Sponsors (2)
The bill directs federal support toward precision‑agriculture training and research—boosting student skills, employer productivity, and university programs—while increasing federal spending and risking unequal access and a narrowing of other agricultural research priorities.
Students will gain access to new federally funded competitive training programs in precision agriculture, improving job-ready skills and career pathways.
Farmers and agricultural employers will have access to a better-trained workforce with precision-agriculture skills, which can raise on-farm productivity and business efficiency.
Universities and research institutions will receive expanded federal support for precision-agriculture research and curriculum development, strengthening academic programs and innovation.
Taxpayers will bear the cost of new grant programs, increasing federal spending without a specified appropriation amount.
Students and smaller or under-resourced colleges may be left out because competitive grants are likely to favor established partners, worsening access and equity in training opportunities.
Farmers and research stakeholders could see limited attention to other agricultural or conservation priorities if precision-agriculture funding draws resources away from other research areas.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds precision agriculture workforce development as an eligible topic for competitive grants and authorizes cooperative-education institutions to receive AFRI grants for such training.
Introduced April 27, 2026 by Mike Flood · Last progress April 27, 2026
Adds precision agriculture workforce development as an eligible topic for competitive federal research and extension grants and permits institutions that run cooperative education programs to receive Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grants to support student workforce training in precision agriculture. The bill changes grant eligibility and priority criteria but does not appropriate new funds or set deadlines.