Natural Climate Solutions Research and Extension Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4725
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-29T12:29:08Z
AI-Generated Summary
Natural Climate Solutions Research and Extension Act of 2026
Purpose
This bill aims to support research and extension activities focused on land management practices that help store carbon and lower greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural lands, soils, grasslands, wetlands, and forests.
Key Provisions
- The bill adds a new category under existing law for high-priority research and extension grants.
- Grants may fund practices that:
- Draw on traditional ecological knowledge.
- Support biodiversity and resilience to climate change.
- Reduce runoff from land.
- The changes apply to the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(d)) by inserting a new paragraph (21) on natural climate solutions.
- This expands the list of eligible high-priority topics for grants without altering other parts of the law.
Potential Impacts
- Could direct additional federal funding toward research on carbon storage and emission reduction in farming, forestry, and related areas.
- May influence practices used by landowners and agricultural operations through new studies and outreach.
- Limited direct effects on international relations, as the focus remains on domestic research grants.
Main Stakeholders
- Agricultural producers and landowners managing farms, grasslands, wetlands, and forests.
- Researchers and extension services at universities and federal agencies.
- Organizations focused on environmental and climate-related land use.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture and its relevant committees.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill operates within Congress's authority to authorize research funding and does not create new regulatory requirements.
- It raises no apparent constitutional issues, as it modifies an existing grant program.
- Passage would depend on legislative processes in the Senate and House.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (4)
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2026-06-09: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Natural Climate Solutions Research and Extension Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-09 — PDF (2 pages)