I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3871 
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 
to include as a high-priority research and extension area research on 
microplastics in land-applied biosolids on farmland. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 6, 2023 
Ms. PEREZ (for herself and Mrs. KIM of California) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade 
Act of 1990 to include as a high-priority research and 
extension area research on microplastics in land-applied 
biosolids on farmland. 
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 ‘‘Research for Healthy 
Soils Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. MICROPLASTICS IN LAND-APPLIED BIOSOLIDS ON 
FARMLAND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1672(d) of the Food, Ag-
riculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 
5925(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(21) MICROPLASTICS IN LAND-APPLIED BIO-
SOLIDS
ON
FARMLAND.—Research and extension 
grants may be made under this section for the pur-
poses of carrying out or enhancing research on the 
agricultural impacts of microplastics in land-applied 
biosolids on farmland, including by— 
‘‘(A) conducting surveys and collecting 
data on microplastic concentration, particle size 
and chemical composition in land-applied bio-
solids on farmland; 
‘‘(B) the development or analysis of waste-
water treatment techniques to filter out or bio-
degrade microplastics from biosolids intended to 
be used for agricultural purposes; 
‘‘(C) conducting an analysis of the impact 
on agricultural crops and soil health of micro-
plastics in land-applied biosolids on farmland; 
‘‘(D) conducting research to better under-
stand how wastewater processing impacts 
microplastics; and 
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‘‘(E) conducting research to better under-
stand the fate, residence time, and transport of 
microplastics on farmland.’’. 
(b) MICROPLASTICS DEFINED.—Section 1672(b) of 
the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 
1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(b)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term 
‘microplastic’ means a plastic or plastic-coated par-
ticle that is less than 5 millimeters in any dimen-
sion.’’. 
SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF HIGH-PRIORITY RESEARCH 
AND EXTENSION INITIATIVES. 
Section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2023’’ each place it appears in subsection (e)(5), 
subsection (f)(5), paragraphs (1)(B), (2)(B), and (3) of 
subsection (g), and subsection (h) and inserting ‘‘2028’’. 
Æ 
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