WASHINGTON — U.S. Reps. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) and Don Davis (D-N.C.) recently introduced a bipartisan bill to facilitate the deployment of artificial intelligence across American agriculture by modernizing USDA research and workforce programs.
The act is the Fostering Agricultural Research and Modernization through Artificial Intelligent Act, or FARM AI Act for short.
The FARM AI Act will:
- Designate artificial intelligence as a priority research area under USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) and expand AI research through the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AgRDA).
- Equip USDA Extension with the resources to help farmers responsibly adopt AI technologies and precision agriculture.
- Expand USDA grants and fellowships to strengthen the rural workforce and prepare the next generation of agricultural innovators.
- Nominate a senior USDA official as the AI in Agriculture Advisor to coordinate federal AI efforts, align agency programs, and work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop national standards for agricultural AI.
“Iowa farmers have always been the first to put new technology to work when it helps them grow more efficiently, conserve resources, and stay competitive. Artificial intelligence is the next frontier,” Rep. Nunn said in a statement. “From yield mapping and precision nutrient application to disease detection and water conservation, AI gives farmers better information to make better decisions in real time. Our bipartisan FARM AI Act builds on the groundbreaking research already happening at Iowa’s universities while investing in the workforce needed to bring these innovations from the lab to the field. The future of agriculture shouldn’t be written by bureaucrats in Washington — it should be driven by the Iowa farmers who feed America.”
Iowa State University is already working on bringing AI to the forefront of agriculture and farms. The AI Institute for Resilient Agriculture, based at ISU and supported by the National Science Foundation and USDA’s National Food and Agriculture, is developing AI-powered models of crops and entire farming systems to help breeders develop stronger varieties and help producers improve yields while using fewer resources, Nunn’s bill announcement stated.
In addition to developing AI tools, ISU is also leading innovation across the Midwest. On July 14, the NSF announced that ISU will lead a network that brings together community colleges, industry partners, entrepreneurs, and investors to accelerate innovation in the bioeconomy.
However, despite the rapid advancement of research, farmers and producers are still facing major problems when trying to put these AI tools to work. High upfront costs, limited technical expertise, and a shortage of rural workforce training have slowed adoption of AI technologies on many farms, the announcement noted.
The FARM AI Act addresses all of these challenges.
“Feeding America is national security, and the future of agriculture will depend on our ability to innovate,” Rep. Davis said. “We must strengthen research, expand workforce training, and give producers the tools they need to increase productivity, remain globally competitive, and ensure the United States continues to lead the world in agriculture.”
The FARM AI Act is the House companion to bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate by Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the announcement added.
The full text of the bill can be found here.
