December 17, 2025
Mr. Schiff (for himself and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
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 high-quality foods using under-utilized biomass and biomanufacturing processes is an essential component of the bioeconomy.
(2)
The United States has produced several groundbreaking biotechnological breakthroughs across the last decade that can diversify the food system.
(3)
In recent years, multiple countries have dramatically increased public investments into alternative protein research and development.
(4)
According to the Department of Agriculture, every $1 of investment into agricultural research results in $20 of economic productivity.
(5)
As of 2019, the plant-based food industry supported over 55,000 jobs in the United States, and the protein sector could create as many as 10,000,000 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.
(8)
A diversified food system would improve global and domestic food security.
(9)
Protein innovation can strengthen national security, improve supply chain resilience, and lower the risk of bioterrorism.
Sec. 3. Research centers of excellence for food and agriculture innovation
Section 1673 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5926) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by inserting of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the Secretary)
after The Secretary
; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following:
(e) Centers of Excellence for Food and Agriculture Innovation
(1) Recognition
The Secretary shall recognize not fewer than 3 centers of excellence, one of which shall 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 areas specified in paragraph (2) relating to the advancement of emerging and innovative food and agriculture with an emphasis on diversifying edible protein sources.
(2) Areas of focus
(A) Food biomanufacturing 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 emerging and innovative foods that employ—
(i)
bioprocessing;
(ii)
biomanufacturing; and
(iii)
the conversion of biomass into proteins and fats at scale.
(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 innovative food and agriculture 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 2026 through 2030.
(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)
tools and production methods that increase the availability of edible protein sources using bioprocessing, biomanufacturing, and the conversion of under-utilized biomass into high-value ingredients;
Sec. 5. Agricultural Research Service
(a) Establishment of national program
The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service, shall establish a national program dedicated to protein security that increases rural prosperity and farmer profits, which is focused on—
(1)
bioprocessing;
(2)
biomanufacturing; and
(3)
the conversion of under-utilized biomass into high-value ingredients.
(b) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the program under this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
Sec. 6. Food biomanufacturing 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 food biomanufacturing and production capability to support and sustain increased global demand for protein.
(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 biomanufacturing, production, or bioprocessing of edible proteins and fats at scale;
(B)
to construct 1 or more new commercial-scale facilities for such advanced biomanufacturing, production, or bioprocessing; and
(C)
to retool, retrofit, or expand 1 or more existing facilities located in the United States and determined qualified by the Secretary for such advanced biomanufacturing, production, or bioprocessing.
(2) Amount of grants
The amount of a grant awarded under this section shall be not less than $10,000,000.
(d) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program under this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
Sec. 7. Food bioworkforce development grant program
(a) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a competitive grant program to support food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing 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 shall use the grant funds to—
(1)
train new and existing employees on food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing methods;
(2)
establish a center for training, technology, and trade that will provide training to employees in food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing;
(3)
provide higher-education scholarships to students pursuing careers in food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing, including at community colleges;
(4)
conduct regional, community, and local economic development planning and coordination for the purpose of increasing food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing;
(5)
provide technical assistance to gain compliance with Federal, State, or local regulations related to food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing; or
(6)
facilitate business and lending opportunities related to food biomanufacturing and bioprocessing, 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 2026 through 2030.
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 protein security 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 edible protein diversification that is focused on bioprocessing, biomanufacturing, and the conversion of under-utilized biomass into high-value ingredients;
(2)
the strategic benefits of expanding research, development, and production of protein diversification relating to—
(A)
national security and warfighter readiness;
(B)
agriculture opportunities for domestic farmers;
(C)
food and agricultural innovation;
(D)
resilient supply chains; and
(E)
cross-cutting scientific advancements;
(3)
global competition and the economic benefits of protein diversification 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 Government and State governments that—
(A)
fund open-access research and development at institutions of higher education and government agencies;
(B)
incentivize private sector research and development;
(C)
support new and existing food biomanufacturers;
(D)
support farmers in the United States that produce crops and feedstocks that support protein diversification and food biomanufacturing; and
(E)
represent a barrier for effective—
(i)
open-access food biomanufacturing research and development;
(ii)
scale-up of food biomanufacturing; 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 food biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, and bioworkforce 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 under 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.