S. 4730 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jun 10, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryFunding for community college agriculture programs
This bill lets the U.S. Department of Agriculture give grants to community colleges and groups of two-year public colleges to help them teach, train, and research agriculture. The grants can pay for equipment, help teachers develop new skills, and create apprenticeships where students learn on the job. Colleges that partner with local farms and agriculture businesses get priority for the money.
How it affects you
If you're a student at a community college with an agriculture program, you'd have access to better equipment, more experienced teachers, and real-world training opportunities with local farms. If you work in agriculture or own a farm, you could benefit from a stronger pipeline of trained workers coming from community colleges in your area.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jun 10, 2026)
Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2026
This bill allows the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make competitive grants to assist eligible entities (i.e., a junior or community college, or a consortium or alliance of two-year public colleges, supporting agriculture advancement) in maintaining and expanding their capacity to conduct workforce training, education, research, and outreach activities related to agriculture and similar disciplines
In awarding grants, USDA must give priority to entities coordinating with a local agriculture industry operator to provide experiential training and other opportunities for students.
Grant funds may be used to expand and maintain the capacity of the eligible entity, including through the purchase or other acquisition of equipment and other infrastructure, the professional growth and development of faculty, and the development of apprenticeships and other work-based learning opportunities.
An eligible entity may submit to USDA an application for designation and funding as a Center of Excellence for Agriculture Advancement. Funding received as a result of such a designation must be used to demonstrate agriculture best practices and to provide leadership in capacity building at a regional or national level.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionS. 4730
A BILL
Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2026
Sponsor: Sen. John W. Hickenlooper (D-CO) · Introduced Jun 10, 2026 · Agriculture and Food · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 10, 2026: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.”