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Bill

S 4627

FARM AI Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Jim Banks and 5 co-sponsors

The bill creates a national AI Agriculture Advisor, expands AI research and extension in USDA, and promotes training, standards, and widespread adoption of AI in farming.

Introduced in Senate
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 4627

Overview

  • Bill: S. 4627 (119th Congress) – FARM AI Act of 2026
  • Purpose: Increase access to artificial intelligence (AI) through programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and advance AI integration across agricultural research, extension, education, and workforce development.
  • Introduced: May 21, 2026
  • Primary sponsors: Bernie Budd (Senate), with co-sponsors including Catherine Cortez Masto, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Ted Budd, Jim Banks, Mike Rounds, and Adam Schiff
  • Status: Referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

Main purpose and intent

The bill aims to accelerate responsible development, adoption, and integration of artificial intelligence in American agriculture. It emphasizes:
- Improved farm productivity and security
- Better decision-making in crop and animal systems
- Precision technologies, resource conservation, and cybersecurity
- Expanded economic opportunities for small, medium, and family farms
- International competitiveness for U.S. farmers
- Increased access to AI through USDA programs, outreach, and coordination with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Key provisions and changes

1) Inclusion of AI as a priority in USDA research and extension

  • Amends the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act to explicitly include AI in research areas, focusing on:
    • Precision agriculture
    • Farm management
    • Crop production
    • Resource management
    • Cybersecurity
    • Weather monitoring
  • Adds a new subparagraph for:
    • Workforce development and technical training related to computing systems, AI, precision agriculture, and machine maintenance

2) Strengthened AI in AgARDA programs (agricultural research policy)

  • Amends AgARDA (National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act) to:
    • Add deployment and AI systems to research tools
    • Add AI systems as a focus under developing solutions for farmers or ranchers

3) Cooperative Extension and education

  • Expands Cooperative Extension language to explicitly include AI systems, data-driven agricultural management tools, and outreach/education on adoption.

4) Education, fellowships, and workforce development

  • Updates provisions for education and fellowships to fund workforce development and technical training programs in rural communities for:
    • Implementing computing systems and AI
    • Precision agriculture adoption and usage
    • Machine maintenance
  • Applies to grants and fellowships in the Food and Agricultural Sciences Education sector

5) AI Agriculture Advisor and standards coordination

  • Creates the Artificial Intelligence Agriculture Advisor (AIA Advisor) within the Department:
    • Secretary-designated senior official from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to serve as AI Agriculture Advisor
    • Duties include promoting AI adoption, coordinating outreach, workforce training, data-driven farming practices, and animal system management
    • Champion for development and implementation of national AI standards for agriculture in collaboration with NIST and other federal agencies
    • Activities include interagency coordination, stakeholder outreach, sharing best practices, and coordinating networks of AI-using producers

6) Administrative authority and conforming amendments

  • Adds authorization language to carry out Section 237 (AI Agriculture Advisor) to the Department Reorganization Act
  • Ensures statutory alignment with the new AI-focused roles and responsibilities

Who would be affected

  • Farmers and ranchers, especially small, medium, and family-operated farms
  • Rural communities and agribusinesses relying on USDA programs
  • Agricultural researchers, extension agents, and educators
  • Workforce development programs serving rural agriculture sectors
  • Agencies and departments within USDA, in coordination with NIST and other federal entities
  • Stakeholders involved in AI deployment in agriculture (equipment makers, tech developers, service providers)

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Legislative pathway: Introduction and referral to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
  • The bill outlines immediate policy changes (amendments to existing acts) and the creation of permanent roles (AI Agriculture Advisor)
  • No specific funding amounts or implementation deadlines are provided in the text excerpt; appropriations would likely be addressed in later legislative action or appropriations processes

Potential impacts

  • Accelerated AI research and deployment in agriculture
  • Broader access to AI tools and training for rural producers
  • Development of national AI standards for agriculture, improving interoperability and safety
  • Enhanced data-driven decision making and resource efficiency in farming
  • Expanded educational pipelines and workforce skills in AI and precision agriculture

Note: This summary reflects the bill text as introduced and does not account for amendments that may be adopted during the legislative process.

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

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