DOE and USDA Interagency Research Act

DOE and USDA Interagency Research Act

This bill requires the Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture to carry out cross-cutting and collaborative research and development activities through the establishment of an interagency agreement.

The agencies are authorized to (1) carry out reimbursable agreements in order to maximize research and development effectiveness, and (2) collaborate with other federal agencies. Further, the interagency agreement must require the use of a competitive, merit-reviewed process, which considers applications from federal agencies, national laboratories, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit institutions.

Research and development activities may include

• collaborative research in a variety of focus areas such as integrated natural resources and the energy-water nexus, biofuels and biobased products, invasive species management, grid modernization and security, and rural technology development;
• developing methods to accommodate large voluntary standardized and integrated data sets on agricultural, environmental, supply chain, and economic information;
• supporting research infrastructure and workforce development; and
• conducting collaborative research and development on ways to improve agriculture operations and processing efficiencies, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Bill 118 s 3301, also known as the DOE and USDA Interagency Research Act, is a piece of legislation introduced in the United States Congress. The purpose of this bill is to promote collaboration and coordination between the Department of Energy (DOE) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in conducting research related to energy and agriculture.

The bill outlines specific areas of research that the DOE and USDA should focus on, including bioenergy, bioproducts, and renewable energy sources. It also emphasizes the importance of sharing information and resources between the two agencies to maximize the impact of their research efforts.

Additionally, the bill calls for the establishment of a joint advisory committee comprised of representatives from both the DOE and USDA to oversee and guide the research activities outlined in the legislation. This committee will be responsible for ensuring that the research conducted by the two agencies is aligned with the goals and priorities set forth in the bill. Overall, the DOE and USDA Interagency Research Act aims to enhance collaboration and cooperation between the DOE and USDA in the field of energy and agriculture research. By working together, these two agencies can leverage their respective expertise and resources to address key challenges and opportunities in these important sectors.