What This Bill Does
This bill changes how the federal government funds research and development related to macadamia tree health. The bill adds new purposes for research grants focused on fighting pests and weeds that harm macadamia trees, and studying macadamia tree biology and health threats.
Who It Affects
Researchers and universities that receive federal grants for agricultural research. Macadamia tree farmers and growers. The federal government agencies that award these grants.
Key Provisions
• Research and extension grants may be used to develop science-based tools and treatments to fight plant pests and noxious weeds that impact macadamia trees (Sec. 2)
• Grants may fund areawide integrated pest management programs in areas affected by or at risk of invasive plant pests or noxious weeds (Sec. 2)
• Grants may support surveying and collecting data on macadamia tree production and health (Sec. 2)
• Grants may fund research on macadamia tree biology, immunology (how the tree fights disease), ecology, genomics (how tree genes work), and bioinformatics (using computers to study tree data) (Sec. 2)
• Grants may support research on factors affecting macadamia tree immune systems and threats, including how pesticides affect helpful insects and plants, and how to improve habitat conservation and farming practices (Sec. 2)
What Changes
The bill replaces the old paragraph about macadamia tree health research with a new, expanded version that adds more specific research purposes and extends funding authorization through fiscal year 2035.
Important Definitions
The bill defines "noxious weed" and "plant pest" as those terms are defined in the Plant Protection Act. Not specified in bill text what those definitions are.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 966
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990
to modify the macadamia tree health initiative, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 9, 2023
Ms. TOKUDA (for herself and Mr. CASE) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
A BILL
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade
Act of 1990 to modify the macadamia tree health initia-
tive, 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,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Macadamia Tree
4
Health Initiative Amendments Act’’.
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SEC. 2. MACADAMIA TREE HEALTH INITIATIVE.
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Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conserva-
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tion, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(d)) is amend-
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ed by striking paragraph (11) and inserting the following:
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‘‘(11) MACADAMIA TREE HEALTH INITIATIVE.—
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‘‘(A) DEFINITIONS.—In this paragraph,
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the terms ‘noxious weed’ and ‘plant pest’ have
2
the meanings given those terms in section 403
3
of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7702).
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‘‘(B) HIGH-PRIORITY RESEARCH AND EX-
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TENSION.—Research and extension grants may
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be made under this section for the purposes
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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 macadamia trees;
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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, invasive plant pests or noxious
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weeds;
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‘‘(iii) surveying and collecting data on
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macadamia tree production and health;
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‘‘(iv) investigating macadamia tree bi-
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ology, immunology, ecology, genomics, and
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bioinformatics; and
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‘‘(v) conducting research on various
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factors that may contribute to or be associ-
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ated with macadamia tree immune sys-
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•HR 966 IH
tems, and other serious threats to maca-
1
damia trees, including—
2
‘‘(I) the sublethal effects of insec-
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ticides, herbicides, and fungicides on
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beneficial insects and plants to maca-
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damia tree growth; and
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‘‘(II) the development of mitiga-
7
tive and preventative measures to im-
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prove habitat conservation and best
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management practices in macadamia
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tree growing regions.
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‘‘(C)
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
12
TIONS.—There are authorized to be appro-
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priated to carry out this paragraph such sums
14
as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2024
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through 2035.’’.
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Æ
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