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S 5126

A bill to amend the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act and the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to further plant cultivar and animal breed research, development, and commercialization, and for other purposes.

119th Congress Introduced by Tammy Baldwin and 3 co-sponsors

The bill expands federal grant programs to fund research, development, and commercialization of improved plant cultivars and animal breeds, boosting innovation and adoption.

Introduced in Senate
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Bill Summary · S 5126

Summary of Bill: S. 5126 (119th Congress)

Purpose and intent

  • S. 5126 seeks to amend the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act and the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994.
  • The overarching goal is to advance plant cultivar and animal breed research, development, and commercialization.
  • The bill aims to bolster federal support for genetic improvement and innovation in crop varieties and livestock breeds, potentially enhancing agricultural productivity, resilience, and industry competitiveness.

Key provisions and changes (highlights)

  • Amendments to the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act:
    • Expand or specify grant programs to fund research on plant cultivars and animal breeds.
    • Emphasize support for development, testing, and commercialization pathways for improved cultivars and breeds.
    • Potentially broaden eligibility, funding mechanisms, and collaboration between public institutions and private sector participants.
  • Amendments to the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994:
    • Adjust organizational or programmatic authorities within the USDA to better facilitate cultivar and breed research initiatives.
    • Streamline processes for coordinating research, development, and transfer of innovations to commercialization.
  • Research, development, and commercialization emphasis:
    • Encourage innovation across the agricultural biotechnology value chain, including breeding methods, trait introgression, and performance validation.
    • Support for pilot projects, field trials, data collection, and dissemination of results to stakeholders.
  • Coordination and oversight:
    • Potentially introduce or modify interagency coordination, reporting requirements, and performance metrics related to plant and animal genetic improvement programs.

Affected entities and stakeholders

  • Primary beneficiaries:
    • Researchers in universities, federal laboratories, and private sector partners engaged in plant breeding, genetics, and animal breeding.
    • Agricultural producers who rely on improved cultivars and breeds with enhanced yield, disease resistance, climate resilience, or other valuable traits.
    • Industry groups and seed/animal genetics companies involved in development and commercialization of new cultivars and breeds.
  • Other affected groups:
    • USDA agencies and offices administering grant programs and research portfolios.
    • States and regional partners engaged in agricultural research and extension services.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Action history indicates:
    • Introduced in the Senate and read twice.
    • Referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (on 2026-07-23).
  • The bill will proceed through standard committee consideration, potential amendments, and eventually floor consideration, with additional steps such as hearings, markups, and votes as applicable.
  • Specific fiscal year allocations, grant caps, reporting deadlines, and implementation timelines are not provided in the summary and would be detailed in the text of the bill.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Positive effects:
    • Accelerated innovation in plant and animal genetics.
    • Enhanced pathways from research to commercialization, potentially improving farm productivity and resilience.
    • Increased collaboration among academia, government, and industry.
  • Considerations:
    • Fiscal implications and funding sources for expanded grant programs.
    • How broadened eligibility or program scope would affect existing USDA programs.
    • Safeguards for biosafety, bioethics, and data privacy related to research outputs.

If you’d like, I can pull key provisions from the bill’s text (when available) to provide more precise details on funding levels, eligibility, and reporting requirements.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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