I 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5128 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture 

to make grants to facilitate the establishment of the National Ag Science 

Center in Stanislaus County, California. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 6, 2006 

Mr. CARDOZA (for himself, Mr. RADANOVICH, and Ms. MATSUI) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary 

of Agriculture to make grants to facilitate the establishment of the National Ag Science Center in Stanislaus 

County, California. 

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 ‘‘National Ag Science 

5 Center Act of 2006’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The State of California is a preeminent pro2 ducer of more than 350 different agricultural com3 modities, including more than 90 percent of all of 

4 the tomatoes and grapes produced in the United 

5 States, all of the commercial almonds, dates, figs, ol6 ives, cling peaches, prunes and raisins produced in 

7 the United States, and one out of every five glasses 

8 of milk consumed in the United States. 

9 (2) California is the leading State in terms of 

10 agricultural exports, annually shipping more than $7 

11 billion dollars worth of agricultural commodities 

12 around the world. 

13 (3) The total investment by California’s 78,500 

14 farms in terms of direct and indirect economic im15 pact is staggering, and, if California is going to keep 

16 its agricultural industry strong and vibrant, it must 

17 focus on the needs of farmers who are valuable con18 tributors to the economic, social, and cultural life of 

19 the State and the United States. 

20 (4) Since 1945, agricultural land has been rap21 idly disappearing across California, as soil erosion, 

22 urbanization, the growth of deserts, and salinization 

23 have all contributed to loss of productive farmland. 

24 If these trends continue, California will no longer be 

25 able to supply food for its population, let alone the 


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1 United States, and will be unable to export food to 

2 the rest of the world. 

3 (5) As Americans grow more and more de4 tached from the great agrarian history of the United 

5 States, fewer Americans understand the funda6 mental importance of agriculture to American soci7 ety. 

8 (6) Educating young Americans about agri9 culture and its importance to the United States na10 tion is an investment that will pay off in future ben11 efits. 

12 (7) Greater public understanding and apprecia13 tion of the importance of agriculture to California, 

14 the United States, and the world is needed to secure 

15 a positive future, in which the United States can 

16 rely on healthy food that is produced domestically. 

17 Citizens of all ages, especially youth, must play a 

18 meaningful, hands-on role in determining the future 

19 of California agriculture. 

20 (8) As planners, conservationists, and other in21 terested persons around the State of California orga22 nize to help protect agricultural resources, the pro23 posed National Ag Science Center in Stanislaus 

24 County, California, is preparing to educate and alert 

25 future generations about the need to preserve agriVerDate Aug 31 2005 22:16 Apr 13, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5128.IH H5128

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1 cultural land and to foster an understanding of the 

2 importance of agriculture. The mission of the Na3 tional Ag Science Center will be to provide exciting 

4 and fun agricultural learning opportunities and re5 sources in order for young people to learn how a vi6 brant agricultural economy is necessary for a vibrant 

7 society, and to assure a bright future for all aspects 

8 of the agriculture industry. The National Ag Science 

9 Center will prepare young Americans for career and 

10 leadership opportunities in agriculture. 

11 (9) According to findings of the Center for 

12 Public Policy Studies at California State University, 

13 Stanislaus, the National Ag Science Center will cre14 ate or support up to 359 new local jobs, create or 

15 support up to $57,500,000 in economic activity and 

16 $15,200,000 in labor income through construction of 

17 the new facility, generate as much as $8,500,000 in 

18 total annual economic activity, and result in as much 

19 as $3,400,000 in total annual labor income. 

20 (10) On September 14, 2005, the Yosemite 

21 Community College District Board, in Stanislaus 

22 County, California, voted unanimously to approve 

23 the dedication of a 3.5 acre site on the West Cam24 pus of Modesto Community College for the National 

25 Ag Science Center. 


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1 (11) Establishment of the National Ag Science 

2 Center is in the national interest, as the proposed 

3 Center will enable future generations to help assure 

4 a healthy and profitable place for agriculture in the 

5 economy of California and the United States. 

6 SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL 

7 AG SCIENCE CENTER, STANISLAUS COUNTY, 

8 CALIFORNIA. 

9 (a) ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED.—Using such funds as 

10 may be appropriated pursuant to the authorization of ap11 propriations in subsection (d), the Secretary of the Inte12 rior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall make grants 

13 to the Ag Science Center, Inc., in Stanislaus County, Cali14 fornia, to cover a portion of the costs of establishing the 

15 National Ag Science Center, including costs relating to the 

16 design, planning, construction, furnishing, equipping, and 

17 expansion of the Center. 

18 (b) GRANT PROPOSAL.—To receive a grant under 

19 subsection (a), the Ag Science Center, Inc. shall submit 

20 to the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agri21 culture, or to both Secretaries, a proposal for the use of 

22 the grant funds, which shall include detailed plans for the 

23 design, construction, furnishing, equipping, and expansion 

24 of the National Ag Science Center. 


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1 (c) LIMITATION ON GRANT AMOUNTS.—The portion 

2 of the costs described in subsection (a) covered by grants 

3 made under this section shall not exceed 33 percent of 

4 the total costs to establish the Center. 

5 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

6 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Inte7 rior and the Secretary of Agriculture $10,000,000 to make 

8 grants under this section. Amounts so appropriated shall 

9 remain available until expended. 

Æ 


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