Research for Healthy Soils Act

This legislation amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to establish research on microplastics in land-applied biosolids on farmland as a high-priority area. This designation enables the provision of research and extension grants to investigate the agricultural impacts of plastic particles, defined as less than 5 millimeters, found in biosolids used for farming. The bill outlines specific research objectives, including conducting surveys on microplastic concentration, developing wastewater treatment techniques to filter or biodegrade microplastics, and analyzing their impact on agricultural crops and soil health. It also aims to understand how wastewater processing affects microplastics and their fate, residence time, and transport on farmland. Furthermore, the legislation extends the authorization for various high-priority research and extension initiatives from 2023 to 2031 , ensuring continued funding for these critical studies.