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H.R. 5468House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2025

Sponsored by Trent KellyRep. Trent Kelly (R-MS)
Introduced September 18, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 23, 2025 at 9:55 PM UTC

The Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2025 amends the 1977 National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act to create a grant program that supports junior and community colleges, as well as consortia of such schools, in expanding agriculture and natural‑resources education, research, and outreach. The law provides competitive funding, prioritizes partnerships with local ag businesses, and allows colleges to become designated centers of excellence. It authorizes $20 million annually for six years and requires a performance evaluation after three years.

Key Provisions

  • Adds a new section (1473I) to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act authorizing competitive grants for junior or community colleges and consortia that support agriculture and natural‑resources programs.
  • Defines “eligible entity” as a 2‑year public college or a partnership of such colleges that advance agriculture.
  • Grants are to help these entities expand workforce training, education, research, and outreach in agriculture and related fields.
  • Priority is given to colleges that work with local agricultural operators to provide hands‑on student training.
  • Funds may be used to improve the college’s ability to win other federal or private grants, offer agricultural‑industry job courses (e.g., farm business management, accounting), share information with the community, match other funding sources, purchase equipment and infrastructure, develop faculty, and create apprenticeships or work‑based learning.
  • Colleges can apply to become a “center of agriculture advancement,” which would receive additional funding to showcase best practices and lead regional or national capacity‑building efforts.
  • The Secretary must evaluate the program after three years and report to the House and Senate agriculture and appropriations committees.
  • Appropriates $20 million each fiscal year from 2026 through 2031 to fund the program.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.

Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology Subcommittee

December 2, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 18, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

September 18, 2025

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.

Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology Subcommittee

December 2, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 18, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 5468

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 18, 2025

Mr. Kelly of Mississippi (for himself and Mr. Carbajal) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to authorize capacity building grants for community college agriculture and natural resources programs.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2025.

2.

Capacity building grants for community college agriculture and natural resources programs

Subtitle K of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

1473I.

Capacity building grants for community college agriculture and natural resources programs

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means—

(A)

a junior or community college supporting agriculture advancement; and

(B)

a consortium or alliance of 2-year public colleges supporting agriculture advancement.

(2)

Junior or community college

The term junior or community college has the meaning given the term in section 312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058).

(b)

Competitive grants

The Secretary shall make competitive grants to eligible entities to assist the eligible entities in maintaining and expanding the capacity of the eligible entities to conduct workforce training, education, research, and outreach activities relating to—

(1)

agriculture; and

(2)

other similar disciplines.

(c)

Priority

In making grants under subsection (b), the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity coordinating with a local agriculture industry operator to provide experiential training and other opportunities for students.

(d)

Use of funds

An eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection (b) may use the funds made available through the grant to expand and maintain the capacity of the eligible entity—

(1)

to successfully compete for funds from Federal grants and other sources to carry out educational, research, and outreach activities that address priority concerns of national, regional, State, and local interest;

(2)

to offer educational programming on agricultural industry jobs, including farm business management-related subjects, such as accounting, paralegal studies, and finance;

(3)

to disseminate information relating to the priority concerns described in paragraph (1) to interested members of the agriculture and other relevant communities and to the public;

(4)

to encourage members of those communities to participate in priority education, research, and outreach activities through providing matching funding from sources other than funds received through the grant; and

(5)

through—

(A)

the purchase or other acquisition of equipment and other infrastructure (not including the alteration, repair, renovation, or construction of buildings);

(B)

the professional growth and development of faculty; and

(C)

the development of apprenticeships and other work-based learning opportunities.

(e)

Centers of agriculture advancement

(1)

In general

An eligible entity may submit to the Secretary an application for designation and funding as a center of excellence for agriculture advancement.

(2)

Use of funds

A center of excellence for agriculture advancement designated under paragraph (1) shall use funding received as a result of that designation—

(A)

to demonstrate best practices relating to agriculture; and

(B)

to provide leadership in capacity building at a regional or national level.

(f)

Evaluation and report

Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall—

(1)

conduct an evaluation of activities carried out under this section; and

(2)

submit a report describing the evaluation conducted under paragraph (1) to—

(A)

the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives;

(B)

the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate;

(C)

the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and

(D)

the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

(g)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031.

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