Agriculture and food protection grant program

(a) In general Section 1485 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3352) is amended— (1) by amending the section heading to read as follows: Agriculture and food protection grant program; (2) by striking subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) and inserting the following: (a) In general The Secretary shall establish a competitive grant program under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to support research, extension, and education activities that improve the capability of the United States to protect the food and agricultural system from any chemical, biological, cybersecurity, or bioterrorism attack. (b) Use of funds Grants made under this section shall be used to— (1) encourage basic and applied research and development of agricultural countermeasures; (2) promote the development and expansion of teaching programs in agriculture, veterinary medicine, and other disciplines closely allied to the food and agriculture system to increase the number of trained individuals with an expertise in agricultural biosecurity and cybersecurity; (3) expand or upgrade facilities to meet biosafety and biosecurity requirements necessary to protect facility staff, members of the public, and the food supply while carrying out agricultural biosecurity research; (4) costs associated with the acquisition of equipment and other capital costs related to expansion of food, agriculture, and veterinary medicine teaching programs in agricultural biosecurity and cybersecurity; or (5) otherwise improve the capacity of the United States to respond in a timely manner to emerging or existing threats. (c) Eligible entities Entities eligible to receive a grant under this section include— (1) State agricultural experiment stations; (2) State departments of agriculture; (3) colleges and universities; (4) university research foundations; (5) other research institutions and organizations; (6) Federal agencies; (7) national laboratories; or (8) any group consisting of 2 or more of the entities described in paragraphs (1) through (7).; (3) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (d); and (4) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by striking for each fiscal year. and inserting for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.. (b) Conforming amendments (1) Section 14112 Chapters 1 and 2 of subtitle B of title XIV of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8912) is repealed. (2) Section 14113 of the Food, Conservation, 8912, 8913, 8921, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8913) is repealed. (3) Section 14121 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8921) is repealed. (4) Section 14122 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8922) is are repealed.