§5925g Urban, Indoor, and Other Emerging Agricultural Production Research, Education, and Extension Initiative

Summary

The Secretary can award competitive grants, after talking with the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (set up under section 6923(b)), to fund research, education, and extension that help grow urban, indoor, and other new kinds of farming. Work covered can include things like cleaning up contaminated sites; finding better production and pest-control methods; studying social and economic factors for success; deciding where to locate new sites by checking soil, buildings, and community needs; testing technologies that save energy, light, and water; improving building materials and structures; developing new crops and products for markets; and checking how city exposure affects the environment and food safety. The Secretary may give priority to projects with multiple partners or to states or regions with many urban farms, rooftop farms, or indoor facilities. Some grant rules from section 3157 apply to these awards. Money comes from the Commodity Credit Corporation. The Secretary must use $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2019, available until spent, and $2,000,000 for each fiscal year 2024 through 2031. In addition, up to $10,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year 2019 through 2023.