What This Bill Does
This bill amends an existing agricultural law to create a new program providing research and extension grants (money given to support learning and practical application of knowledge) focused on coffee plant health. The program aims to develop tools and treatments to fight plant pests and noxious weeds (unwanted plants that spread aggressively) that harm coffee plants.
Who It Affects
Not specified in bill text
Key Provisions
• Research and extension grants may be used to develop and share science-based tools and treatments to combat plant pests and noxious weeds affecting coffee plants (Sec. 2(a)(i))
• Grants may establish areawide integrated pest management programs (coordinated efforts to manage pests across entire regions) in areas affected by or at risk of plant pests or noxious weeds impacting coffee plants (Sec. 2(a)(ii))
• Grants may be used to survey and collect data on coffee plant production and health (Sec. 2(a)(iii))
• Grants may fund research on coffee plant biology, immunology (immune system function), ecology, genomics (study of genes), and bioinformatics (computer analysis of biological information) (Sec. 2(a)(iv))
• Grants may support research on factors related to coffee plant immune systems and serious threats to coffee plants, including harmful effects of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides on beneficial insects and plants (Sec. 2(a)(v))
What Changes
The bill changes the authorization date in the existing law from 2023 to 2035 (Sec. 2(b))
Important Definitions
The bill uses the definitions of "noxious weed" and "plant pest" found in section 403 of the Plant Protection Act (Sec. 2(b))
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 371
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990
to provide research and extension grants to combat plant pests and
noxious weeds that impact coffee plants, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 9, 2023
Ms. HIRONO (for herself and Mr. SCHATZ) introduced the following bill; which
was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition,
and Forestry
A BILL
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade
Act of 1990 to provide research and extension grants
to combat plant pests and noxious weeds that impact
coffee plants, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coffee Plant Health
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Initiative Amendments Act of 2023’’.
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SEC. 2. COFFEE PLANT HEALTH INITIATIVE.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1672(d) of the Food, Ag-
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riculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C.
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•S 371 IS
5925(d)) is amended by striking paragraph (9) and insert-
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ing the following:
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‘‘(9) COFFEE PLANT HEALTH INITIATIVE.—
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Research and exten-
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sion grants may be made under this section for
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the purposes of—
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‘‘(i) developing and disseminating
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science-based tools and treatments to com-
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bat plant pests and noxious weeds that im-
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pact coffee plants;
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‘‘(ii) establishing an areawide inte-
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grated pest management program in areas
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affected by, or areas at risk of being af-
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fected by, plant pests or noxious weeds
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that impact coffee plants;
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‘‘(iii) surveying and collecting data on
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coffee plant production and health;
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‘‘(iv) investigating coffee plant biol-
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ogy, immunology, ecology, genomics, and
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bioinformatics; and
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‘‘(v) conducting research on—
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‘‘(I) factors that may contribute
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to or be associated with coffee plant
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immune systems;
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•S 371 IS
‘‘(II) other serious threats to cof-
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fee plants, including the sublethal ef-
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fects of insecticides, herbicides, and
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fungicides on insects and plants bene-
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ficial to coffee plant growth; and
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‘‘(III) the development of miti-
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gating and preventative measures to
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improve habitat conservation and best
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management practices in coffee-grow-
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ing regions.
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‘‘(B) DEFINITION
OF
NOXIOUS
WEED;
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PLANT
PEST.—In this paragraph, the terms
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‘noxious weed’ and ‘plant pest’ have the mean-
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ings given those terms in section 403 of the
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Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7702).’’.
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(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section
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1672(h) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and
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Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(h)) is amended by
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striking ‘‘2023’’ and inserting ‘‘2035’’.
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Æ
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