The ACE Agriculture Act strengthens support for agricultural research by permanently funding a key authority and increasing its budget. This helps develop innovative farming technologies and practices that can improve sustainability and resilience in agriculture.
Advancing Cutting Edge Agriculture Act or the ACE Agriculture Act This bill reauthorizes the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) through FY2032 and expands the program's environmental sustainability goals. This Department of Agriculture (USDA) program supports innovative research and development of technology, research tools, and products to address long-term and high-risk challenges related to food and agriculture. The bill expands the program's goals to includewater conservation; responding to greenhouse gas emissions; andresilience to drought, infectious diseases, and plant and animal pathogens and pests. The bill also expands the program's goals to include undertaking advanced research and development in areas in which industry by itself is not likely to do so because of economic cost. Further, the bill removes the current pilot program designation and requires USDA to establish and maintain an AGARDA staff. Finally, the bill allows USDA to use any unobligated USDA funds to implement the program.
1. This bill permanently authorizes the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority. 2. It increases funding for agricultural research from $50 million to $100 million each year from 2027 to 2032. 3. The bill aims to support the development of new agricultural technologies and practices. 4. It focuses on improving environmental sustainability and resilience against extreme weather and diseases. 5. The bill allows the Secretary of Agriculture to use additional funds for its purposes.