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Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act

3/14/2024, 4:05 AM

Summary of Bill HR 4173

Bill 118 hr 4173, also known as the Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act, aims to promote the use of automation technology in the agricultural industry. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on March 18, 2021, by Representative Jim Costa from California.

The main goal of this legislation is to support research and development efforts in the field of agricultural automation. This includes funding for projects that focus on developing new technologies and tools to improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability in farming practices. The bill also seeks to address labor shortages in the agricultural sector by promoting the use of automation to supplement and enhance the work of human laborers.

Additionally, the Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act aims to establish partnerships between government agencies, academic institutions, and private sector companies to collaborate on research initiatives. This collaborative approach is intended to accelerate the development and adoption of automation technologies in agriculture. Overall, this bill represents a bipartisan effort to support innovation and modernization in the agricultural industry through the advancement of automation research and development. It seeks to address the challenges facing farmers and ranchers by promoting the use of cutting-edge technology to improve efficiency and sustainability in agricultural practices.

Congressional Summary of HR 4173

Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish within USDA a stand-alone 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. Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture).

The bill provides specified funds for FY2024 and each succeeding year to carry out the program.

The grant program includes projects that

  • create or improve cost-effective technologies to reduce a specialty crop grower's manual labor requirements and increase the efficiency of crop production, resource management, harvesting, processing, post-harvest technologies, and packaging;
  • increase adoption of mechanization and automation technologies; and
  • accelerate automation and mechanization through prototype development, in-field trial testing, ongoing industry engagement, and rapid commercialization.

Entities eligible for the grant program are federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations and corporations, state agricultural experiment stations, individuals, and organizations representing specialty crop growers.

Read the Full Bill

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Current Status of Bill HR 4173

Bill HR 4173 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since June 15, 2023. Bill HR 4173 was introduced during Congress 118 and was introduced to the House on June 15, 2023.  Bill HR 4173's most recent activity was Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology. as of August 21, 2023

Bipartisan Support of Bill HR 4173

Total Number of Sponsors
1
Democrat Sponsors
0
Republican Sponsors
1
Unaffiliated Sponsors
0
Total Number of Cosponsors
30
Democrat Cosponsors
20
Republican Cosponsors
10
Unaffiliated Cosponsors
0

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill HR 4173

Primary Policy Focus

Agriculture and Food

Potential Impact Areas

- Agricultural education
- Agricultural equipment and machinery
- Agricultural practices and innovations
- Agricultural research
- Computers and information technology
- Congressional oversight
- Fruit and vegetables
- Public-private cooperation
- State and local government operations

Alternate Title(s) of Bill HR 4173

Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act
Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act
To amend the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a specialty crop mechanization and automation initiative, and for other purposes.

Comments

Sponsors and Cosponsors of HR 4173

Doug LaMalfa
Doug LaMalfa
CaliforniaRepublican
David G. Valadao
David G. Valadao
CaliforniaRepublican
Jill N. Tokuda
Jill N. Tokuda
HawaiiDemocrat
Andrea Salinas
Andrea Salinas
OregonDemocrat
Abigail Davis Spanberger
Abigail Davis Spanberger
VirginiaDemocrat
Jimmy Panetta
Jimmy Panetta
CaliforniaDemocrat

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