H.R. 8613, NSF and USDA Interagency Research Act

H.R. 8613 would require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to collaborate on research and development activities that focus on a variety of topics, including plant, animal, and microbial biology; rural economic revitalization; and emerging technologies such as machine learning. The bill also would authorize USDA and the NSF to award grants to institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations to establish centers for agricultural research, education, and workforce development. Finally, H.R. 8613 would require USDA and the NSF to report to the Congress on their joint efforts within two years of enactment.

In February 2023, USDA and the NSF entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on most of the research and development activities covered under the bill. Based on that MOU and information from USDA, CBO expects that the bill’s collaboration requirements are largely being met under current law.

Using information on similar grant programs to establish research centers, CBO estimates that, over the next five years, a total of five grants would be awarded at an average cost of $15 million per grant. Administrative costs for the program would total $3 million over that same period. CBO estimates that the cost of the report would not be significant. Based on historical spending patterns for similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 8613 would cost $49 million over the 2025-2029 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget functions 250 (general science, space, and technology) and 350 (agriculture).

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Emilia Oliva. The estimate was reviewed by Ann E. Futrell, Senior Adviser for Budget Analysis.