American Agricultural Security Act of 2024

HR 8447, the American Agricultural Security Act of 2024, establishes new agricultural research centers of excellence to address key security threats. These centers, hosted by eligible institutions like land-grant universities and Hispanic-serving colleges, focus on four areas: biosecurity/cybersecurity for the food supply, agricultural engineering, digital agriculture (including AI), and foreign animal diseases. The bill requires geographic diversity in center locations, mandates partnerships with federal agencies and industry to avoid duplication, and allocates $10 million annually for fiscal years 2025-2029. It also creates a separate grant program to fund research on protecting the food system from threats, with annual reporting requirements to Congress.