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 establish-
ment of the National Ag Science Center in Stanislaus 
County, California. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Ag Science 
Center Act of 2006’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The State of California is a preeminent pro-
ducer of more than 350 different agricultural com-
modities, including more than 90 percent of all of 
the tomatoes and grapes produced in the United 
States, all of the commercial almonds, dates, figs, ol-
ives, cling peaches, prunes and raisins produced in 
the United States, and one out of every five glasses 
of milk consumed in the United States. 
(2) California is the leading State in terms of 
agricultural exports, annually shipping more than $7 
billion dollars worth of agricultural commodities 
around the world. 
(3) The total investment by California’s 78,500 
farms in terms of direct and indirect economic im-
pact is staggering, and, if California is going to keep 
its agricultural industry strong and vibrant, it must 
focus on the needs of farmers who are valuable con-
tributors to the economic, social, and cultural life of 
the State and the United States. 
(4) Since 1945, agricultural land has been rap-
idly disappearing across California, as soil erosion, 
urbanization, the growth of deserts, and salinization 
have all contributed to loss of productive farmland. 
If these trends continue, California will no longer be 
able to supply food for its population, let alone the 
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United States, and will be unable to export food to 
the rest of the world. 
(5) As Americans grow more and more de-
tached from the great agrarian history of the United 
States, fewer Americans understand the funda-
mental importance of agriculture to American soci-
ety. 
(6) Educating young Americans about agri-
culture and its importance to the United States na-
tion is an investment that will pay off in future ben-
efits. 
(7) Greater public understanding and apprecia-
tion of the importance of agriculture to California, 
the United States, and the world is needed to secure 
a positive future, in which the United States can 
rely on healthy food that is produced domestically. 
Citizens of all ages, especially youth, must play a 
meaningful, hands-on role in determining the future 
of California agriculture. 
(8) As planners, conservationists, and other in-
terested persons around the State of California orga-
nize to help protect agricultural resources, the pro-
posed National Ag Science Center in Stanislaus 
County, California, is preparing to educate and alert 
future generations about the need to preserve agri-
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cultural land and to foster an understanding of the 
importance of agriculture. The mission of the Na-
tional Ag Science Center will be to provide exciting 
and fun agricultural learning opportunities and re-
sources in order for young people to learn how a vi-
brant agricultural economy is necessary for a vibrant 
society, and to assure a bright future for all aspects 
of the agriculture industry. The National Ag Science 
Center will prepare young Americans for career and 
leadership opportunities in agriculture. 
(9) According to findings of the Center for 
Public Policy Studies at California State University, 
Stanislaus, the National Ag Science Center will cre-
ate or support up to 359 new local jobs, create or 
support up to $57,500,000 in economic activity and 
$15,200,000 in labor income through construction of 
the new facility, generate as much as $8,500,000 in 
total annual economic activity, and result in as much 
as $3,400,000 in total annual labor income. 
(10) On September 14, 2005, the Yosemite 
Community College District Board, in Stanislaus 
County, California, voted unanimously to approve 
the dedication of a 3.5 acre site on the West Cam-
pus of Modesto Community College for the National 
Ag Science Center. 
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(11) Establishment of the National Ag Science 
Center is in the national interest, as the proposed 
Center will enable future generations to help assure 
a healthy and profitable place for agriculture in the 
economy of California and the United States. 
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL 
AG SCIENCE CENTER, STANISLAUS COUNTY, 
CALIFORNIA. 
(a) ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED.—Using such funds as 
may be appropriated pursuant to the authorization of ap-
propriations in subsection (d), the Secretary of the Inte-
rior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall make grants 
to the Ag Science Center, Inc., in Stanislaus County, Cali-
fornia, to cover a portion of the costs of establishing the 
National Ag Science Center, including costs relating to the 
design, planning, construction, furnishing, equipping, and 
expansion of the Center. 
(b) GRANT PROPOSAL.—To receive a grant under 
subsection (a), the Ag Science Center, Inc. shall submit 
to the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agri-
culture, or to both Secretaries, a proposal for the use of 
the grant funds, which shall include detailed plans for the 
design, construction, furnishing, equipping, and expansion 
of the National Ag Science Center. 
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