119 HR 4898 IH: SEAS Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2025-08-05
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the Supporting Equity for Aquaculture and Seafood Act
or the SEAS Act
.(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.Sec. 2. Aquaculture defined.Title I—Reports on aquacultureSec. 101. Report on Department of Agriculture seafood purchases and grants.Sec. 102. Report on Department of Agriculture support for aquaculture and the seafood industry.Sec. 103. Seafood industry defined.Title II—Promoting equity for aquaculture at Department of AgricultureSec. 201. Promoting equity for aquaculture producers in administration of Department of Agriculture grant programs.Sec. 202. Department of Agriculture internal education requirement.Title III—Support for aquaculture producersSec. 301. Regional aquaculture centers.Sec. 302. Shellfish research under Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.Sec. 303. Crop insurance policy for aquaculture products.2.In this Act, the term aquaculture means the controlled breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, sea vegetables, and other organisms in freshwater, saltwater, and any other controlled water environments.<enum>I</enum><header>Reports on aquaculture</header><section id="H24E62668AA5147AF8E03F4423B52AA3D"><enum>101.</enum><header>Report on Department of Agriculture seafood purchases and grants</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2028, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report that includes, with respect to the previous fiscal year—</text><paragraph id="H520702E23A4A4DAA96050CF35C273213"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the total amount of expenditures of the Department of Agriculture on seafood purchases and aquaculture purchases and the value of such expenditures;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H836A976B87D244A6A148C49351FE312E"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the total amount of expenditures of the Department on seafood and aquaculture promotion and outreach supporting the seafood and aquaculture industries and the value of such expenditures;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H23938D452D994A5482C31D4E22F5B50A"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the number of grants made by the Secretary of Agriculture to the seafood industry and aquaculture industry, and the amount of such grants; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5D6786F13939428D83BB486D623CA67A"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the number of grants made by the Secretary of Agriculture to facilitate seafood and aquaculture research, the amount of such grants, and the subject matter of such research.</text></paragraph></section><section id="H40ECCFE2F05D4A0F93A13271FC0A0BC1"><enum>102.</enum><header>Report on Department of Agriculture support for aquaculture and the seafood industry</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report—</text><paragraph id="H5CCFF787420C496C8D39F98C246D9AA9"><enum>(1)</enum><text>evaluating the Department of Agriculture’s role in supporting aquaculture and the seafood industry;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H03E6C48E8FD6452F80A3A785AB0DE17E"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">evaluating the domestic seafood processing capacity of the United States and the impact of overseas processing on domestic supply chains, aquaculture, and the seafood industry;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HFF45F174CBFC4BF3A2DB2E8D2AD0D599"><enum>(3)</enum><text>examining the access to the Department of Agriculture’s grants and resources aquaculture and seafood producers have, as compared to traditional land-based farmers;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF463CF3BE97D4810999A538C7BE2F663"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">evaluating the potential environmental benefits of aquaculture, with respect to climate, conservation, and pollution;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HDE7C20D893C14241A76A2371DD7AE2A3"><enum>(5)</enum><text>evaluating the potential negative impacts of aquaculture, with respect to pollution, waste, disease, and other repercussions; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H58380D5AFE29492ABEC30BCF05A064ED"><enum>(6)</enum><text>providing recommendations to support and advance best practices for aquaculture in the United States.</text></paragraph></section><section id="H15558F4515C24F28A7AB6AFB91DECFD5"><enum>103.</enum><header>Seafood industry defined</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title, the term <term>seafood industry</term> means shellfish growers, shellfish harvesters, sea vegetable growers, fish farmers, commercial fishermen that harvest shellfish or finfish, and other aquaculture producers.</text></section><enum>II</enum><header>Promoting equity for aquaculture at Department of Agriculture</header><section id="H72D004AA94DA4DFAB52186E10FF93301" commented="no"><enum>201.</enum><header>Promoting equity for aquaculture producers in administration of Department of Agriculture grant programs</header><subsection id="H59A67453736848BEB3C6AF9D5A382651" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In awarding grants (or other assistance) under programs administered by the Secretary, the Secretary shall give the same consideration to aquaculture producers as animal agriculture producers.</text></subsection><subsection id="HC4D86BA6841942E89A72F2DA3961821A" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Aquaculture funding</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary shall ensure adequate and fair funding levels are made available to aquaculture producers through grants (or other assistance) under Department of Agriculture programs.</text></subsection><subsection id="H2EB1FFDD587A44BA9887E3E79775483A"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Animal agriculture defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <term>animal agriculture</term> means the raising, breeding, harvesting, and slaughtering of beef, lamb, goat, pork, duck, poultry, and other land-based organisms for consumption and the production of animal products, including milk, eggs, meat, skins, fibers, bones, feathers, and other byproducts.</text></subsection></section><section id="H1BDAAF89526E4011BF3630D58C699200" commented="no"><enum>202.</enum><header>Department of Agriculture internal education requirement</header><subsection id="H5DE67C397E4D468B946019B32A58A237" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subtitle B of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/6931">7 U.S.C. 6931 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after section 226B (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/6934">7 U.S.C. 6934</external-xref>) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HF25E3902644549CD987B762E065B4184" display-inline="no-display-inline"><section id="H3FDC2EC034E549CBB058FCE4EE5F569B" commented="no"><enum>226C.</enum><header>Aquaculture education</header><subsection id="HFFE6923258E9408193F29081A4F6B3A4" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>FSA offices</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary shall develop and implement a requirement for employees of each regional office of the Farm Service Agency with respect to education on aquaculture. Such requirement shall include training for all existing and new employees on—</text><paragraph id="H341D7036BC784FF4A10012B1C6E14904"><enum>(1)</enum><text>eligibility for aquaculture-related Federal grants and programs;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF54A8AA1170F45DDBC6B8BCCE54A9955"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the role of aquaculture in United States agriculture; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE0FE9560130A4F0B99841CD25B79D9B3"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the support the Department of Agriculture provides to seafood producers and aquaculture.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H94FCC394D5B945759DC0E0BA88A38DB0" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Memorandum</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a department-wide memorandum that—</text><paragraph id="H2CE1BBB1531E4AF8B38994910CCFA28C" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">affirms the Department of Agriculture’s current position that aquaculture plays a vital role in the United States agriculture system; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0EDA920F489346B1A5F2F4AA8C0D2954"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">reiterates the eligibility of aquaculture and seafood products and producers for programs administered by the Secretary.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H315B93FD4DAA4E39A07BC4A41BB7309B" commented="no"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Webinars</header><text>The Secretary shall, beginning not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this section and every 2 years thereafter, convene a conference (including a conference held on a virtual platform or through webinars) providing for education of officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture and relevant stakeholders on the state of aquaculture in the United States.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H31136C4E6FEF46E6BBC852AFEC960B47" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Technical correction</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Effective as if included in the enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2018, subtitle A of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/6912">7 U.S.C. 6912 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by redesignating the first section 225 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/6925">7 U.S.C. 6925</external-xref>) (relating to the Food Access Liaison) as section 224A.</text></subsection><subsection id="H3FD6893A38234BE1B71B13DA7ABA6578"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 296(b)(7) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/7014">7 U.S.C. 7014(b)(7)</external-xref>) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: <quote>or to develop and implement the requirement relating to aquaculture education under section 226C</quote>.</text></subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Support for aquaculture producers</header><section id="HF949E2DBC66940EF846B38C389167011" commented="no"><enum>301.</enum><header>Regional aquaculture centers</header><subsection id="H459AE5DB45154550AC3173B16B2A129F" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Extension</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 1477(a) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/3324">7 U.S.C. 3324(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H118DBACDC1E24613B45D10EA50CF27A0" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5EB9C035DCBD4FAC95D76488A72BE7EA" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H802C17BFB38044FA9269274D7336CA42" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H53ED7C29752140DCA1AB1A8E0AD5929F" display-inline="no-display-inline"><paragraph id="H41254B635B6B42ABB6A28C2D4375AACC" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to carry out section 1475(b), $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HE58B397746EE483FA4F6E8DC89FF0DDA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Indirect costs</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 1477 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/3324">7 U.S.C. 3324</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H3B93F5B2E1074304AB88747A5729EF97" display-inline="no-display-inline"><subsection id="H6AC700EEA11C45A699DD83A669A70A64"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Indirect costs</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Of the funds made available under subsection (a) to carry out this section for a fiscal year, not more than 15 percent may be used for expenses related to administering the program under this section.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section><section id="H1A0B8217FFEC4DAFB32787B83407AAB2" commented="no"><enum>302.</enum><header>Shellfish research under Agriculture and Food Research Initiative</header><subsection id="HAA6103DC4B4840A9A81052566272FEEC" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (b)(2)(B)(i) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/3157">7 U.S.C. 3157(b)(2)(B)(i)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H61B2D3E02AFB432BBD74790FCB15EF31" display-inline="no-display-inline"><clause id="HCC7586D59C354047BEE4188B61B86E06" commented="no"><enum>(i)</enum><subclause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HC2A09F0819DA4D8E8418FAA7398B55BD"><enum>(I)</enum><text>aquaculture; and</text></subclause><subclause id="HA85293BBBD514C29B9C485A333805538" indent="up1" commented="no"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">methods of increasing survival rate and adaptability of shellfish, including resistance to heat, disease, salinity, and acidification;</text></subclause></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H2C41A5DF0D974E8D8E4E97154A79DC54" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Developing next generation technology for the seafood and aquaculture industries</header><text>Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/8101">7 U.S.C. 8101 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H0B12425555D5434C92894543647FFAFC" display-inline="no-display-inline"><section id="HA11C369D8FFE4F439EEC69D0A853C1F3" commented="no"><enum>9015.</enum><header>Developing next generation technology for the seafood and aquaculture industries</header><subsection id="HF46A07C8005D4B429669E38F6BF7A8A9" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary, in consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall make competitive grants to eligible entities to develop next generation technology, which may include more efficient gear and equipment, to reduce pollution and fuel usage in the seafood and aquaculture industries.</text></subsection><subsection id="H88B07439111F41D1B2773EB38F463390" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligible entity defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <term>eligible entity</term> includes a regional aquaculture center established under section 1475 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/3322">7 U.S.C. 3322</external-xref>), institution of higher education, federally-funded research and development center, and an organization organization described in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/501">section 501(c)(5)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code.</text></subsection><subsection id="HA71FC82952A64C13BBEDCBF64A3D5D7C" commented="no"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section><section id="HC3AEC0A2D0464F0BBF988B8A7360BB95" commented="no"><enum>303.</enum><header>Crop insurance policy for aquaculture products</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 522(c) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/1522">7 U.S.C. 1522(c)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H82264EEF5E8F49C498F42437E9F595BA" display-inline="no-display-inline"><paragraph id="H5C2A00252CB14F51BBF08B49320515E2"><enum>(20)</enum><header>Aquaculture products</header><subparagraph id="H0613AF17FDE54A5784D87B08A4B2A4AD"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Corporation shall carry out research and development, or offer to enter into 1 or more contracts with 1 or more qualified persons to carry out research and development, regarding a policy to insure aquaculture products.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1BB5232A20224E37AC10412499B92FC5"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Availability</header><text>The Corporation shall establish a policy to insure aquaculture products for the first reinsurance year that begins after the date of the enactment of this paragraph.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section>