Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026

This bill amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to establish new research and extension grant priorities, directing federal funding towards critical areas of agricultural innovation. It prioritizes the development and evaluation of advanced mechanized harvester technologies , with a specific emphasis on mechanizing the harvesting of specialty crops, and the agricultural application of artificial intelligence , particularly for improving specialty crop production. Further priorities include supporting research and extension for managing and eradicating invasive species of plants and animals, including through biocontrol methods, and advancing aquaculture research and extension . These aquaculture efforts focus on developing and applying methods for propagating and rearing economically and ecologically valuable aquatic and marine species. These grants will be made to land-grant colleges and universities to foster advancements in these key agricultural science and technology fields.