119-hr2858

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2858 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2858

 To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out research and 
 development with respect to winter canola, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 10, 2025

 Mr. Kustoff (for himself, Mr. Strong, and Mr. Mann) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out research and 
 development with respect to winter canola, 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 ``Winter Canola Study Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES AND FINDINGS.

    (a) 

=== Purposes ===
-The purposes of this Act are the following:

    (1) To ensure the continued growth of clean and sustainable 
 feedstocks, supported by new crop insurance products that 
 recognize double-cropping systems.

    (2) To recognize the importance and regionality 
 characteristics of winter canola grown rotationally or as a 
 double-crop and the economic and environmental benefits to 
 producers.

    (3) To recognize that by investing in lower carbon-
 intensity renewable fuels, such as those produced from winter 
 canola crops, the United States can provide sustainable fuels, 
 create jobs, enhance our rural communities, and bolster our 
 national security.

    (b) 

=== Findings ===
-Congress finds the following:

    (1) Winter Canola improves farm economics.

    (2) Oil from winter canola is a source of renewable energy 
 as a feedstock for biodiesel, renewable diesel, and jet 
 biofuel.

    (3) Winter canola oil-based renewable fuels reduce 
 greenhouse gas emissions by over 50 percent compared to 
 conventional fuels.

    (4) Expanding winter canola production will provide 
 additional feedstock to meet growing renewable fuel demand 
 without bringing new land into production.

SEC. 3. STUDY OF INCLUSION OF CERTAIN OILSEED CROPS UNDER DOUBLE AND 
 ROTATIONAL CROPPING POLICIES.

 

Section 522
            (c) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 4 U.S.C. 
1522
            (c) ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (20) Double cropping and rotational cropping of certain 
 oilseed crops.--
 ``
        (A) Definition of covered oilseed crops.--In this 
 paragraph, the term `covered oilseed crops' means 
 rapeseed and canola crops that--
 ``
            (i) require a period of cold temperatures

    (vernalization) before the plants will produce 
 flowers and seeds; and
 ``
            (ii) are planted and harvested on land 
 that would otherwise be idle in a rotation 
 pattern.
 ``
        (B) Research and development.--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, with 
 respect to the inclusion of covered oilseed crops under 
 double cropping and rotational cropping policies.
 ``
            (C) Requirements.--The research and development 
 carried out pursuant to subparagraph
        (B) shall be 
 conducted in consultation with stakeholders to 
 evaluate--
 ``
            (i) the factors impacting availability 
 and cost of crop insurance when incorporating 
 covered oilseed crops into double cropping and 
 rotational cropping policies; and
 ``
            (ii) the potential risk management 
 benefits associated with incorporating covered 
 oilseed crops into double cropping and 
 rotational cropping policies, including risk 
 management benefits to soil health, 
 biodiversity, and the profitability of farming 
 operations.
 ``
            (D) Emphasis.--In awarding contracts under 
 subparagraph
        (B) , the Corporation may place emphasis on 
 qualified persons that--
 ``
            (i) have previous research experience 
 with covered oilseed crops; and
 ``
            (ii) have access to a facility with the 
 capacity to carry out the applicable 
 research.''.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RESEARCH ON 
 SUPPLEMENTAL AND ALTERNATIVE CROPS.

 

Section 1473D of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3319d) is amended--

    (1) in subsection
            (c) (3) --
        (A) in subparagraph
        (E) , by striking ``and'' at the 
 end;
        (B) by redesignating subparagraph
        (F) as 
 subparagraph
        (G) ; and
            (C) by inserting after subparagraph
        (E) the 
 following:
 ``
        (F) to examine potential benefits and opportunities for 
 supplemental and alternative crops (including winter rapeseed 
 and winter canola); and''; and

    (2) in subsection

    (e) ,
        (A) in paragraph

    (2) , by striking ``and'' at the 
 end;
        (B) in paragraph

    (3) , by striking the period at the 
 end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (4) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 
 2029.''.

SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

 Not later than 13 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Corporation 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 that describes--

    (1) the results of the research and development carried out 
 under the amendments made by 

section 3; and

    (2) any recommendations with respect to those results.
 <all>