Specialty crop research initiative

(a) In general Section 412 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7632) is amended— (1) in subsection (f)(3), by striking subsection (d) and (j) and inserting subsections (d), (j), and (k); (2) in subsection (g)— (A) in paragraph (3), by adding at the end the following: (C) Waiver The Secretary may waive the matching funds requirement under subparagraph (A).; and (B) in paragraph (4), by striking the Initiative and inserting this section; (3) by redesignating subsections (j) and (k) as subsections (k) and (l), respectively; (4) by inserting after subsection (i) the following: (j) Specialty crop mechanization and automation research and development program (1) Establishment and purpose The Secretary shall establish a competitive research and extension grant program to increase the competitiveness of specialty crops in the United States through the advancement and acceleration of mechanization and automation, under which the Secretary awards competitive grants to eligible entities— (A) to create or improve cost-effective mechanization, automation, and other innovations and technologies— (i) to reduce the manual labor requirements of a specialty crop grower; (ii) to improve specialty crop farmworker safety and health or working conditions; or (iii) to increase the efficiency of specialty crop— (I) production; (II) resource management; (III) harvesting; (IV) processing; (V) postharvest technologies; or (VI) packaging; (B) to increase the adoption of specialty crop mechanization, automation, and other innovations and technologies by— (i) emphasizing adoption drivers, which may include connectivity, autonomy, reliability, durability, in-field validation, and cost-effectiveness; or (ii) investing in and developing human capital to increase the capacity of the specialty crop sector to work with new technologies; or (C) to accelerate specialty crop mechanization and automation through— (i) prototype development; (ii) in-field trial testing; (iii) ongoing industry engagement; or (iv) rapid commercialization. (2) Priority In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to proposals for projects that— (A) address the training or retraining of farmworkers to operate, repair, program, or otherwise maintain mechanization and automation solutions involved in the project; and (B) include explicit mechanisms to communicate the results of the project to producers and the public. (3) Applicability Subsections (a), (c) through (g), (i), and (l) shall apply to the program established under this subsection.; (5) in subsection (k) (as so redesignated)— (A) by striking paragraph (5); and (B) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5); and (6) in subsection (l) (as so redesignated)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs (C) and (D) and inserting the following: (C) Allocation (i) In general Of the funds made available under subparagraph (B) for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031, the Secretary shall allocate $30,000,000 for the specialty crop mechanization and automation research and development program established under subsection (j). (ii) Reallocation Any funds allocated under clause (i) that remain unobligated on the date that is 1 year after the last day of the fiscal year in which those funds are first made available shall be reallocated for the Initiative.; and (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) in the paragraph heading, by striking 2023 and inserting 2031; and (ii) by striking 2023 and inserting 2031. (b) Technical and conforming amendments (1) Section 1408A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123a) (as amended by section 7102(a)) is amended— (A) in subsection (a)(2)(A), by striking (j)(3) and inserting (k)(3); (B) in subsection (c)(5), by striking specialty crop research initiative and inserting programs; and (C) in subsection (g), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking (j) and inserting (k). (2) Section 251(f)(1)(D)(x) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6971(f)(1)(D)(x)) is amended by striking specialty crop research initiative under section 412 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 and inserting programs under section 412 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7632). (3) Section 12605(c) of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (7 U.S.C. 7632 note; Public Law 115–334) is amended— (A) by striking 412(j) and inserting 412(k); and (B) by striking 7632(j)) and inserting 7632(k)).