Improving Coordination of Agriculture Research and Data Act

Bill Number

H.R. 1904

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-03-28: Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.

Last Updated

2025-04-01T17:38:44Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Improving Coordination of Agriculture Research and Data Act (H.R. 1904) aims to better organize U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) efforts on climate-related research and data in farming and rural areas. Its main goals are to:

• Align research and data systems focused on agriculture and climate change.
• Improve technical help and sharing of new technologies for farmers and rural communities.
• Create a nationwide plan for agricultural research to reduce climate risks (mitigation) and adjust to them (adaptation), such as handling extreme weather or changing growing conditions.

Key Provisions

The bill amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 by adding two major new elements:

• Agriculture Climate Scientific Research Advisory Committee:
• Established within USDA's Office of the Chief Scientist as a permanent advisory group (not subject to automatic sunset under federal law).
• Duties: Reviews and recommends on USDA policies for climate-focused data collection, research priorities (e.g., carbon storage in soil, reducing methane from livestock, wetland care, and "climate-smart" farming practices like sustainable crop rotation); identifies research gaps and creates a biennial national agenda; evaluates programs every 5 years; suggests technology assessments and standardized data protocols; consults with industry, producers, scientists, and other federal agencies to avoid overlap; reviews new climate tech for transfer to users; and proposes budget needs.
• Membership: 18 members, including USDA leaders (e.g., Secretary, Chief Scientist, directors of research arms) and appointees (one from the National Academy of Sciences and four from nominations by farm groups, environmental organizations, universities, and industry). Terms up to 6 years, with staggered initial terms; elects its own chairperson, vice chairperson, and executive subcommittee annually.
• Operations: USDA Secretary must respond in writing to recommendations; committee gets staff support (e.g., executive director at GS-15 pay level) and travel expenses but no extra pay for federal employees; follows Federal Advisory Committee Act rules but expenses are exempt from general limits.

• Rural Climate Alliance Network:
• Set up and run through USDA's existing Climate Hubs (regional centers for climate info).
• Purposes: Delivers science-based training and help for climate adaptation/mitigation to rural areas and farmers (defined broadly to include ranchers, foresters, and aquaculture workers); shares new tech and research to change farming practices; boosts collaboration on data and innovations; and enables regional sharing of climate data.
• Composition: A partnership network including universities, state agencies, extension services (local farm education programs), tribes, nonprofits, private businesses, producer groups, USDA internal networks (e.g., soil labs, disaster education), and external federal programs (e.g., NASA satellite data, weather services).
• Activities: Members can start or expand research (e.g., via USDA grants like the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative); collect/share data; advise on climate risks; help farmers adopt new methods; transfer tech/info; and build awareness through tools like apps, websites, workshops, and multilingual materials. Focuses on training diverse groups (e.g., crop insurers, suppliers, tribal experts) and entering multiyear agreements with community organizations.
• Reporting: USDA must submit a public report to Congress within 1 year, covering current needs in climate research/data, progress on solutions, technical assistance gaps, committee actions, and budget recommendations. Includes an inventory of federal/state/tribal efforts, a baseline on soil carbon levels, challenges for farmers (e.g., yield losses), a long-term strategy for resilience, and impacts on workers, production, food security, and farm succession.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds new sections (1413C and 1419) to the 1977 Act, creating the advisory committee and network as permanent fixtures—unlike temporary panels that expire under federal rules.
• Integrates with existing USDA structures (e.g., Climate Hubs, research institutes) but mandates new coordination, standardization of data protocols every 5 years, and biennial research agendas, which were not previously required.
• Exempts the committee's costs from broader USDA advisory spending caps and ensures it avoids termination, providing long-term stability.
• Expands focus on climate-specific topics (e.g., methane, soil health) in agricultural research, extension (outreach), and economics, building on but formalizing scattered efforts.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: USDA will need to allocate resources for staffing, data systems, and coordination, potentially increasing collaboration with other federal bodies (e.g., NOAA for weather data) to reduce duplication. Could lead to more efficient use of budgets for climate-agriculture programs, with required reports influencing future funding.
• On Citizens: Rural communities and farmers gain better access to free or low-cost climate tools, training, and data (e.g., warnings for weather events, pest outbreaks), improving resilience to disasters and economic risks like input cost fluctuations. Enhances food security and farm viability, especially for vulnerable groups like small producers or tribes.
• On International Relations: Indirect effects through stronger U.S. leadership in global climate efforts (e.g., carbon sequestration data could support international agreements like the Paris Accord), but primarily domestic focus with no direct foreign policy changes.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Agricultural Producers and Rural Communities: Direct beneficiaries of technical assistance, education, and risk tools to adapt to climate changes.
• USDA Agencies and Officials: Must implement new structures, respond to recommendations, and integrate climate priorities into operations (e.g., research services, farm programs).
• Researchers and Educators: Universities, extension services, and labs involved in data sharing, agenda-setting, and training programs.
• Nonprofits, Industry, and Tribes: Partner in the network for tech transfer and advocacy; environmental and producer groups nominate committee members and provide input.
• Federal Partners: Other agencies (e.g., NASA, NOAA) contribute data and collaborate to align climate strategies.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Complies with Federal Advisory Committee Act by filing a charter and ensuring transparency, but creates a durable committee exempt from routine expiration (5 U.S.C. § 1013), allowing sustained oversight without repeated congressional renewal. Enables multiyear contracts for activities, streamlining funding but requiring accountability through reports.
• Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; enhances executive branch coordination under Congress's commerce clause authority over agriculture (U.S. Const. art. I, § 8), promoting general welfare via climate resilience without infringing states' rights—states and tribes are explicitly included as partners.
• Political: Positions USDA as a key player in national climate policy, potentially bridging partisan divides by focusing on practical farm benefits (e.g., disaster response) rather than broad regulations. Could influence annual budgets and future laws by mandating research agendas and evaluations, emphasizing science-driven decisions over ideology.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]

Recent Actions

• 2025-03-28: Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
• 2025-03-06: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
• 2025-03-06: Introduced in House
• 2025-03-06: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Improving Coordination of Agriculture Research and Data Act — issued 2025-03-06 — PDF (26 pages)