Congress boosts agricultural research funding by $5M annually
S. 4072 — Agricultural and Food Policy Research Centers Reauthorization Act of 2026 · Filed by Eric Schmitt (R-MO) · Introduced Mar 12, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill increases federal funding for Agricultural and Food Policy Research Centers from $10 million to $15 million per year, extending the program through 2031. The money supports university-based research on agricultural policy and food systems at designated research centers across the country.
Why we flagged it
This is a straightforward reauthorization and funding increase for an existing federal research program. It amends a 1977 statute to extend and expand support for university-based agricultural policy research centers.
Who it affects
Increased funding for agricultural policy research benefits the public by supporting evidence-based analysis of food systems, farm economics, and rural development — areas that directly affect food prices, farm viability, and rural communities. The research centers produce public-interest analysis that informs policy decisions affecting ordinary people.
Who stands to gain
- universities with designated agricultural policy research centers
- agricultural research institutions
Named in the bill
Agricultural and Food Policy Research Centers, National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, Section 1419A(e), U.S. Department of Agriculture
Where it stands
- Mar 12, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
- Mar 12, 2026 — Referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry”
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 (432 characters) on Jul 2, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 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 2026-10-20.
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