Food Research and Development Act

Food Research and Development Act - States that the purpose of this Act is to fund new research for the purpose of assisting the development and utilization, in the United States and other countries, of (1) new low-cost foods of high nutritional value, and (2) improved, low-cost methods of food and animal feed production, fertilizer production, and irrigation which make maximum efficient use of energy, land, water, and protein resources and promote the preservation of environmental quality.

Establishes a Food Research Advisory Committee within the Department of Agriculture. Sets forth the membership of the Committee. Directs the Committee, in accordance with this Act, to (1) determine specialized research areas; (2) accept evaluations for research grants from review boards appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture; and (3) make recommendations to the Secretary.

Establishes within the Committee a review board for each specialized research area with regard to which the Committee makes recommendations for the purpose of awarding grants under this Act.

Requires each review board to recommend to the Committee applications on the basis of the scientific merit, feasibility, and significance of the research project proposed in the application and on the basis of the competency and facilities of the applicant to perform the project.

Provides that grants shall be made to approved applicants for the purpose of financing research projects which are designed to develop new, low-cost foods of high nutritional value and to improve methods of food and fertilizer production through making maximum efficient use of energy, land, water, and protein resources while promoting environmental quality.

Stipulates that not less than 10 percent of the sums available for grants shall be served for applicants from agriculturally underdeveloped nations.

Establishes a Special Food Research and Development Fund, to make research grants under this Act.

Authorizes appropriations of $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1976 to carry out the purposes of this Act, and such sums as may be necessary thereafter. Specifies that at least 85 percent of such appropriations must be appropriated to the Special Food Research and Development Fund.