GO Ag Act

Bill Number

H.R. 4945

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Education

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-08-08: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Last Updated

2026-07-03T08:06:14Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Growing Opportunities in Agriculture Act (H.R. 4945), also known as the GO Ag Act, aims to expand career and technical education (CTE) in agriculture by funding new programs in secondary schools (high schools). It directs the Secretary of Education to award grants to help start these programs, focusing on preparing students for agriculture-related careers through hands-on learning.

Key Provisions

• Grant Authorization: The Secretary of Education must award competitive grants to eligible entities (such as local education agencies or area career and technical education schools, as defined under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006) to create new agricultural education programs. Grants last up to 5 years and cannot exceed $100,000 per entity.
• Application Requirements: Applicants must submit details including:
• Roles of partners (e.g., colleges, businesses, labor organizations, or workforce boards) and assurance that programs won't solely prepare students for jobs with those partners.
• Confirmation that the program is new and not yet operating.
• Budget plans, including non-grant funding sources and sustainability after the grant ends.
• How the program benefits students, especially underserved groups (e.g., those with disabilities, from low-income families, or English learners).
• Coordination with existing CTE activities under the Perkins Act.
• Alignment with local employer needs based on required assessments.
• Agreement to provide data for evaluations while protecting student privacy under laws like the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Uses of Funds: Grants can cover curriculum development (including classroom/lab instruction, work-based learning like internships, and leadership through student organizations), purchasing equipment/technology/materials, and other approved costs.
• Evaluation and Reporting: Grantees must conduct independent evaluations and submit annual reports to the Secretary, detailing fund use, program performance (using Perkins Act indicators, disaggregated by student subgroups), and quantitative effectiveness analysis.
• Definitions:
• Agricultural education: CTE focused on agriculture, including instruction, hands-on work, and student leadership activities.
• Eligible partner: Higher education institutions or community stakeholders like businesses or workforce boards.
• Funding: Authorizes $5,000,000 in appropriations, available through fiscal year 2028.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces a new, standalone grant program specifically for agricultural education, which does not previously exist in federal law. It builds on the Perkins Act (a key federal law funding CTE) by requiring coordination, alignment with its performance measures and needs assessments, and use of its definitions for eligible entities. No existing programs are altered or repealed; instead, it supplements them to target agriculture in secondary schools.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: The Department of Education will gain responsibilities for administering grants, evaluating applications, and conducting oversight, potentially increasing administrative workload but with limited funding ($5 million total).
• Citizens: High school students, particularly in rural or agricultural regions, could access new CTE programs, gaining skills for agriculture jobs and improving employability. Underserved students (e.g., special populations like those in poverty or with disabilities) are prioritized for benefits, potentially reducing educational inequities in CTE.
• International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill focuses on domestic education and workforce development.
• Broader Effects: Could strengthen the U.S. agriculture workforce by addressing regional employer needs, but scale is modest due to funding limits (potentially supporting 50 or fewer programs at $100,000 each).

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Eligible Entities: Local school districts, CTE schools, or similar recipients under the Perkins Act, who apply for and implement the programs.
• Students and Educators: High school students (especially special populations) and teachers in secondary schools, who gain access to new agriculture-focused curricula and resources.
• Partners: Colleges, businesses, labor unions, and workforce development boards, who collaborate on program design and must ensure broad job preparation.
• Department of Education: Oversees grants, evaluations, and reporting.
• Local Employers: Benefit from programs tailored to agriculture job needs, potentially improving regional hiring.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Integrates seamlessly with the Perkins Act and FERPA, ensuring data privacy and performance alignment without conflicting with existing education laws. Requires independent evaluations, promoting accountability.
• Constitutional: No major issues; it supports the federal role in education funding under the Spending Clause (Article I, Section 8), providing voluntary grants to states and locals without mandating participation.
• Political: Politically neutral in the bill text, but it highlights bipartisan support (introduced by members from both parties) for bolstering agriculture education amid workforce shortages in farming and related fields. The modest authorization may limit controversy but underscores a targeted investment in rural economies.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]

Cosponsors (10)

Rep. Alford, Mark [R-MO-4], Rep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28], Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17], Rep. McDonald Rivet, Kristen [D-MI-8], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23]

Recent Actions

• 2025-08-08: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
• 2025-08-08: Introduced in House
• 2025-08-08: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Growing Opportunities in Agriculture Act — issued 2025-08-08 — PDF (6 pages)