Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026

New research grants for farmers and colleges

If enacted, the bill would add four new research and extension grant priorities under existing law. The Department of Agriculture would be able to award grants to develop and evaluate advanced mechanized harvester technologies, with emphasis on mechanizing harvest for specialty crops. The Department would be able to award grants to develop and evaluate agricultural uses of artificial intelligence, with emphasis on improving specialty crop production. The bill would allow grants for aquaculture research at land-grant colleges, including propagation and rearing of economically and ecologically valuable aquatic and marine species. The bill would allow grants for invasive species research at land-grant colleges, including methods to manage and eradicate invasive plants and animals and biocontrol approaches. Eligible applicants would include land-grant colleges and other research and extension applicants under section 1672. The bill does not set funding amounts or a schedule, and grants would remain discretionary.