I

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3795

To amend the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act to

provide increased emphasis on competitive grants to promote agricultural

research projects regarding precision agriculture and to provide for the

dissemination of the results of such research projects.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 11, 1996

Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky (for himself, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. ALLARD,

Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska, Mr. EWING, Mr. COMBEST, Mr. LATHAM,

Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. SMITH of Michigan, Mr. BAESLER, Mr. PETERSON of

Minnesota, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. HOLDEN, Mrs. CHENOWETH, and Mr.

PASTOR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research

Grant Act to provide increased emphasis on competitive

grants to promote agricultural research projects regarding precision agriculture and to provide for the dissemination of the results of such research projects.

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

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Precision Agriculture

3 Research, Education, and Information Dissemination Act

4 of 1996’’.

5 SEC. 2. EMPHASIS ON COMPETITIVE GRANTS TO PROMOTE

6 PRECISION AGRICULTURE.

7 (a) PROMOTION OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE.—Sub8 section (k) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Re9 search Grant Act (section 2 of Public Law 89–106; 7

10 U.S.C. 450i) is amended to read as follows:

11 ‘‘(k) EMPHASIS ON PRECISION AGRICULTURE.—

12 ‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this sec13 tion:

14 ‘‘(A) PRECISION AGRICULTURE.—The term

15 ‘precision agriculture’ means an integrated

16 information- and production-based farming sys17 tem that is designed to increase long-term, site

18 specific and whole farm production efficiencies,

19 productivity, and profitability while minimizing

20 unintended impacts on wildlife and the environ21 ment by—

22 ‘‘(i) combining agricultural sciences,

23 agricultural inputs and practices, agro24 nomic production databases, and precision

25 agriculture technologies to efficiently man26 age agronomic systems;
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1 ‘‘(ii) gathering on-farm information

2 pertaining to the variation and interaction

3 of site-specific spatial and temporal factors

4 affecting crop production;

5 ‘‘(iii) integrating such information

6 with appropriate data derived from remote

7 sensing and other precision agriculture

8 technologies in a timely manner in order to

9 facilitate on-farm decisionmaking; and

10 ‘‘(iv) using such information to pre11 scribe and deliver site-specific application

12 of agricultural inputs and management

13 practices in agricultural production sys14 tems.

15 ‘‘(B) PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECH16 NOLOGIES.—The term ‘precision agriculture

17 technologies’ includes—

18 ‘‘(i) instrumentation and techniques

19 ranging from sophisticated sensors and

20 software systems to manual sampling and

21 data collection tools that measure, record,

22 and manage spatial and temporal data;

23 ‘‘(ii) technologies for searching out

24 and assembling information necessary for
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1 sound agricultural production decision

2 making;

3 ‘‘(iii) open systems technologies for

4 data networking and processing that

5 produce valued systems for farm manage6 ment decisionmaking, including high band7 width networks, distributed processing,

8 spatial databasing, object technology, glob9 al positioning systems, data modeling, high

10 performance image processing, high resolu11 tion satellite imagery, digital

12 orthophotgrammetry simulation, geo13 graphic information systems, computer

14 aided design, and digital cartography; and

15 ‘‘(iv) machines that deliver informa16 tion based management practices, includ17 ing global positioning satellites, digital

18 field mapping, on-the-go yield monitoring,

19 automated pest scouting, and site-specific

20 agricultural input application to accom21 plish the objectives of precision agriculture.

22 ‘‘(C) ADVISORY BOARD.—The term ‘advi23 sory board’ means the National Agricultural

24 Research, Extension, Education, and Econom25 ics Advisory Board established under section
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1 1408 of the National Agricultural Research,

2 Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7

3 U.S.C. 3123).

4 ‘‘(D) AGRICULTURAL INPUTS.—The term

5 ‘agricultural inputs’ includes all farm manage6 ment, agronomic, and field applied agricultural

7 production inputs, such as machinery, labor,

8 time, fuel, irrigation water, commercial nutri9 ents, livestock waste, crop protection chemicals,

10 agronomic data and information, application

11 and management services, seed, and other in12 puts used in agriculture production.

13 ‘‘(E) SYSTEMS RESEARCH.—The term ‘sys14 tems research’ means an integrated, coordi15 nated, and iterative investigative process, which

16 considers the multiple interacting components

17 and aspects of precision agriculture systems, in18 cluding synthesis of new knowledge regarding

19 the physical-chemical-biological processes and

20 complex interactions with cropping and natural

21 resource systems, precision agriculture tech22 nologies development and implementation, data

23 and information collection and interpretation,

24 production scale planning, production-scale im-
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1 plementation, and farm production efficiencies,

2 productivity, and profitability.

3 ‘‘(2) EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH, EDUCATION,

4 AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION GRANTS.—The

5 Secretary of Agriculture, in collaboration with the

6 advisory board, shall ensure that research, edu7 cation, and information dissemination grants made

8 under subsections (b) are, where appropriate, con9 sistent with the development and promotion of preci10 sion agriculture. Research, education, and informa11 tion dissemination projects supported by such grants

12 and designed to develop and demonstrate precision

13 agriculture shall address one or more of the follow14 ing:

15 ‘‘(A) The study and promotion of compo16 nents of precision agriculture technologies using

17 a systems research approach that would in18 crease long-term, site-specified and whole farm

19 production efficiencies, productivity, profit20 ability.

21 ‘‘(B) The improvement in the understand22 ing of agronomic systems, including, soil, water,

23 land cover, and meteorological variability.

24 ‘‘(C) The development, demonstration, and

25 dissemination of information regarding preci-
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1 sion agriculture technologies and systems into

2 an integrated program.

3 ‘‘(D) The promotion of systems research

4 and education projects focusing on the integra5 tion of the multiple aspects of precision agri6 culture, including development, production-scale

7 implementation, and farm production effi8 ciencies, productivity, and profitability.

9 ‘‘(E) The education of agricultural produc10 ers and consumers regarding the benefits of

11 precision agriculture as it relates to increased

12 long-term farm production efficiencies, produc13 tivity, profitability, as well as the maintenance

14 of the environment and improvements in inter15 national trade.

16 ‘‘(F) The provision of training and edu17 cational programs for State cooperative exten18 sion services agents, agricultural producers, ag19 ricultural input machinery, product, and service

20 providers, certified crop advisers and other pro21 fessionals involved in the agricultural produc22 tion and transfer of integrated precision agri23 culture technology.

24 ‘‘(3) PRIORITIES FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION,

25 AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION GRANTS.—In
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1 making grants to eligible entities under subsection

2 (b) regarding precision agriculture, the Secretary, in

3 collaboration with the advisory board, shall give pri4 ority to research, education, and information dis5 semination projects that are designed to accomplish

6 the following:

7 ‘‘(A) The use of precision agriculture tech8 nologies and a systems research approach to in9 crease long-term site-specific and whole farm

10 production efficiencies, productivity, profit11 ability.

12 ‘‘(B) The integration of research, edu13 cation, and information dissemination compo14 nents in a practical and readily available man15 ner so that the findings of the project will be

16 made readily usable by farmers.

17 ‘‘(C) The promotion of the efficient use of

18 agricultural inputs, rather than the uniform re19 duction in the use of agricultural inputs.

20 ‘‘(D) The maximization of the involvement

21 and cooperation of precision agriculture produc22 ers, certified crop advisers, State cooperative

23 extension services agents, and agricultural input

24 machinery, product and service providers in

25 precision agriculture systems research projects
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1 involving on-farm research, education, and in2 formation dissemination of precision agri3 culture.

4 ‘‘(E) The cooperation among farms that

5 are managed using precision agriculture farm

6 production practices, nonprofit organizations,

7 agribusiness, agricultural input machinery,

8 product, and service providers, land-grant col9 leges and universities, the State cooperative ex10 tension services, and Government agencies (in11 cluding National laboratories).

12 ‘‘(F) The benefits of precision agriculture

13 in relationship to global food production, reduc14 ing world hunger, world population trends, and

15 efforts to maintain and enhance the environ16 ment;

17 ‘‘(G) The diversity of United States agri18 cultural production, including production on

19 family owned and operated farms, large acreage

20 farms, small acreage farms, and mixed crop,

21 specialty crop, commodity crop, and livestock

22 operations.

23 ‘‘(H) The maximization of collaboration

24 with multiple agencies and other partners that

25 include leveraging of funds and resources.
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1 ‘‘(4) EDUCATION AND INFORMATION DISSEMI2 NATION.—

3 ‘‘(A) RESERVATION OF FUNDS FOR

4 PROJECTS.—Of the funds allocated for competi5 tive research grants under subsection (b) relat6 ed to precision agriculture, the Secretary shall

7 reserve a portion of such funds for education

8 and information dissemination projects regard9 ing precision agriculture.

10 ‘‘(B) COMPLIANCE WITH PRIORITIES FOR

11 INFORMATION DISSEMINATION.—In the dissemi12 nation of information derived from research

13 projects regarding precision agriculture that are

14 supported by grants made under subsection (b),

15 the Secretary shall ensure that both employees

16 of the Department of Agriculture and grant re17 cipients comply with the priorities specified in

18 paragraph (3).

19 ‘‘(5) PRECISION AGRICULTURE PARTNER20 SHIPS.—

21 ‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—For the purposes

22 of this section, the Secretary, in collaboration

23 with the advisory board, shall encourage the es24 tablishment of appropriate multi-state and na25 tional partnerships or consortia between—
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1 ‘‘(i) land-grant colleges and univer2 sities, State Agricultural Experiment Sta3 tions, State cooperative extension services,

4 other colleges and universities with demon5 strable expertise regarding precision agri6 culture, agencies of the Department of Ag7 riculture, National laboratories, agri8 businesses, agricultural equipment and

9 input manufacturers and retailers, certified

10 crop advisers, commodity organizations,

11 other Federal or State government entities

12 and agencies, and non-agricultural indus13 tries and nonprofit organizations with de14 monstrable expertise regarding precision

15 agriculture; and

16 ‘‘(ii) the persons and entities de17 scribed in clause (i) and agricultural pro18 ducers and other land managers.

19 ‘‘(B) PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NATIONAL

20 LABORATORIES AND DEPARTMENT OF AGRI21 CULTURE.—The partnerships established pursu22 ant to this paragraph shall include the partner23 ship entered into (before the date of the enact24 ment of this paragraph) by the Secretary of

25 Energy, on behalf of the National laboratories,
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1 and the Secretary of Agriculture to promote co2 operation and coordination between the Na3 tional laboratories and agencies of the Depart4 ment of Agriculture in the areas of systems re5 search, technology research and development,

6 and the transfer, utilization, and private-sector

7 commercialization of technology.

8 ‘‘(C) ROLE OF PARTNERSHIPS.—Partner9 ships described in subparagraphs (A) and (B)

10 shall be eligible grantees for conducting systems

11 research (including on-farm research) regarding

12 precision agriculture and precision agriculture

13 technologies.

14 ‘‘(6) SPECIAL ASPECTS OF RESEARCH

15 GRANTS.—As part of a research project regarding

16 precision agriculture that is funded under subsection

17 (b), the grant recipient shall agree to perform the

18 following, to the extent practicable:

19 ‘‘(A) Study precision agriculture produc20 tion systems that are located in areas that pos21 sess diverse crop, soil, climate, and physical

22 characteristics.

23 ‘‘(B) Study farms that are or have been

24 managed using precision agriculture farm pro25 duction practices that rely on the efficient use
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1 of agricultural inputs and precision agriculture

2 technologies to increase farm production effi3 ciency, productivity, and profitability.

4 ‘‘(C) Conduct demonstration projects on

5 farms that will be managed using precision ag6 riculture.

7 ‘‘(D) Take advantage of the experience and

8 expertise of agricultural producers through

9 their direct participation and leadership in

10 projects.

11 ‘‘(E) Utilize advanced access and commu12 nications technologies to transfer practical, reli13 able, and timely information to agricultural pro14 ducers concerning precision agriculture prac15 tices, technologies, and systems.

16 ‘‘(F) Promote partnerships among produc17 ers, nonprofit organizations, agribusinesses, ag18 ricultural input machinery, product, and service

19 providers, colleges and universities, the State

20 cooperative extension services, and Government

21 agencies (including National laboratories).’’.

22 (b) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Subsection (l) of

23 the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant

24 Act (section 2 of Public Law 89–106; 7 U.S.C. 450i) is

25 amended to read as follows:
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1 ‘‘(l) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF GRANT RECIPI2 ENTS.—In addition to the record keeping responsibilities

3 of recipients of assistance under this section, as prescribed

4 by the Secretary under subsection (f), the Secretary shall

5 prescribe regulations to require grant recipients to submit

6 to the Secretary periodic reports regarding the research,

7 education, and information dissemination activities sup8 ported with such assistance so as to enhance the useful9 ness of the monitoring and evaluation system developed

10 by the Secretary under section 1413A(b) of the National

11 Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy

12 Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3129(b)).’’.

13 (c) ENTITIES ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS.—Subsection

14 (b)(1) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research

15 Grant Act (section 2 of Public Law 89–106; 7 U.S.C.

16 450i) is amended—

17 (1) by inserting after ‘‘Federal agencies’’ the

18 following: ‘‘(including National laboratories as de19 fined in section 12(d)(2) of the Stevenson-Wydler

20 Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C.

21 3710a(d)(2)))’’; and

22 (2) by inserting after ‘‘corporations’’ the follow23 ing: ‘‘(including agricultural input machinery, prod24 uct, and service providers)’’.
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1 (d) PRECISION AGRICULTURE RESEARCH, EXTEN2 SION, AND EDUCATION, UNDER FUND FOR RURAL AMER3 ICA.—Section 793(c)(2)(A) of the Federal Agriculture Im4 provement and Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–127;

5 7 U.S.C. 2204f(c)(2)(A)) is amended—

6 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of clause (vii);

7 (2) by striking the period at the end of clause

8 (viii) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and

9 (3) by inserting after clause (viii) the following

10 new clause:

11 ‘‘(ix) develop and promote precision

12 agriculture and precision agriculture tech13 nologies using a systems research ap14 proach, as such terms are defined in sub15 section (k)(1) of the Competitive, Special,

16 and Facilities Research Grant Act (section

17 2 of Public Law 89–106; 7 U.S.C. 450i).’’.

18 (e) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Subsection (b)(9)(A)

19 of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant

20 Act (section 2 of Public Law 89–106; 7 U.S.C. 450i) is

21 amended by striking ‘‘subsection (j)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub22 section (k)’’.

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