Future of Agricultural Resiliency And Modernization Act
Bill: H.R.4763 | Sponsor: Rep. Harder, Josh (D-CA)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Future of Agricultural Resiliency And Modernization Act
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to award grants to certain entities, including states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations, to carry out projects that further agricultural resiliency and modernization, such as projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions; improve air, water, and soil health; and increase carbon sequestration.
Additionally, USDA must establish a program to award grants to governmental organizations and private entities in the agricultural sector to carry out at least 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 applications, agrochemicals, repurposing process heat, energy, and construction materials.

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 Representatives 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:
            (1) The evidence for human-induced climate change is 
        undeniable and our agricultural communities 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 productivity.
            (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 nutrients 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 renewable 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.
            (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 obligation 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 environmental effects. Further, the Department 
        should provide technical assistance, community support, and 
        financial 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 partnerships with other 
        Federal agencies to control invasive species, in a manner that 
        protects the environment, infrastructure, and agricultural 
        lands in the United States.
            (10) Federal assistance is needed to help farming practices 
        become more resilient and sustainable for the long-term.

SEC. 3. FUTURE OF AGRICULTURAL RESILIENCY AND MODERNIZATION 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 receive 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;
            (8) a special purpose district or public authority;
            (9) a third-party private entity, the primary business of 
        which is related to agriculture (as determined by the 
        Secretary); and
            (10) any other entity, as determined by the Secretary.
    (c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity selected to receive a grant 
under this section may use funds received through the grant to carry 
out projects that further agricultural resiliency and modernization 
through--
            (1) reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing 
        resilience in the agricultural sector;
            (2) increasing carbon sequestration;
            (3) improving soil health;
            (4) providing multiple benefits, including water supply 
        reliability, ecosystem preservation, groundwater 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 economic 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 pyrolysis;
            (9) improving air and water quality, including pollutants 
        and odors, with dairy digesters and non-digester manure 
        management practices and technologies;
            (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 
        or zero emission agriculture-related equipment 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 species and pests, such as 
        nutria and spotted lantern fly.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $500,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.

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 into multiple higher value 
biocarbon products, including sustainable industrial applications, 
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 determined by the 
        Secretary);
            (2) a nongovernmental organization with experience working 
        with agricultural producers (as determined 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 Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a 
report on--
            (1) the activities carried out using grants awarded under 
        such subsection;
            (2) best practices used to leverage the investment 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 $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.
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