ACE Agriculture Act of 2023

To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to reauthorize the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Advancing Cutting Edge Agriculture Act of 2023 ACE Agriculture Act of 2023 2. Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority Section 1473H of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 ( 7 U.S.C. 3319k (1) in the section heading, by striking Pilot (2) in subsection (a)(6)(A), by striking growing, growing (including water conservation technologies and innovation), (3) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking pilot program program (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) in subparagraph (B)— (I) by inserting the long-term and high-risk technological barriers (II) by striking and resilience to extreme weather; water conservation, the reduction, avoidance, sequestration, or mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture sector, and resilience to extreme weather, drought, infectious diseases, plant and animal pathogens, and plant and animal pests; (ii) in subparagraph (D), by inserting or economic cost (C) in paragraph (3)(B)— (i) in clause (ii), in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking advise the Chief Scientist on, and (ii) by striking clause (iii) and inserting the following: (iii) Relationship within the Department of Agriculture (I) Chief Scientist The Director shall work in close collaboration with the Office of the Chief Scientist. (II) Other programs No other official who is the head of any other program of the Department of Agriculture shall report to the Director. ; and (D) in paragraph (9), by striking the paragraph designation and heading and all that follows through In carrying out (9) Personnel matters (A) In general The Director shall establish and maintain within the AGARDA a staff with sufficient qualifications and expertise to enable the AGARDA to carry out the responsibilities of the AGARDA under this section in conjunction with other operations of the Department of Agriculture. (B) Use of existing personnel authorities In carrying out ; (4) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following: (4) Use of strategic plan The Secretary shall use the strategic plan developed under paragraph (1) and dated 2022 to inform the administration of the AGARDA under this section. ; (5) in subsection (d)— (A) by redesignating subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) as paragraph (5), indenting appropriately, and moving the paragraph so as to appear after paragraph (3); (B) in paragraph (3), by striking $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023 $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029 (C) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: (4) Other funding In addition to amounts otherwise made available to carry out this section, the Secretary may use to carry out this section other unobligated funds available to the Secretary for any other purpose. ; and (D) in paragraph (5) (as redesignated by subparagraph (A)), by striking this paragraph paragraph (2) or (4) (6) by striking subsection (e).

Summary: Advancing Cutting Edge Agriculture Act of 2023 or the ACE Agriculture Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) and expands the program's environmental sustainability goals. (The program supports innovative research and development of technology, research tools, and products to address long-term and high-risk challenges related to food and agriculture.) The bill expands the program's goals to include water conservation and responding to greenhouse gas emissions, as well as resilience to (1) drought, (2) infectious diseases, and (3) plant and animal pathogens and pests. The bill also removes the current pilot program designation and requires the Department of Agriculture to establish and maintain an AGARDA staff.