# NSF and USDA Interagency Research Act

This bill creates a formal partnership between two major government agencies—the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—to work together on research projects that benefit both organizations. Instead of these agencies working separately, they'll coordinate their efforts and pool resources to tackle shared challenges in agriculture and related fields.

The bill directs these agencies to collaborate on a wide range of research areas that matter to farmers, rural communities, and food security. This includes studying how plants and animals respond to disease, improving food and nutrition security, revitalizing rural economies, and developing smart farming technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics. They'll also work on detecting food contamination, improving soil health through advanced sensors, and addressing cybersecurity issues in agriculture. Essentially, the government is saying these two agencies should stop working in silos and instead combine their expertise to solve real agricultural problems more effectively.

Beyond just research, the bill emphasizes education and workforce development. The agencies will create training programs, develop agricultural science curricula for K-12 students, and establish centers focused on agricultural research and education. This means more opportunities for students and workers to learn about modern farming techniques and agricultural science. The bill also encourages partnerships with universities, community colleges, nonprofit organizations, and private companies, so the research and training reach beyond just government labs. The agencies must report back to Congress within two years on how well this collaboration is working and what opportunities exist to expand it further.

NSF and USDA Interagency Research Act

Lucas, Frank D.

NSF and USDA Interagency Research ActThis bill provides statutory authority for a research and development partnership between the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).Specifically, the bill requires USDA and NSF to enter into a memorandum of understanding to support cross-cutting and collaborative research and development that furthers the missions of both agencies. Through the partnership, USDA and NSF may conduct research in a variety of focus areas (e.g., rural economic revitalization), promote multi-agency and cross-sector data sharing, support research infrastructure, and organize education and training initiatives.