I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7482 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a program to award 
grants to eligible entities to carry out projects that further agricultural 
resiliency and modernization, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 2, 2020 
Mr. HARDER of California (for himself, Mr. COX of California, Mr. COSTA, 
Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, and Mr. PANETTA) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agri-
culture 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a program 
to award grants to eligible entities to carry out projects 
that further agricultural resiliency and modernization, 
and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Future of Agricultural 
Resiliency And Modernization Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The evidence for human-induced climate 
change is undeniable and our agricultural commu-
nities are increasingly experiencing the impacts of 
climate change. 
(2) The volatility of weather patterns, ranging 
from more frequent and severe droughts, floods, and 
wildfires can negatively impact agricultural produc-
tivity. 
(3) Rural communities, that often lack federal 
and state resources, are especially vulnerable to the 
impacts of climate change, such as revenue losses, 
hours lost at work, and infrastructure damages. 
(4) Climate resilient practices and technologies 
are needed to help save Federal, State, and local 
taxpayers money. These technologies include manure 
resource recovery systems, which recover the nutri-
ents contained in organic matter from their source 
help protect water quality. 
(5) The need for measures that promote energy 
and water use efficiency, conservation, and renew-
able energy will greatly reduce the adverse impacts 
of climate change. 
(6) Many farmers and agricultural producers 
are currently utilizing environmentally beneficial 
practices that also better their production costs. 
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(7) Excessive heat exposure poses a direct 
threat to farm workers and the economy. Climate 
change increases this danger, as 18 of the 19 hottest 
years on record have occurred since 2001. Rising 
temperatures are projected to cause an increase in 
heat-related workplace injuries, illnesses, loss in 
labor capacity, and decreased productivity. In light 
of these findings, the Federal government has an ob-
ligation to protect farmworkers, outdoor workers, 
and employers in the United States from climate 
change. 
(8) The Department of Agriculture should use 
research and development programs to make dairy 
digesters more affordable while mitigating environ-
mental effects. Further, the Department should pro-
vide technical assistance, community support, and fi-
nancial incentives and grants for farmers to partner 
together to build cooperative digester models. The 
Department should use cross-agency collaborative 
models and utilize existing Federal programs, such 
as the Environmental Protection Agency’s AgSTAR 
program to increase farmer access and engagement 
in these efforts. 
(9) The Department should engage in partner-
ships with other Federal agencies to control invasive 
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species, in a manner that protects the environment, 
infrastructure, and agricultural lands in the United 
States. 
(10) Federal assistance is needed to help farm-
ing practices become more resilient and sustainable 
for the long-term. 
SEC. 3. FUTURE OF AGRICULTURAL RESILIENCY AND MOD-
ERNIZATION FUND. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
(referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall carry 
out a program to award grants to eligible entities to carry 
out projects for a qualified purpose. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity eligible to re-
ceive a grant under this section is— 
(1) a Federal agency; 
(2) a State or a group of States; 
(3) a unit of local government or a group of 
local governments; 
(4) an irrigation district; 
(5) a Tribal government or a consortium of 
Tribal governments; 
(6) a State or regional transit agency or a 
group of State or regional transit agencies; 
(7) a nonprofit organization; 
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(8) a special purpose district or public author-
ity; 
(9) a third-party private entity, the primary 
business of which is related to agriculture (as deter-
mined by the Secretary); and 
(10) any other entity, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity selected to re-
ceive a grant under this section may use funds received 
through the grant to carry out projects that further agri-
cultural resiliency and modernization through— 
(1) reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in-
creasing resilience in the agricultural sector; 
(2) increasing carbon sequestration; 
(3) improving soil health; 
(4) providing multiple benefits, including water 
supply reliability, ecosystem preservation, ground-
water management and enhancements, and water 
quality improvements; 
(5) in accordance with state and federal law, 
expediting projects with a focus in renewable energy, 
including biofuels; 
(6) incorporating collaborative partnerships that 
involve local communities in project planning on eco-
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nomic and social benefits of sustainable agricultural 
production; 
(7) investing in climate-resilient infrastructure 
and technology; 
(8) converting plant wastes into higher value 
biocarbon products, including practices like pyrol-
ysis; 
(9) improving air and water quality, including 
pollutants and odors, with dairy digesters and non- 
digester manure management practices and tech-
nologies; 
(10) supporting clean air, water, climate, and a 
sustainable environment helping develop local and 
national resilience strategies against droughts, 
wildfires, and floods; 
(11) supporting and funding purchases of 
cleaner and lower emission agriculture-related equip-
ment like harvesting equipment, heavy-duty trucks, 
agricultural pump engines, tractors, and other 
equipment used in agricultural operations; and 
(12) increasing research on the most effective 
methods of eradicating and controlling invasive spe-
cies and pests, such as nutria. 
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(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
SEC. 4. PYROLYSIS INNOVATION FUND GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall 
establish a program under which the Secretary will award 
grants to eligible entities to carry out not fewer than 10 
pilot projects, with the potential to reduce or sequester 
greenhouse emissions that convert and valorize tree nut 
harvest by-products and waste into multiple higher value 
biocarbon products, including sustainable industrial appli-
cations, agrochemicals, repurposing process heat, energy 
and construction materials. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITY DEFINED.—The term ‘‘eligible 
entity’’ means— 
(1) a third-party private entity, the primary 
business of which is related to agriculture (as deter-
mined by the Secretary); 
(2) a nongovernmental organization with experi-
ence working with agricultural producers (as deter-
mined by the Secretary); and 
(3) a governmental organization. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date 
on which the first grant is awarded under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agri-
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culture of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Sen-
ate a report on— 
(1) the activities carried out using grants 
awarded under such subsection; 
(2) best practices used to leverage the invest-
ment of the Federal Government for the purposes 
specified in subsection (a); and 
(3) an assessment of the results achieved by the 
program established under this section. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
Æ 
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