[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5097 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5097

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

                             August 1, 2023

 Ms. Brownley introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Education 
 and the 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 the characteristics of 
        animal protein using plants, animal cell cultivation, and 
        fermentation is an essential component of the bioeconomy.
            (2) The United States has produced several groundbreaking 
        biotechnological breakthroughs across the alternative protein 
        sector in the last decade.
            (3) In recent years, multiple countries have dramatically 
        increased public investments into alternative protein research 
        and development while government spending in the United States 
        is still extremely modest.
            (4) According to the United States Department of 
        Agriculture, every one dollar of investment into agricultural 
        research results in twenty dollars of economic productivity.
            (5) As of 2019, the plant-based food industry supported 
        over 55,000 jobs in the United States, and the alternative 
        protein sector could create as many as 10 million 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 such 
        as alternative proteins.
            (8) Widespread adoption of alternative proteins would 
        decrease the risks associated with antibiotic resistance and 
        zoonotic disease.
            (9) Widespread adoption of alternative proteins would 
        improve global and domestic food security.
            (10) Widespread adoption of alternative proteins would 
        improve the nutritional quality of the United States food 
        system, contributing to improved health outcomes.
            (11) Widespread adoption of alternative proteins would 
        likely help the United States' food system become more climate-
        friendly and sustainable.

SEC. 3. RESEARCH CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN 
              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:
    ``(d) Centers of Excellence for Alternative Protein 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 advancement of alternative proteins in 
        the areas described in paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Areas of focus.--
                    ``(A) Alternative proteins 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 foods with the 
                characteristics of animal meat using plants, animal 
                cell cultivation, or fermentation.
                    ``(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 the alternative 
                proteins 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 2024 through 2028.
            ``(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) characteristics of animal meat using 
                        plants, animal cell cultivation, or 
                        fermentation;''.

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 the research of 
alternative proteins that is focused on developing knowledge and 
enabling commercially-viable technologies related to foods with the 
characteristics of animal meat using plants, animal cell cultivation, 
or fermentation.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the program $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028.

SEC. 6. ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING 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 manufacturing and 
production capability to support and sustain increased global demand 
for alternative proteins.
    (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 manufacturing, production, or 
                processing of alternative protein;
                    (B) to construct 1 or more new commercial-scale 
                facilities for the advanced manufacturing, production, 
                or processing of alternative protein in the United 
                States; and
                    (C) to retool, retrofit, or expand 1 or more 
                existing facilities located in the United States and 
                determined qualified by the Secretary for advanced 
                manufacturing, production, or processing of alternative 
                proteins.
            (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 $50,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.

SEC. 7. ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN WORKFORCE 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 alternative protein 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 alternative protein 
        production and processing methods;
            (2) establish a center for training, technology, and trade 
        that will provide training to employees who process alternative 
        protein;
            (3) provide higher-education scholarships to students 
        pursuing careers in alternative protein production and 
        processing, including at community colleges;
            (4) conduct regional, community, and local economic 
        development planning and coordination for the purpose of 
        increasing alternative protein production and processing;
            (5) provide technical assistance to gain compliance with 
        Federal, State, or local regulations related to alternative 
        protein production and processing; or
            (6) facilitate business and lending opportunities related 
        to alternative protein production and processing, 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 2024 through 2028.

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 alternative proteins 
        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 products with the 
        characteristics of animal meat using plants, animal cell 
        cultivation, and fermentation;
            (2) the societal benefits of expanding research, 
        development, and production of alternative proteins relating 
        to--
                    (A) personal and public health;
                    (B) climate change and energy;
                    (C) food and agricultural innovation;
                    (D) resilient supply chains; and
                    (E) cross-cutting scientific advancements;
            (3) global competition and the economic benefits of 
        alternative proteins 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 alternative protein 
                producers and manufacturers;
                    (D) support farmers in the United States that 
                produce outputs related to alternative proteins; and
                    (E) represent a barrier for effective--
                            (i) open-access alternative protein 
                        research and development;
                            (ii) scale-up of alternative protein 
                        production and manufacturing; 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 alternative protein 
        research, development, production, and workforce 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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