Producing Real Opportunities for Technology and Entrepreneurs Investing in Nutrition Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6780 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6780

To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to
 direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish research centers of
 excellence for alternative protein innovation, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 17, 2025

   Ms. Brownley (for herself, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Lieu, Ms.
 Tokuda, and Mr. Garcia of California) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to
     the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to
 direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish research centers of
 excellence for alternative protein innovation, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Producing Real Opportunities for
Technology and Entrepreneurs Investing in Nutrition Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Protein innovation that produces high-quality foods
        using under-utilized biomass and biomanufacturing processes is
        an essential component of the bioeconomy.
            (2) The United States has produced several groundbreaking
        biotechnological breakthroughs across the last decade that can
        diversify the food system.
            (3) In recent years, multiple countries have dramatically
        increased public investments into alternative protein research
        and development.
            (4) According to the Department of Agriculture, every $1 of
        investment into agricultural research results in $20 of
        economic productivity.
            (5) As of 2019, the plant-based food industry supported
        over 55,000 jobs in the United States, and the protein sector
        could create as many as 10,000,000 jobs globally by 2050.
            (6) Diversifying the protein supply of the United States
        will increase domestic supply chain resilience, decrease
        reliance on foreign grain and other commodities, and provide
        more choices to American consumers.
            (7) The global demand for meat is predicted to double by
        2050, thus increasing the need for additional food sources.
            (8) A diversified food system would improve global and
        domestic food security.
            (9) Protein innovation can strengthen national security,
        improve supply chain resilience, and lower the risk of
        bioterrorism.

SEC. 3. RESEARCH CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
              INNOVATION.

    Section 1673 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act
of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5926) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Centers of Excellence for Food and Agriculture Innovation.--
            ``(1) Recognition.--The Secretary shall recognize not fewer
        than 3 centers of excellence, one of which will be led by an
        1890 Institution (as defined in section 2 of the Agricultural
        Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C.
        7601)), to focus on the areas specified in paragraph (2)
        relating to the advancement of emerging and innovative food and
        agriculture with an emphasis on diversifying edible protein
        sources.
            ``(2) Areas of focus.--
                    ``(A) Food biomanufacturing research and
                development.--A center of excellence recognized under
                paragraph (1) may carry out research, development, and
                education programs that support the quality,
                production, or cost-effectiveness of emerging and
                innovative foods that employ--
                            ``(i) bioprocessing;
                            ``(ii) biomanufacturing; and
                            ``(iii) the conversion of biomass into
                        proteins and fats at scale.
                    ``(B) Student success and workforce development.--A
                center of excellence recognized under paragraph (1) may
                engage in activities to ensure that students have the
                skills and education needed to work in innovative food
                and agriculture industries, including agricultural
                science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and
                related fields of study.
            ``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $15,000,000 for
        each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
            ``(4) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
        enactment of the Producing Real Opportunities for Technology
        and Entrepreneurs Investing in Nutrition Act, and every year
        thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
        Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee
        on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report
        describing--
                    ``(A) the resources invested in the centers of
                excellence recognized under paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) the work being done by such centers of
                excellence.''.

SEC. 4. AGRICULTURE AND FOOD RESEARCH INITIATIVE.

    Section 2(b)(2)(E) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities
Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(b)(2)(E)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating clauses (ii) through (v) as clauses
        (iii) through (vi), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after clause (i) the following new clause:
                            ``(ii) tools and production methods that
                        increase the availability of edible protein
                        sources using bioprocessing, biomanufacturing,
                        and the conversion of under-utilized biomass
                        into high-value ingredients;''.

SEC. 5. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE.

    (a) Establishment of National Program.--The Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the Agricultural
Research Service (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''),
shall establish a new national program dedicated to protein security
that increases rural prosperity and farmer profits, which is focused
on--
            (1) bioprocessing;
            (2) biomanufacturing; and
            (3) the conversion of under-utilized biomass into high-
        value ingredients.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the program under this section $10,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

SEC. 6. FOOD BIOMANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in
this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a grant program to
ensure that the United States has a viable domestic food
biomanufacturing and production capability to support and sustain
increased global demand for protein.
    (b) Eligible Entities.--An entity is eligible to receive a grant
under subsection (a) if--
            (1) such entity is--
                    (A) a nonprofit or for-profit private entity;
                    (B) an institution of higher education;
                    (C) a National Laboratory;
                    (D) a State or local government; or
                    (E) a consortium of entities described in
                subparagraphs (A) through (D); and
            (2) such entity--
                    (A) is headquartered in the United States and
                operates primarily within the United States;
                    (B) is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by
                1 or more individuals who are citizens of the United
                States; and
                    (C) deploys intellectual property and content that
                is owned by United States individuals.
    (c) Grants.--
            (1) Use of funds.--An entity that receives a grant under
        this section shall use funds received through the grant--
                    (A) to carry out 1 or more demonstration projects
                for the advanced biomanufacturing, production, or
                bioprocessing of edible proteins and fats at scale;
                    (B) to construct 1 or more new commercial-scale
                facilities for such advanced biomanufacturing,
                production, or bioprocessing; and
                    (C) to retool, retrofit, or expand 1 or more
                existing facilities located in the United States and
                determined qualified by the Secretary for such advanced
                biomanufacturing, production, or bioprocessing.
            (2) Amount of grants.--The amount of a grant awarded under
        this section shall be not less than $10,000,000 for an eligible
        entity carrying out 1 or more projects described in paragraph
        (1).
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program under this
section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

SEC. 7. FOOD BIOWORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in
this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a competitive grant
program to support food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing workforce
development.
    (b) Eligible Entity.--An entity is eligible to receive a grant
under this section if the entity is--
            (1) a governmental entity;
            (2) a public, private, or cooperative organization
        organized on a for-profit or nonprofit basis; or
            (3) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian
        Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
        5304)) on a Federal or State reservation or any other federally
        recognized Indian Tribe.
    (c) Use of Funds.--An entity to which a grant is made under this
section may use the grant funds to--
            (1) train new and existing employees on food
        biomanufacturing and bioprocessing methods;
            (2) establish a center for training, technology, and trade
        that will provide training to employees in food
        biomanufacturing and bioprocessing;
            (3) provide higher-education scholarships to students
        pursuing careers in food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing,
        including at community colleges;
            (4) conduct regional, community, and local economic
        development planning and coordination for the purpose of
        increasing food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing;
            (5) provide technical assistance to gain compliance with
        Federal, State, or local regulations related to food
        biomanufacturing and bioprocessing; or
            (6) facilitate business and lending opportunities related
        to food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing, including
        identifying relevant information necessary for obtaining--
                    (A) private capital investments;
                    (B) Federal and State loan guarantees;
                    (C) Federal and State direct grants; or
                    (D) other financial support mechanisms from Federal
                and State entities.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2026 through 2030.

SEC. 8. NATIONAL STRATEGY ON ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS.

    (a) Establishment of a National Strategy on Alternative Proteins.--
The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the
``Secretary'') shall--
            (1) establish a national strategy on protein security in
        coordination with the Secretaries concerned that meets the
        requirements of subsection (c); and
            (2) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
        this Act, finalize such strategy.
    (b) Considerations.--When developing the national strategy under
subsection (a), the Secretaries concerned shall consider--
            (1) the best available science related to edible protein
        diversification that is focused on bioprocessing,
        biomanufacturing, and the conversion of under-utilized biomass
        into high-value ingredients;
            (2) the strategic benefits of expanding research,
        development, and production of protein diversification relating
        to--
                    (A) national security and warfighter readiness;
                    (B) agriculture opportunities for domestic farmers;
                    (C) food and agricultural innovation;
                    (D) resilient supply chains; and
                    (E) cross-cutting scientific advancements;
            (3) global competition and the economic benefits of protein
        diversification relating to--
                    (A) future economic productivity;
                    (B) job creation in the biotechnology sector; and
                    (C) existing public investments and strategies of
                competitor countries; and
            (4) existing policies and programs offered by the Federal
        and State governments that--
                    (A) fund open-access research and development at
                higher-learning institutions and government agencies;
                    (B) incentivize private sector research and
                development;
                    (C) support new and existing food biomanufacturers;
                    (D) support farmers in the United States that
                produce crops and feedstocks that support protein
                diversification and food biomanufacturing; and
                    (E) represent a barrier for effective--
                            (i) open-access food biomanufacturing
                        research and development;
                            (ii) scale-up of food biomanufacturing; and
                            (iii) regulatory oversight.
    (c) Contents.--The national strategy shall--
            (1) use a whole-of-government approach to ensure that the
        United States remains the global leader of food
        biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, and bioworkforce development
        for future generations; and
            (2) include--
                    (A) objectives to fulfill the purpose of the
                national strategy specified in paragraph (1), including
                interagency coordination;
                    (B) barriers to fulfill such purpose;
                    (C) solutions to the barriers identified in
                subsection (b)(4)(E); and
                    (D) a plan for the implementation of the national
                strategy.
    (d) Secretaries Concerned Defined.--In this section, the term
``Secretaries concerned'' means--
            (1) the Secretary of Defense;
            (2) the Secretary of Energy;
            (3) the Secretary of Commerce;
            (4) the Director of the National Science Foundation;
            (5) the Director of the National Institutes of Health;
            (6) the Commissioner of Food and Drugs;
            (7) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
        Prevention;
            (8) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
        Agency; and
            (9) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology
        Policy.

SEC. 9. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act, or an amendment made by this Act, shall be
construed to support the production of insects for food or animal feed.
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