Technology (Agriculture) in United States

in committee · United States · House Jul 15, 2025

HR 4414: Satellite-Based Agricultural Data Act

The Satellite-Based Agricultural Data Act amends the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act to explicitly include commercial weather data and tools as a priority area for funding under the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). This change directly affects researchers and institutions applying for AFRI grants by expanding eligible research topics to incorporate commercial weather services. The bill modifies existing grant criteria to require that AFRI proposals consider such data for agricultural research, without creating new funding. This is a procedural adjustment to how research proposals are evaluated under current law.

Topics ✓ Technology

Tags Agriculture

in committee · United States · House Jun 26, 2025

HR 4155: American Agricultural Security Research Act of 2025

HR 4155 establishes "Centers of Excellence" focused on 11 key agricultural research areas, including biosecurity, digital agriculture, beginning farmer training, and food safety. Eligible institutions - such as land-grant universities, veterinary schools, and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges - will host these centers, receiving $10 million annually from 2026-2030 to fund research, extension, and education programs. The bill prohibits funding for new construction and requires annual reports on projects, funding sources, and technology transfers. It directly affects agricultural researchers, farmers, and rural communities by strengthening food system resilience and workforce development through targeted research initiatives.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

Tags Agriculture Rural Communities

in committee · United States · House May 6, 2025

HR 3211: Precision Agriculture Loan Program Act of 2025

HR 3211 establishes a new federal loan program to help crop and livestock producers purchase precision agriculture equipment, which uses technology like GPS, sensors, and data software to manage inputs (such as fertilizer, water, and feed) more efficiently. The program offers loans up to $500,000 with a 12-year term, requiring borrowers to provide security (like a lien on the equipment) and demonstrating creditworthiness and repayment ability. The USDA must report annually on loan recipients - including farm size, demographics, equipment categories used, and estimated environmental benefits - to Congress and the public. This directly affects farmers seeking to adopt efficiency-focused technology, with no eligibility restrictions based on farm size or type.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Technology

Tags Agriculture

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 13, 2025

S 1018: Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act

This bill establishes a federal program to improve cybersecurity for rural water and wastewater systems. It directly affects rural water associations by providing technical assistance through "circuit riders" who assess security risks, develop protection protocols, and document cyber readiness. Key mechanisms include rapid threat assessments, developing security plans, and requiring annual reports on program activities. The program is funded at $10 million annually for fiscal years 2025-2029, with circuit riders needing specific cybersecurity certifications. This is a concrete policy change focused on strengthening infrastructure protection for rural communities.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Cybersecurity Tags Agriculture Rural Communities

in committee · United States · Senate May 6, 2025

S 1616: PRECISE Act of 2025

This bill, the PRECISE Act of 2025, increases financial incentives for farmers and ranchers to adopt precision agriculture technologies through existing USDA conservation programs. It defines "precision agriculture" as managing crop or livestock inputs (like fertilizer or water) with high spatial and temporal detail to improve efficiency, and "precision agriculture technology" as tools including GPS systems, soil sensors, and data software. Key provisions allow up to 90% cost coverage for adopting these technologies under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and add precision agriculture to eligibility for supplemental payments in the Conservation Stewardship Program. The bill directly affects agricultural producers participating in USDA conservation programs by expanding their access to funding for technology that aims to reduce input waste and support environmental quality.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Conservation Tags Agriculture

in committee · United States · House Mar 28, 2025

HR 1985: Promoting Precision Agriculture Act

The Promoting Precision Agriculture Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop voluntary, private-sector-led standards for precision agriculture equipment within two years. These standards will focus on improving connectivity between farm technologies (like GPS systems, sensors, and data software), addressing cybersecurity concerns, and supporting the use of advanced networks and AI in farming. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess these standards every two years for eight years, checking if they were developed with industry input and effectively encourage adoption. The primary beneficiaries are U.S. farmers and agricultural technology companies, aiming to make farming more efficient by reducing waste of resources like water, fertilizer, and fuel.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Tags Agriculture Rural Communities

in committee · United States · House Mar 20, 2026

HR 7734: Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026

HR 7734, the Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026, directs existing federal research grant programs to prioritize four specific agricultural research areas. It adds new funding priorities for mechanized harvesting technologies (especially for specialty crops), artificial intelligence applications in farming (focusing on specialty crop production), invasive species management, and sustainable aquaculture methods. These grants will be awarded to land-grant colleges and universities, as defined by federal law, to develop and test these specific technologies and approaches. The bill does not create new funding but shifts emphasis within current programs toward these targeted research goals.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence Tags Agriculture

in committee · United States · Senate May 6, 2025

S 1617: LAST ACRE Act of 2025

The LAST ACRE Act of 2025 establishes the "Last Acre Program" to expand high-speed broadband access to agricultural land that lacks sufficient connectivity. The program provides grants and loans to broadband providers to build networks meeting minimum speed requirements (100 Mbps downstream, 20 Mbps upstream) on unserved or underserved cropland, pastureland, and farm sites used for active agricultural production. It prioritizes assistance for limited resource farmers (those with lower income and farm sales) and requires providers to meet cybersecurity standards and submit detailed bid applications. The bill also mandates data collection about agricultural broadband usage and requires annual reporting to Congress on program implementation.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Broadband Access Cybersecurity Telecommunications Tags Agriculture Rural Communities

in committee · United States · Senate Feb 11, 2025

S 507: Promoting Precision Agriculture Act of 2025

This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to develop voluntary, industry-led technical standards for precision agriculture equipment within two years, coordinating with NIST and the FCC. It requires these standards to address connectivity needs, cybersecurity, and compatibility across devices like GPS systems, soil sensors, and data management tools used by farmers. The bill also mandates a GAO assessment every two years for eight years to evaluate whether the standards are truly voluntary, developed with industry input, and successfully encourage wider adoption of precision agriculture. The policy affects farmers, ag-tech companies, and equipment manufacturers by creating common technical rules to reduce adoption barriers, without imposing new regulations or costs.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Broadband Access Cybersecurity Telecommunications Tags Agriculture

in committee · United States · Senate Sep 18, 2025

S 2866: Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act of 2025

This bill establishes five regional cybersecurity centers for the agriculture sector through competitive grants awarded to eligible land-grant universities. These centers will conduct research, develop security tools (like intrusion detection systems), and run training exercises specifically targeting cyber threats from countries including China, Russia, and Iran. The centers must focus on protecting seed agriculture, horticulture, animal agriculture, and supply chains from cyberattacks. The bill authorizes $25 million annually from 2026 to 2030 to fund these centers and their activities.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Cybersecurity Tags Agriculture

All technology bills