Agricultural Conservation Mentorship Act

Bill Number

H.R. 7914

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-03-12: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Last Updated

2026-03-30T17:34:07Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Agricultural Conservation Mentorship Act (H.R. 7914) aims to expand the Experienced Services Program under the Food Security Act of 1985. This program allows retired or experienced federal employees to provide technical assistance for agricultural conservation efforts. The bill broadens the program to support higher education initiatives in agriculture, focusing on mentorship and hands-on training.

Key Provisions

• Expands eligible activities: Adds a new category to the program's authorized services—assisting cooperative efforts to improve teaching programs at colleges and universities, including paid work-based learning (structured on-the-job training).
• New definitions (added as subsection (e)):
• Institution of higher education: Public or private nonprofit colleges/universities eligible for federal student aid.
• Land-grant colleges and universities: Public institutions focused on agriculture, science, and engineering, originally created by federal land grants.
• Work-based learning: Hands-on training like apprenticeships or internships, as defined in career and technical education law.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Modifies Section 1252(a)(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3851(a)(2)) by:
• Making minor punctuation adjustments to existing subparagraphs (D) and (E) for clarity.
• Inserting a new subparagraph (F) to include higher education teaching improvements.
• Introduces a dedicated definitions subsection, clarifying terms for consistent application.

Potential Impacts

• Government agencies: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), particularly the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), gains flexibility to use experienced personnel for education partnerships, potentially improving conservation program delivery.
• Citizens and education: Boosts training for future agricultural professionals through mentorship, aiding farmers and rural communities with better conservation expertise.
• No direct international relations impact.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Experienced service providers: Retired federal employees or experts providing mentorship.
• Educational institutions: Land-grant universities and other higher education programs in agriculture.
• Students and trainees: Participants in work-based learning for careers in conservation.
• Farmers and conservation groups: Indirect benefits from a stronger workforce.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens integration between conservation programs and federal education laws (e.g., Higher Education Act, Perkins Act), with no conflicts noted.
• Constitutional: No apparent issues; aligns with Congress's authority over agriculture and spending.
• Political: Supports bipartisan workforce development in agriculture; referred to House Agriculture Committee for further review.

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

Sponsor

Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]

Recent Actions

• 2026-03-12: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
• 2026-03-12: Introduced in House
• 2026-03-12: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Agricultural Conservation Mentorship Act — issued 2026-03-12 — PDF (3 pages)