Research for Healthy Soils Act

Bill: 119-s-2500
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2025-07-29
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Latest action: action_date: 2025-07-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-07-29
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Research for Healthy Soils Act</strong></p><p>This bill includes research on the agricultural impacts of microplastics in land-applied biosolids on farmland as a Department of Agriculture (USDA) high-priority research and extension area and reauthorizes other research and extension activities.&nbsp;<em>Microplastic</em> is a plastic or plastic-coated particle that is less than 5 millimeters in size.</p><p>The bill specifically allows grants for carrying out or enhancing research on microplastics (e.g., through the development or analysis of wastewater treatment techniques to filter out or biodegrade microplastics from biosolids intended to be used for agricultural purposes).</p><p>Further, the bill reauthorizes USDA grants to support competitive specialized research and extension activities, including high-priority areas, through FY2031. The bill also specifically reauthorizes through FY2031</p><ul><li>the Pulse Crop Health Initiative;</li><li>the Comprehensive Food Safety Training Network;</li><li>pollinator protection research and extension grants;</li><li>increased USDA capacity and infrastructure to address and conduct research on colony collapse disorder and other pollinator issues; and</li><li>a USDA-conducted nationwide honey bee pest, pathogen, health, and population status surveillance program.</li></ul>

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2500 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 29, 2025 Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Booker , Mr. Whitehouse , Mr. Wyden , and Mr. Van Hollen ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 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, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Research for Healthy Soils Act . 2. Microplastics in land-applied biosolids on farmland Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, 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 biosolids on farmland Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of carrying out or enhancing research on the agricultural impacts of plastic or plastic-coated particles that are less than 5 millimeters in any dimension (referred to in this paragraph as microplastics ) in land-applied biosolids on farmland, including— (A) by conducting surveys and collecting data on microplastic concentration, particle size, and chemical composition in land-applied biosolids on farmland; (B) through the development or analysis of wastewater treatment techniques to filter out or biodegrade microplastics from biosolids intended to be used for agricultural purposes; (C) by conducting an analysis of the impact on agricultural crops and soil health of microplastics in land-applied biosolids on farmland; (D) by conducting research to better understand how wastewater processing impacts microplastics; and (E) by conducting research to better understand the fate, residence time, and transport of microplastics on farmland. . 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 2031 .