Congress expands farm research funding to biological pest control methods
H.R. 7665 — Friends in the Field Act · Filed by Hillary Scholten (D-MI) · Introduced Feb 24, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill adds biological pest control to the list of high-priority research areas eligible for federal grants under the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990. It authorizes the Department of Agriculture to fund research, development, and educational programs on biological pest control methods to reduce crop damage and foodborne illness.
Why we flagged it
The bill is a straightforward amendment to existing law that expands the scope of federally-funded agricultural research to include biological pest control methods. It is a routine authorization measure with no hidden mechanisms or narrow beneficiaries.
What the text implies
- Funding authorization does not guarantee appropriations; actual research support depends on annual budget allocations to USDA research programs.
- Biological pest control methods vary widely in efficacy and applicability by crop and region; research may reveal limited practical utility for some agricultural systems.
- Expansion of research funding may indirectly benefit agricultural biotechnology and biotech companies developing biological control organisms, though the bill itself does not name or directly fund private entities.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Biological pest control reduces reliance on chemical pesticides, lowering environmental contamination and pesticide residues in food. Farmers gain access to alternative pest management tools, potentially reducing input costs and chemical exposure. The public benefits from safer food and environmental protection.
Who stands to gain
- agricultural research institutions and universities
- USDA research divisions
- agricultural extension services
- biological control product developers (indirect)
Named in the bill
USDA, Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, Section 1672(d), agricultural research institutions, extension services
Where it stands
- Feb 24, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Feb 24, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on Agriculture · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (563 characters) on Sep 7, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,398 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-23.
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