Education (Agriculture)

The Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act would amend the Higher Education Act to cancel the remaining balance on eligible federal student loans for borrowers who work full-time in agriculture. To qualify, individuals must be employed as a farmer, rancher, or manager of a qualified farm or ranch and belong to specific groups such as beginning farmers, veterans, women, minorities, or socially disadvantaged producers. Borrowers must make 120 monthly payments on their loans while maintaining continuous full-time employment in the sector to receive the forgiveness. The bill also establishes strict removal rules that terminate program eligibility if a borrower is not employed full-time in agriculture for more than three years after age 40 or seven years before age 40, with exceptions for active military service.

This House resolution designates September 17, 2026, as National Teach Ag Day to highlight the contributions of agricultural educators and the National FFA Organization. It formally recognizes the role these groups play in preparing students for leadership and career success in the agriculture sector. The bill also acknowledges the work of over 11,000 educators across the United States and its territories who teach about food and natural resources.

The Colonel Gary LaGrange AgVets Act of 2026 creates a new grant program to help military veterans develop skills in farming and ranching. Eligible recipients include agricultural colleges, state departments, and nonprofit organizations, which must use the funds to provide education, workshops, and business management training for veterans. To receive these grants, organizations must match the federal funding with an equal amount of non-federal money. The bill authorizes $5 million annually in fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to support these initiatives.

The Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2026 creates a new funding program to support junior and community colleges in expanding their agriculture and natural resources programs. The bill authorizes $20 million annually from 2027 to 2031 for competitive grants that colleges can use to improve workforce training, education, research, and outreach. Eligible institutions may use these funds to purchase equipment, hire faculty, develop apprenticeships, and offer courses in farm business management. The legislation also allows colleges to apply for a special designation as a center of excellence to demonstrate best practices and provide regional leadership.

The FARM AI Act of 2026 directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to integrate artificial intelligence into its research, education, and extension programs to help farmers improve productivity and resource management. This legislation mandates that federal funding for agricultural sciences include specific projects focused on AI adoption, workforce training, and the development of precision farming tools. To coordinate these efforts, the bill creates a new position called the Artificial Intelligence Agriculture Advisor, who will work with other agencies to promote AI use and establish national standards for the sector. Ultimately, the law aims to support small and family-run farms by providing technical assistance and ensuring access to modern digital technologies.

This bill establishes a new Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production within the Department of Agriculture to support farming methods like hydroponics and controlled-environment agriculture. It creates a competitive grant program that provides funding to nonprofits, local governments, Tribal organizations, and schools to help urban farmers navigate regulations, access land, and improve food availability in underserved areas. Additionally, the legislation updates federal data collection requirements to include modern farming technologies and allocates specific funding amounts to support these initiatives from 2026 through 2030.

The Veterinary Education Equity Act amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act to include 1890 Institutions in a veterinary services grant program. Under this change, the Secretary of Agriculture must give higher priority to grant projects submitted by these historically Black colleges and universities. The bill directly affects 1890 Institutions by increasing their chances of receiving federal funding for veterinary education and research initiatives.

This bill, known as the Precision Agriculture Workforce Training and Development Act, aims to expand educational programs that prepare students for careers in precision agriculture. It directly affects universities, research institutions, and public or private partners by authorizing new grants to support workforce training initiatives. The legislation modifies existing federal funding rules to explicitly include cooperative education programs focused on improving skills in modern farming technologies. By adding these specific categories to research and extension grants, the bill ensures that financial resources are available for developing specialized training partnerships.

This resolution provides for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 7567) to provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2031, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2616) to require public elementary and middle schools that receive funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to obtain parental consent before changing a minor's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form or sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms; providing for consideration of the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 33) setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035; providing for consideration of the bill (S. 1318) to direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a program to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in United States military cemeteries overseas under markers that incorrectly represent their religion and heritage, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1346) to amend the Clean Air Act with respect to the ethanol waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure under that Act, and for other purposes; and for other purposes.

This bill expands the scope of federal programs supporting rural areas to include cybersecurity support, digital literacy, workforce development, and job training alongside existing telemedicine and distance learning services. It amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to update the section heading and modify multiple subsections to explicitly incorporate these new categories of assistance. The changes apply to programs that provide technical support and educational resources to rural communities, with an effective date set for six months after the bill is enacted.