Supporting Equity for Aquaculture and Seafood Act or the SEAS Act
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase support for aquaculture grants and assistance. (Aquaculture is the controlled breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, and sea vegetables.)
Specifically, the bill directs USDA to give aquaculture producers the same consideration as animal agriculture producers in awarding grants or other assistance. Further, USDA must ensure adequate and fair funding levels for aquaculture producers under USDA programs. USDA must also provide its staff with specific education and trainings on aquaculture.
USDA must submit to Congress (1) an annual report that includes information on USDA seafood and aquaculture purchases and grants, and (2) a report on USDA's role in supporting aquaculture and the seafood industry.
USDA must make competitive grants (e.g., to regional aquaculture centers or nonprofit organizations) to develop next generation technology to reduce pollution and fuel usage in the seafood and aquaculture industries. Further, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative program grants must address methods of increasing the survival rate and adaptability of shellfish, including resistance to heat, disease, salinity, and acidification.
In addition, the federal crop insurance program (FCIP) must research and develop a policy to insure aquaculture products and the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (the agency that finances FCIP operations) must establish a policy to insure aquaculture products.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5087 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5087
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a report to Congress
on Department of Agriculture spending related to seafood purchases and
grants, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 28, 2023
Mr. Pallone (for himself, Mrs. Cammack, Ms. Bonamici, and Ms. Blunt
Rochester) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a report to Congress
on Department of Agriculture spending related to seafood purchases and
grants, 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 ``Supporting Equity for Aquaculture
and Seafood Act'' or the ``SEAS Act''.
SEC. 2. REPORT ON USDA SEAFOOD PURCHASES AND GRANTS.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2026, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report that includes, with
respect to the previous fiscal year--
(1) the total amount of expenditures of the Department of
Agriculture on seafood purchases and aquaculture purchases and
the value of such expenditures;
(2) the total amount of expenditures of the Department on
seafood and aquaculture promotion and outreach supporting the
seafood and aquaculture industries and the value of such
expenditures;
(3) the number of grants made by the Secretary of
Agriculture to the seafood and aquaculture industries, and the
amount of such grants; and
(4) the number of grants made by the Secretary of
Agriculture to facilitate seafood and aquaculture research, the
amount of such grants, and the subject matter of such research.
SEC. 3. REPORT ON USDA SUPPORT FOR AQUACULTURE AND THE SEAFOOD
INDUSTRY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to
Congress a report--
(1) evaluating the Department of Agriculture's role in
supporting aquaculture and the seafood industry;
(2) evaluating the domestic seafood processing capacity of
the United States and the impact of overseas processing on
domestic supply chains, aquaculture, and the seafood industry;
(3) examining the access to the Department of Agriculture's
grants and resources aquaculture and seafood producers have, as
compared to traditional land-based farmers;
(4) evaluating the potential environmental benefits of
aquaculture, with respect to climate, conservation, and
pollution;
(5) evaluating the potential negative impacts of
aquaculture, with respect to pollution, waste, disease, and
other repercussions; and
(6) providing recommendations to support and advance best
practice for aquaculture in the United States.
(b) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Aquaculture.--The term ``aquaculture'' means the
controlled breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish,
shellfish, sea vegetables and other organisms in freshwater,
saltwater, and any other controlled water environments.
(2) Seafood industry.--The term ``seafood industry'' means
shellfish growers, shellfish harvesters, sea vegetable growers,
fish farmers, commercial fishermen that harvest shellfish or
finfish, and other aquaculture producers.
SEC. 4. USDA INTERNAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT.
(a) In General.--Subtitle B of the Department of Agriculture
Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6931 et seq.) is amended by
inserting after section 226B (7 U.S.C. 6934) the following:
``SEC. 226C. AQUACULTURE EDUCATION.
``(a) FSA Offices.-- The Secretary shall develop and implement a
requirement for employees of each regional office of the Farm Service
Agency with respect to education on aquaculture. Such requirement shall
include training for all existing and new employees on--
``(1) eligibility for aquaculture-related Federal grants
and programs;
``(2) the role of aquaculture in United States agriculture;
and
``(3) the support the Department of Agriculture provides to
seafood producers and aquaculture.
``(b) Memorandum.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a department-wide
memorandum that--
``(1) affirms the Department of Agriculture's current
position that aquaculture plays a vital role in the United
States agriculture system; and
``(2) reiterates the eligibility of aquaculture and seafood
products and producers for programs administered by the
Secretary.
``(c) Webinars.-- The Secretary shall, beginning not later than 2
years after the date of the enactment of this section and every 2 years
thereafter, convene a conference (including a conference held on a
virtual platform or through webinars) providing for education of
officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture and relevant
stakeholders on the state of aquaculture in the United States.''.
(b) Technical Correction.--Effective as if included in the
enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2018, subtitle A of the Department
of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6912 et seq.) is
amended by redesignating the first section 225 (7 U.S.C. 6925)
(relating to the Food Access Liaison) as section 224A.
SEC. 5. REGIONAL AQUACULTURE CENTERS.
(a) Extension.-- Section 1477(a) of the National Agricultural
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3324(a))
is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) to carry out subsection (b), $30,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2024 through 2028.''.
(b) Indirect Costs.--Section 1477 of the National Agricultural
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3324) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Indirect Costs.--Of the funds made available under subsection
(a) to carry out this section for a fiscal year, not more than 15
percent may be used for expenses related to administering the program
under this section.''.
SEC. 6. SHELLFISH RESEARCH UNDER AGRICULTURE AND FOOD RESEARCH
INITIATIVE.
(a) In General.--Subsection (b)(2)(B)(i) of the Competitive,
Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(b)(2)(B)(i))
is amended to read as follows:
``(i)(I) aquaculture; and
``(II) methods of increasing survival rate
and adaptability of shellfish, including
resistance to heat, disease, salinity, and
acidification;''.
(b) Developing Next Generation Technology for the Seafood and
Aquaculture Industries.--Title IX of the Food Security and Rural
Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``SEC. 9015. DEVELOPING NEXT GENERATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE SEAFOOD AND
AQUACULTURE INDUSTRIES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the heads of
other relevant Federal agencies, shall make competitive grants to
eligible entities to develop next generation technology, which may
include more efficient gear and equipment, to reduce pollution and fuel
usage in the seafood and aquaculture industries.
``(b) Eligible Entity Defined.--The term `eligible entity' includes
a regional aquaculture center established under section 1475 of the
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of
1977 (7 U.S.C. 3322), institution of higher education, federally-funded
research and development center, and an organization organization
described in section 501(c)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and
exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code.
``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2024 through 2028.''.
SEC. 7. GRANT PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--In awarding grants (or other assistance), the
Secretary shall give the same consideration to aquaculture producers as
animal agriculture producers.
(b) Aquaculture Funding.--The Secretary shall ensure adequate and
fair funding levels are made available to aquaculture producers through
grants (or other assistance) under Department of Agriculture programs.
(c) Animal Agriculture Defined.--The term ``animal agriculture''
means the raising, breeding, harvesting, and slaughtering of beef,
lamb, goat, pork, duck, poultry, and other land-based organisms for
consumption and the production of animal products, including milk,
eggs, meat, skins, fibers, bones, feathers, and other byproducts.
SEC. 8. CROP INSURANCE.
Section 522(c) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C.
1522) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(20) Aquaculture products.--
``(A) In general.--The Corporation shall carry out
research and development, or offer to enter into 1 or
more contracts with 1 or more qualified persons to
carry out research and development, regarding a policy
to insure aquaculture products.
``(B) Availability.--The Corporation shall
establish a policy to insure aquaculture products for
the first reinsurance year that begins after the date
of the enactment of this paragraph.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
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