Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act

To amend the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a specialty crop mechanization and automation initiative, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act 2. Mechanization and automation for specialty crops The Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 ( 7 U.S.C. 7601 et seq. 412A. Mechanization and automation for specialty crops (a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish within the Department a stand-alone competitive research and extension grant program to increase the competitiveness of specialty crops in the United States through the advancement and acceleration of the mechanization and automation, including— (1) Projects that create or improve cost-effective technologies to reduce a specialty crop grower’s manual labor requirements and increase the efficiency of crop production, resource management, harvesting, processing, post-harvest technologies, and packaging through mechanization, automation, and other innovations and technologies. (2) Projects that increase adoption of mechanization and automation technologies by: (A) Emphasizing adoption drivers that could include but are not limited to connectivity, autonomy, reliability, durability, in-field validation, and cost-effectiveness. (B) Investing and developing human capital to increase the specialty crop sector’s capacity to work with new technologies, and to manage a more tech-focused farm workforce. (3) Projects that accelerate automation and mechanization through prototype development, in-field trial testing, ongoing industry engagement, and rapid commercialization. (b) Eligible entities The Secretary may carry out the section through eligible entities described in subsection (c). (c) Eligible entities described Eligible entities described in this subsection are— (1) Federal agencies; (2) national laboratories; (3) colleges or universities; (4) research institutions or organizations; (5) private organizations or corporations; (6) State agricultural experiment stations; (7) individuals; (8) organizations representing specialty crop growers; or (9) groups consisting of 2 or more entities described in paragraphs (1) through (8). (d) Review of Proposals In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall award competitive grants on the basis of— (1) a scientific peer review conducted by a panel of subject matter experts from Federal agencies, non-Federal entities, and the specialty crop industry; and (2) a review and ranking for merit, relevance, and impact conducted by a panel of specialty crop industry representatives for the specific specialty crop. (e) Consultation Each fiscal year, before conducting the scientific peer review described in paragraph (1) of subsection (d) and the merit and relevancy review described in paragraph (2) of such subsection, the Secretary shall consult with the specialty crops committee regarding such reviews. The committee shall provide the Secretary— (1) in the first fiscal year in which that consultation occurs, any recommendations for conducting such reviews in such fiscal year; and (2) in any subsequent fiscal year in which such consultation occurs— (A) an assessment of the procedures and objectives used by the Secretary for such reviews in the previous fiscal year; (B) any recommendations for such reviews for the current fiscal year; and (C) any comments on grants awarded under subsection (d) during the previous fiscal year. (f) Report 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 on— (1) the results of the consultations with the specialty crops committee conducted under subsection (e); (2) the specialty crops committee’s recommendations, if any, provided to the Secretary during such consultations; and (3) the specialty crops committee’s review of the grants awarded under subsection (d) in the previous fiscal year. (g) Administration (1) In general With respect to grants awarded under this section, the Secretary shall seek and accept proposals for grants. (2) Term The term of a grant under this section may not exceed 10 years. (3) Matching requirement (A) In general An entity receiving a grant under this section shall provide non-Federal matching funds (including funds from an agricultural commodity promotion, research, and information program) equal to not less than 15 percent of the amount of the grant. (B) In-kind support Non-Federal matching funds described in subparagraph (A) may include in-kind support. (C) Waiver The Secretary may waive the matching requirement under subparagraph (A). (4) Other conditions The Secretary may set such other conditions on the award of a grant under the program under subsection (a) as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. (h) Priorities In making grants under the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide a higher priority to projects that— (1) include proposals that address the training or retraining of farm workers to operate, repair, program or otherwise maintain resulting automation solutions; and (2) include explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers and the public. (i) Buildings and Facilities Funds made available under this section shall not be used for the construction of a new building or facility or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an existing building or facility (including site grading and improvement, and architect fees). (j) Definitions In this section: (1) Specialty crop The term specialty crop 7 U.S.C. 1621 Public Law 108–465 (2) Specialty crops committee The term specialty crops committee 7 U.S.C. 3123a (3) Program The term program (k) Mandatory Funding Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter, and shall remain available until expended. .

Summary: Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish within USDA a stand-alone competitive research and extension grant program to increase the competitiveness of specialty crops in the United States through the advancement and acceleration of mechanization and automation. Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture). The bill provides specified funds for FY2024 and each succeeding year to carry out the program. The grant program includes projects that create or improve cost-effective technologies to reduce a specialty crop grower's manual labor requirements and increase the efficiency of crop production, resource management, harvesting, processing, post-harvest technologies, and packaging; increase adoption of mechanization and automation technologies; and accelerate automation and mechanization through prototype development, in-field trial testing, ongoing industry engagement, and rapid commercialization. Entities eligible for the grant program are federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations and corporations, state agricultural experiment stations, individuals, and organizations representing specialty crop growers.