The Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) — originally set up as a temporary pilot program — would become a permanent part of the USDA. Its mission would expand to cover water conservation, greenhouse gas reduction from farming, and resilience to drought, disease, and pests. Annual funding would double from $50 million to $100 million per year through 2031. The bill is the Senate companion to similar House legislation, and would give farmers and agricultural researchers long-term certainty that the government is investing in next-generation farming technology.
Congressional Summary
Advancing Cutting Edge Agriculture Act of 2026 or the ACE Agriculture Act of 2026This bill reauthorizes the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) through FY2031 and expands the program's environmental sustainability goals. This Department of Agriculture (USDA) program supports innovative research and development of technology, research tools, and products to address long-term and high-risk challenges related to food and agriculture.The bill expands the program's goals to includewater conservation;responding to greenhouse gas emissions; andresilience to drought, infectious diseases, and plant and animal pathogens and pests.The bill also expands the program's goals to include undertaking advanced research and development in areas in which industry by itself is not likely to do so because of economic cost.Further, the bill removes the current pilot program designation and requires USDA to establish and maintain an AGARDA staff.Finally, the bill allows USDA to use any unobligated USDA funds to implement the program.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-01-14
- Date Added
- 2026-04-16