Title: Harvesting Knowledge Act of 2022
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Harvesting Knowledge Act of 2022
This bill allows local educational agencies to use Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants to provide students with hands-on learning experience related to hydroponic or aquaponic agricultural systems (i.e., indoor agricultural technology).

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8103 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8103

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to include 
   indoor agricultural technology as an activity that supports well-
               rounded education, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 16, 2022

  Mr. Espaillat (for himself, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Lee of California) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to include 
   indoor agricultural technology as an activity that supports well-
               rounded education, 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 ``Harvesting Knowledge Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT GRANTS.

    (a) Programming and Activities.--Section 4107(a)(3)(C) of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
7117(a)(3)(C)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (v), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in clause (vi), by adding ``and'' after the semicolon; 
        and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(vii) providing hands-on learning and 
                        exposure to hydroponic or aquaponic 
                        agricultural systems by integrating 
                        experiential, hands-on learning to enhance the 
                        students' understanding of the STEM subjects as 
                        they relate to--
                                    ``(I) agriculture;
                                    ``(II) sustainability topics 
                                (including climate change, water 
                                resource management, efficient land 
                                use, biodiversity, conservation, and 
                                sustainable development); and
                                    ``(III) biology-related topics 
                                (including plant life cycles, 
                                functioning of ecosystems, and 
                                adaptation);''.
    (b) Definitions.--Section 4102 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7112) is amended--
            (1) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(9) Aeroponic tower system.--The term `aeroponic tower 
        system' means a hydroponic growing system in which plants are 
        grown vertically in an air-based environment where they receive 
        regular misting with water and dissolved nutrients on their 
        stems and roots during the production cycle.
            ``(10) Agricultural technology and engineering system.--The 
        term `agricultural technology and engineering system' means a 
        system that includes at least one of the following:
                    ``(A) Nutrient technique film system.
                    ``(B) Vine crop system.
                    ``(C) Aeroponic tower system.
                    ``(D) Other systems as determined by the Secretary 
                in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture.
            ``(11) Aquaponic agriculture system.--The term `aquaponic 
        agriculture system' means a plant production system in which 
        the waste produced from farmed fish or other aquatic animals 
        supplies nutrients for plants grown hydroponically, which in 
        turn purifies the water.
            ``(12) Hydroponic agriculture system.--The term `hydroponic 
        agriculture system' means a plant production system in which 
        plants are grown in a soil-less environment where nutrients are 
        provided by the application of nutrient solutions.
            ``(13) Nutrient technique film system.--The term `nutrient 
        technique film system' means a hydroponic growing system in 
        which a shallow stream of water containing dissolved nutrients 
        is re-circulated past the bare roots of plants in channels 
        during the production cycle.
            ``(14) Vine crop system.--The term `vine crop system' means 
        a hydroponic growing system in which vine crops and other tall 
        fruiting crops (including tomatoes) are grown vertically to 
        maximize the growing space using recirculating water and 
        dissolved nutrients.''; and
            (2) by reordering paragraphs (1) through (8) and the 
        paragraphs added by paragraph (1) of this subsection in 
        alphabetical order, based on the headings of such paragraphs, 
        and renumbering such paragraphs as so reordered.
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