American Agricultural Security Research Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Bacon
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a coordinated federal program to strengthen agricultural and food-system research and biosecurity. It sets up recognized Centers of Excellence, a new Agriculture and Food Protection Grant Program, and targeted funding for 2026-2030.
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- Farmers and rural communities would gain faster research and extension support aimed at pests, disease, and market shocks, with an explicit focus on improving rural economic returns.
- Colleges, national labs, and research institutions could host one recognized Center of Excellence at a time. Centers receive five-year awards renewable once, may not use funds for construction or major renovations, and must partner with federal agencies, states, higher education, and industry.
- Researchers, educators, and food-system operators would be eligible for competitive grants to develop countermeasures, expand teaching in agriculture and veterinary fields, upgrade biosafety and cybersecurity facilities, buy equipment, and build workforce capacity to guard against chemical, biological, cybersecurity, and bioterrorism threats.
*Would authorize $10.0 million per year for fiscal years 2026-2030, totaling $50.0 million in authorized funding for the Centers of Excellence and the Agriculture and Food Protection Grant Program.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants to protect food and farms
The bill would create a competitive grant program to guard the food and farm system from chemical, biological, cyber, or bioterror threats and other catastrophic risks. State ag stations, state ag departments, colleges, research groups, federal agencies, national labs, or their consortia could apply. Grants could fund countermeasure research, teaching programs in agricultural biosecurity and cybersecurity, facility upgrades to meet biosafety and biosecurity standards, and needed equipment. The program would be authorized at $10 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. If passed, this could expand trained workers and improve readiness for outbreaks or attacks.
New farm research centers and funding
This bill would direct USDA to recognize and support Centers of Excellence in key farm and food topics, including new areas like forest health and food safety/bioprocessing. Awards would last five years and could be renewed once for five more years. Each host could run only one center at a time, and USDA would aim for geographic spread. Centers would need to partner with federal and state agencies, colleges, and industry to share results, train workers, and manage technology and patents. Funds could not be used to build or remodel buildings. The program would be authorized at $10 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. USDA would send an initial report within one year of enactment and then yearly to Congress.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bacon
NE • R
Cosponsors
Nunn (IA)
IA • R
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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