Automation and mechanization grants for specialty crops producers

Subtitle A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

210B.

Automation and mechanization grants

(a)

In general

For purposes of enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crop producers in the United States, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service, shall establish a program under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to acquire certain equipment and provide training with respect to the use of such equipment.(b)

Use of funds

An eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall use funds received through the grant—(1)to acquire mechanized or automated systems and tools that increase the efficiency of a task or reduce human labor for a specific activity, as determined by the Secretary; and(2)to provide training, including worker training, and other professional services required to learn how to deploy and effectively operate such systems and tools , as determined by the Secretary.(c)

Amount of grants

To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall seek to ensure that the amount of a grant awarded to a single eligible entity is sufficient to provide a significant offset to the costs such eligible entity incurs in carrying out the activities specified in subsection (b). (d)

Matching funds requirement

The recipient of a grant under this section shall provide non-Federal matching funds equal to not less than 50 percent of the amount of the grant.(e)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Mechanized or automated systems and tools

The term mechanized or automated systems and tools includes—(A)low dust harvesting tools and equipment;(B)grinding and chipping tools and equipment;(C)sorting machines,;(D)phytosanitary, infrared, and pasteurization tools and equipment;(E)traceability tools and equipment;(F)storage and warehousing tools and equipment;(G)drones for monitoring commodity piles and feedstuff for cattle;(H)hedgers or shredders;(I)wireless, networks, and connectivity equipment to support IoT devices;(J)remote, mobile, or drone sensing sensors for field level monitoring of environmental variables for use in farm production and/or processing management decision making;(K)enhanced precision irrigation automation, remote sensing, and metering, pest and disease detection, nutrient analysis, and crop load assessment equipment and tools;(L)crop monitoring and analytics equipment and tools;(M)potential and predictive near-infrared crop damaged assessments;(N)robotic, semi-autonomous, autonomous or mechanized systems or other tools;(O)equipment and tools that automate or mechanize seeding, weeding, harvesting, packing (field and in-house), pruning, spraying, transporting, climate protection (such as shade cloth or light manipulation); and(P)such other automated or mechanized systems or tools that increase efficiency as determined by the Secretary.(2)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means an individual or entity engaged in the commercial production of specialty crops in the United States.