AG RESEARCH Act

HR 4135, the AG RESEARCH Act, addresses long-neglected infrastructure needs at U.S. agricultural research facilities. It provides $200 million annually (2023-2027) for competitive grants to schools of agriculture to repair or modernize research facilities and equipment, with requirements for equitable geographic and institutional distribution (limiting any single state to 20% of funds). Additionally, it allocates $200 million annually for direct payments to USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facilities to address deferred maintenance, prioritizing the most critical structures per their 2012 capital strategy. The bill also authorizes up to $1 billion per year (2024-2028) for planning and construction related to these facilities. These provisions target public research institutions directly affected by aging infrastructure, aiming to maintain U.S. competitiveness in agricultural science.