preserve Native American seeds.  

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Seeds Protection Act 
of 2013''.

SEC. 2. RESEARCH GRANTS FOR PURPOSES OF PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF 
              NATIVE AMERICAN SEEDS.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle C of the National Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3151 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 1419C. RESEARCH GRANTS FOR PURPOSES OF PROTECTION AND 
              PRESERVATION OF NATIVE AMERICAN SEEDS.

    ``(a) Authority.--Consistent with this section, the Secretary may 
make grants, competitive grants, and special research grants to, and 
enter into cooperative agreements and other contracting instruments 
with, eligible entities to conduct research and education and training 
programs that are objective, operationally independent, and external to 
the Federal Government and that concern the purity of Native American 
seeds (as defined by the Secretary, in consultation with Indian 
tribes).
    ``(b) Cooperation Required.--Grant applications submitted by an 
eligible entity under this section shall certify that the research to 
be conducted will be performed under a cooperative agreement with at 
least one other qualified research entity.
    ``(c) Activities.--Under this section, funding may be provided to 
conduct--
            ``(1) research to assess the direct and indirect impacts 
        of--
                    ``(A) public law and policies on traditional ways 
                of life and cultural practices relating to the 
                harvesting and cultivating of Native American seeds; 
                and
                    ``(B) contaminants that compromise the integrity 
                and purity of Native American seeds; and
            ``(2) education and training programs on--
                    ``(A) the methods necessary to conduct the research 
                described in paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) the best methods to continuously test, 
                monitor, and otherwise protect the purity of Native 
                American seeds.
    ``(d) Report.--Beginning not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this section, and each year thereafter, 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 that contains--
            ``(1) the results of any research conducted under this 
        section;
            ``(2) the effectiveness of any education and training 
        programs conducted under this section in enabling eligible 
        entities to ensure the purity of Native American seeds; and
            ``(3) any recommendations of the Secretary to improve the 
        effectiveness of such education and training programs.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a 1994 Institution (as defined in section 532 
                of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 
                1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note)); or
                    ``(B) an Indian tribe.
            ``(2) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
            ``(3) Qualified research entity.--The term `qualified 
        research entity' means an entity with a demonstrated capacity 
        and infrastructure necessary to carry out agricultural research 
        projects, including--
                    ``(A) a State agricultural experiment station;
                    ``(B) a college or university (including a 1994 
                Institution);
                    ``(C) another research institution or organization;
                    ``(D) a private organization;
                    ``(E) a corporation; or
                    ``(F) an individual.''.
    (b) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue regulations to carry 
out section 1419C of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as added by subsection (a), including 
regulations to define the term ``Native American seed'' as specified in 
subsection (a) of such section 1419C.

SEC. 3. DEVELOPING SEED STORAGE FACILITIES TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT 
              NATIVE AMERICAN SEEDS.

    Section 306 (a)(19)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(19)(A)) is amended by inserting ``, 
including the expansion, construction, and infrastructure costs 
associated with developing seed storage facilities that are used to 
protect and preserve Native American seeds (as defined by the Secretary 
pursuant to section 1419C of the National Agricultural Research, 
Education, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977)'' before the period at the 
end.