Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4730
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-10: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-23T18:40:38Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of S. 4730: Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2026
Purpose
This bill amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to create a new grant program. Its goal is to help community colleges build and maintain capacity for workforce training, education, research, and outreach in agriculture and related fields.
Key Provisions
- Eligible Entities: Grants are available to junior or community colleges (as defined under the Higher Education Act of 1965) or consortia of such colleges that focus on agriculture advancement.
- Competitive Grants: The Secretary of Agriculture must award competitive grants to support activities in agriculture and similar disciplines.
- Priority: Grants prioritize entities that partner with local agriculture businesses to offer hands-on training and student opportunities.
- Allowable Uses of Funds: Recipients may use grants to:
- Compete for other federal or external funding.
- Provide education on agricultural jobs, including topics like farm business management, accounting, and finance.
- Share information on priority issues with agriculture communities and the public.
- Encourage community participation through matching funds from non-grant sources.
- Acquire equipment and infrastructure (excluding building construction or major renovations).
- Support faculty professional development.
- Create apprenticeships and work-based learning programs.
- Centers of Excellence: Eligible entities can apply for designation as a "Center of Agriculture Advancement" to demonstrate best practices and lead capacity-building efforts regionally or nationally.
- Evaluation and Reporting: Within three years of enactment, the Secretary must evaluate the program and report findings to the House and Senate Committees on Agriculture and Appropriations.
- Funding: Authorizes $20,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill adds a new Section 1473I to Subtitle K of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977. This introduces an entirely new competitive grant authority focused on community colleges, which previously lacked dedicated capacity-building support under this Act for agriculture and natural resources programs.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture would administer the program, including grant awards, priorities, evaluations, and reporting, potentially increasing administrative workload.
- Citizens and Education: Community college students and faculty could gain expanded access to agriculture-related training, equipment, and job opportunities, with possible benefits for workforce development in rural and agricultural areas.
- International Relations: No direct impacts identified.
- Broader Effects: The program could enhance local agriculture industry partnerships but would require new federal appropriations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Community and junior colleges offering agriculture programs.
- Students pursuing careers in agriculture and natural resources.
- Local agriculture businesses and operators partnering for training.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Congressional committees overseeing agriculture and appropriations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The bill raises no apparent constitutional issues, as it falls within Congress's spending and agriculture policy authority. It introduces no major legal changes beyond the new grant mechanism and contains no provisions affecting international relations or political controversies.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]
Cosponsors (9)
Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS], Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ], Sen. Husted, Jon [R-OH], Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE], Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME], Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-10: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2026-06-10: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-10 — PDF (5 pages)