I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3784 
To promote scientific research and development opportunities for connected 
technologies that advance precision agriculture capabilities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 8, 2021 
Mr. MCNERNEY (for himself and Mr. FEENSTRA) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 
and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be sub-
sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To promote scientific research and development opportunities 
for connected technologies that advance precision agri-
culture capabilities. 
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 ‘‘Advancing IoT for Pre-
cision Agriculture Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
It is the purpose of this Act to promote scientific re-
search and development opportunities for connected tech-
nologies that advance precision agriculture capabilities. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION DIRECTIVE ON 
AGRICULTURAL SENSOR RESEARCH. 
In awarding grants under its sensor systems and 
networked systems programs, the Director of the National 
Science Foundation shall include in consideration of port-
folio balance research and development on sensor 
connectivity in environments of intermittent connectivity 
and intermittent computation— 
(1) to improve the reliable use of advance sens-
ing systems in rural and agricultural areas; and 
(2) that considers— 
(A) direct gateway access for locally stored 
data; 
(B) attenuation of signal transmission; 
(C) loss of signal transmission; and 
(D) at-scale performance for wireless 
power. 
SEC. 4. UPDATING CONSIDERATIONS FOR PRECISION AGRI-
CULTURE TECHNOLOGY WITHIN THE NSF AD-
VANCED TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. 
Section 3 of the Scientific and Advanced-Technology 
Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i) is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (d)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; 
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(F) applications that incorporate distance 
learning tools and approaches.’’; 
(2) in subsection (e)(3)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) applications that incorporate distance 
learning tools and approaches.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (j)(1), by inserting ‘‘agricul-
tural,’’ after ‘‘commercial,’’. 
SEC. 5. GAO REVIEW. 
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall provide— 
(1) a technology assessment of precision agri-
culture technologies, such as the existing use of— 
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(A) 
sensors, 
scanners, 
radio-frequency 
identification, and related technologies that can 
monitor soil properties, irrigation conditions, 
and plant physiology; 
(B) sensors, scanners, radio-frequency 
identification, and related technologies that can 
monitor livestock activity and health; 
(C) network connectivity and wireless com-
munications that can securely support digital 
agriculture technologies in rural and remote 
areas; 
(D) aerial imagery generated by satellites 
or unmanned aerial vehicles; 
(E) ground-based robotics; 
(F) 
control 
systems 
design 
and 
connectivity, such as smart irrigation control 
systems; and 
(G) data management software and ad-
vanced analytics that can assist decision mak-
ing and improve agricultural outcomes; and 
(2) a review of Federal programs that provide 
support for precision agriculture research, develop-
ment, adoption, education, or training, in existence 
on the date of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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