I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8179 

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out research and development 

with respect to winter oilseed crops, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 30, 2024 

Mr. KUSTOFF (for himself, Mr. MANN, and Mr. STRONG) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out research 

and development with respect to winter oilseed crops, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Winter Oilseed Study 

5 Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSES AND FINDINGS. 

7 (a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are as fol8 lows: 

9 (1) To ensure the continued growth of clean 

10 and sustainable feedstocks, crops such as winter 


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1 canola will need access to crop insurance products 

2 that allow for additional growing practices. 

3 (2) To recognize the importance and regionality 

4 characteristics of rotationally and double-crop grown 

5 canola and the economic and environmental benefits 

6 to producers. 

7 (3) By investing in lower carbon-intensity re8 newable fuels, such as those produced from canola, 

9 the United States can provide sustainable fuels, cre10 ate jobs, enhance our rural communities, and bolster 

11 our national security. 

12 (b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

13 (1) Canola improves farm economics by increas14 ing yield in cereal, soybean, and other crops that fol15 low winter canola. 

16 (2) Canola oil is a source of renewable energy 

17 as a feedstock for biodiesel, renewable diesel, and jet 

18 biofuel. 

19 (3) Canola oil-based renewable fuels reduce 

20 greenhouse gas emissions by over 50 percent com21 pared to conventional fuels, providing significant air 

22 quality improvements. 

23 (4) Expanding winter canola production will 

24 provide additional feedstock to meet growing renew25 able fuel demand without bringing new land into 


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1 production, which will yield an even more favorable 

2 carbon intensity compared to conventional fuels. 

3 SEC. 3. STUDY OF INCLUSION OF CERTAIN OILSEED CROPS 

4 UNDER DOUBLE AND ROTATIONAL CROP5 PING POLICIES. 

6 Section 522(c) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 

7 4 U.S.C. 1522(c)) is amended by adding at the end the 

8 following: 

9 ‘‘(20) DOUBLE CROPPING AND ROTATIONAL

10 CROPPING OF CERTAIN OILSEED CROPS.— 

11 ‘‘(A) DEFINITION OF COVERED OILSEED

12 CROPS.—In this paragraph, the term ‘covered 

13 oilseed crops’ means rapeseed and canola crops. 

14 ‘‘(B) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.— 

15 The Corporation shall carry out research and 

16 development, or offer to enter into 1 or more 

17 contracts with 1 or more qualified persons to 

18 carry out research and development, with re19 spect to the inclusion of covered oilseed crops 

20 under double cropping and rotational cropping 

21 policies. 

22 ‘‘(C) REQUIREMENTS.—The research and 

23 development carried out pursuant to subpara24 graph (B) shall be conducted in consultation 

25 with stakeholders to evaluate— 


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1 ‘‘(i) the factors impacting availability 

2 and cost of crop insurance when incor3 porating covered oilseed crops into double 

4 cropping and rotational cropping policies; 

5 and 

6 ‘‘(ii) the potential risk management 

7 benefits associated with incorporating cov8 ered oilseed crops into double cropping and 

9 rotational cropping policies, specifically 

10 with respect to winter planted covered oil11 seed crops, including risk management 

12 benefits to soil health, biodiversity, and the 

13 profitability of farming operations. 

14 ‘‘(D) EMPHASIS.—In awarding contracts 

15 under subparagraph (B), the Corporation may 

16 place emphasis on qualified persons that— 

17 ‘‘(i) have previous research experience 

18 with covered oilseed crops; and 

19 ‘‘(ii) have access to a facility with the 

20 capacity to carry out the applicable re21 search. 

22 ‘‘(E) REPORT.—Not later than 13 months 

23 after the date of enactment of this paragraph, 

24 the Corporation shall submit to the Committee 

25 on Agriculture of the House of Representatives 


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1 and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 

2 and Forestry of the Senate a report that de3 scribes— 

4 ‘‘(i) the results of the research and 

5 development carried out under subpara6 graph (B); and 

7 ‘‘(ii) any recommendations with re8 spect to those results.’’. 

9 SEC. 4. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 

10 AMENDMENTS. 

11 Section 1473D of the Food and Agriculture Act of 

12 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3319d) is amended— 

13 (1) in subsection (c)(3)— 

14 (A) in subparagraph (E), by striking 

15 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

16 (B) by redesignation subparagraph (F) as 

17 subparagraph (G); and 

18 (C) by inserting after subparagraph (E) 

19 the following: 

20 ‘‘(F) to examine potential benefits and opportu21 nities for supplemental and alternative crops (includ22 ing winter-planted rapeseed and winter-planted 

23 canola crops); and’’; and 

24 (2) in subsection (e) by adding at the end the 

25 following: 


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1 ‘‘(4) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 

2 through 2029.’’. 

3 SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 

4 Not later than 13 months after the date of enactment 

5 of this Act, the Corporation shall submit to the Committee 

6 on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the 

7 Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 

8 Senate a report that describes— 

9 (1) the results of the research and development 

10 carried out under the amendments made by section 

11 3; and 

12 (2) any recommendations with respect to those 

13 results. 

Æ 


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