Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Franklin, Scott
Introduced
Summary
This bill would add four new research and extension priorities to the land-grant program, targeting specialty crop mechanization, agricultural artificial intelligence, invasive species, and aquaculture. It would authorize grants to land-grant colleges and universities to develop and evaluate related technologies and methods with specific "in general" and "emphasis" criteria for each priority.
Show full summary
- Farmers and specialty crop growers would gain support for mechanized harvester technologies and AI tools aimed at improving production and easing harvesting labor.
- Land-grant colleges and universities would receive authorized research and extension grant opportunities tied to each new priority and its emphasis criteria.
- Aquaculture businesses and coastal communities would see research funding for propagation and rearing of economically and ecologically valuable aquatic and marine species.
- Conservationists and resource managers would get grant support for projects to manage and eradicate invasive plants and animals, including research into biocontrol approaches.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Research grants for farmers and colleges
This bill would add four research priorities and let USDA award research and extension grants to land-grant colleges and partners. It would fund advanced mechanized harvester research, with emphasis on mechanizing specialty crop harvesting. It would fund agricultural uses of artificial intelligence, with emphasis on improving specialty crop production. It would fund invasive species research, including biocontrol methods, and fund aquaculture research, including propagation and rearing of valuable aquatic and marine species. Grants would be made under existing section 1672 rules, reference land-grant definitions in 7 U.S.C. 3103, and the bill does not set funding amounts.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Franklin, Scott
FL • R
Cosponsors
Bishop
GA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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