Precision Agriculture Workforce Training and Development Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8507
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-27: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-18T18:51:27Z
AI-Generated Summary
Precision Agriculture Workforce Training and Development Act (H.R. 8507)
Purpose
This bill aims to boost training and education for workers in precision agriculture—the use of advanced technologies like GPS, sensors, and data analytics to improve farming efficiency—by making it a priority for federal research and grant funding.
Key Provisions
- Short Title: Precision Agriculture Workforce Training and Development Act.
- Adds precision agriculture workforce development as a new high-priority area (paragraph 21) under Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(d)).
- Allows research and extension grants for programs that train students in precision agriculture, often in partnership with public or private organizations.
- Amends the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) under the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(b)(6)):
- Expands eligibility for grants to institutions offering cooperative education programs (work-based learning combined with classroom instruction, as defined in federal higher education law).
- These programs must focus on improving precision agriculture workforce training.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Inserts a new priority category into an existing list of 20 high-priority research areas, explicitly funding student training partnerships.
- Modifies AFRI grant priorities by adding a seventh subcategory, prioritizing institutions with cooperative education for precision agriculture skills.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will direct more research grants toward workforce training, potentially increasing funding allocation to precision agriculture education.
- Citizens: Farmers and rural communities gain access to a better-trained workforce for adopting modern farming tech, improving productivity and sustainability.
- Education Sector: Boosts programs at universities and colleges, creating more hands-on training opportunities for students.
- No direct international relations impact.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- USDA and Research Institutions: Administer and receive expanded grants.
- Land-Grant Universities and Ag Schools: Eligible for new funding to develop training programs.
- Students and Workers: Benefit from workforce development in high-demand precision ag skills.
- Farmers and Agribusiness: Indirectly supported by a skilled labor pool for tech-driven farming.
- Public/Private Partners: Can collaborate on training initiatives.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Straightforward amendment to existing grant programs; no new regulatory burdens or mandates.
- Constitutional: None apparent; aligns with Congress's spending power for agricultural research.
- Political: Bipartisan (introduced by Reps. Flood (R) and Neguse (D)); supports rural economies and tech innovation in agriculture without controversy.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-27: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 2026-04-27: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-27: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Precision Agriculture Workforce Training and Development Act — issued 2026-04-27 — PDF (3 pages)