Title VII (Research) in Farm Bill 2.0: AFRI, NIFA, Land Grants

TL;DR: Title VII of H.R. 7567 reauthorizes federal agricultural research programs for the next five-year cycle, centered on the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and land-grant universities. The 2026 bill is reported to raise AFRI's authorization ceiling above the 2018 level of $700 million per year, with the exact figure to be confirmed.

Key takeaway

Title VII reauthorizes AFRI, NIFA, and land-grant formula funding, and is reported to raise AFRI's authorization ceiling above the 2018 level of $700 million per year.

What this section does

Title VII reauthorizes and restructures federal agricultural research programs for the five-year farm bill cycle. It sets funding levels and competitive grant priorities delivered through AFRI, NIFA, and the network of land-grant universities.

AFRI is reauthorized as the flagship competitive grants program within NIFA. The 2018 Farm Bill set the AFRI authorization ceiling at $700 million annually, and the 2026 bill is reported to increase that figure, though the exact ceiling is to be confirmed from bill text. NIFA remains the USDA agency that administers extramural research, education, and extension grants, and the bill preserves its structure under the Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area.

The title also reauthorizes formula funds distributed through the Hatch Act (experiment stations), the Smith-Lever Act (Cooperative Extension), and the Evans-Allen program (1890 institutions). Specific annual authorization amounts are to be confirmed. Provisions strengthening research alignment with food security, climate resilience, and supply chain vulnerability reflect post-pandemic and post-2022 commodity price concerns. See the full what's new vs 2018 breakdown for how these compare.

The bill also reauthorizes the Specialty Crop Research Initiative and the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative, and it preserves the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) set-aside for agriculture, with the specific set-aside percentage to be confirmed.

What it means

Title VII shapes the funding that supports agricultural research faculty, graduate students, and the state extension services that reach millions of farmers and rural households. The practical effects fall across several groups.

• Land-grant universities (1862, 1890, and 1994 institutions) receive formula and competitive funding that sustains research and state extension work.
• Commodity producers and specialty crop growers benefit from applied research on pest management, yield improvement, and market development funded through AFRI and initiative grants.
• Rural communities and farmers of all scales rely on the Cooperative Extension System, funded partly through Smith-Lever formula dollars reauthorized in this title.
• Agribusiness startups and small food companies participate through SBIR set-asides and Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) public-private matching grants.

Funding parity or equity provisions for 1890 land-grant institutions (historically Black colleges and universities) and 1994 institutions (tribal colleges) are addressed. The 2018 bill established a 30 percent funding floor for 1890 institutions within certain NIFA grant programs. Whether the 2026 bill raises, maintains, or restructures that floor is to be confirmed from bill text.

Compared with 2018, the 2026 bill places greater explicit emphasis on climate adaptation and resilience as AFRI priority areas. The 2018 bill listed food security and childhood obesity among its top priorities. The full funding breakdown tracks these authorization figures as they are confirmed.

What's next

As of July 2026, appropriations for the new bill cycle are not yet enacted. Authorization does not guarantee actual spending, and AFRI has historically been appropriated well below its authorized ceiling. This means the reported increase to the AFRI ceiling may not translate dollar for dollar into research grants.

Several implementation questions remain open. Equity provisions for 1890 and 1994 institutions may face questions about how NIFA defines parity and whether grant review panels adequately represent those institutions. NIFA's administrative capacity to manage an expanded grant portfolio, if authorizations are fully funded, is also an open concern given recurring staffing issues.

Conference committee dynamics could change specific figures before final passage. As of July 2026, the House and Senate versions may differ on authorization levels and priority language. You can follow the reconciliation process on our Senate status and timeline and status pages. Rulemaking timelines for any new grant priority categories will affect when researchers can actually apply for newly authorized programs.

Frequently asked questions

What is AFRI and who can apply for its grants?

AFRI, the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, is the flagship competitive grants program within USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It funds research, education, and extension projects in food and agriculture. Applicants typically include land-grant and other research universities, though eligibility varies by program area. AFRI was authorized at $700 million per year in the 2018 Farm Bill, and the 2026 bill is reported to raise that ceiling.

How does formula funding differ from competitive grants?

Formula funding is distributed to land-grant institutions based on set formulas through programs like the Hatch Act, Smith-Lever Act, and Evans-Allen program, providing predictable baseline support. Competitive grants like AFRI are awarded through peer review, favoring larger research universities that can compete. Formula funds tend to help smaller land-grants maintain steady research and extension capacity, while competitive grants concentrate funding where review panels judge proposals strongest.

Do 1890 HBCUs get a guaranteed share of NIFA funding?

The 2018 Farm Bill established a 30 percent funding floor for 1890 institutions, which are historically Black colleges and universities, within certain NIFA grant programs. Whether the 2026 bill raises, maintains, or restructures that floor is to be confirmed from bill text. Title VII also addresses funding parity or equity provisions for 1890 and 1994 tribal college institutions, though exact percentage floors are to be confirmed.

How much of AFRI funding actually gets appropriated versus authorized?

AFRI has historically been appropriated well below its authorized ceiling. The authorization ceiling sets a legal maximum, but Congress decides actual spending through annual appropriations. As of July 2026, appropriations for the new bill cycle are not yet enacted, so the reported increase to the AFRI ceiling may not translate into the full amount of research funding. Authorization does not guarantee spending.

What research topics will be prioritized under the new bill?

The 2026 bill strengthens research priority alignment with food security, climate resilience, and supply chain vulnerability, reflecting post-pandemic and post-2022 commodity price concerns. It places greater explicit emphasis on climate adaptation and resilience as AFRI priority areas than the 2018 bill, which listed food security and childhood obesity among its top priorities. The bill also reauthorizes the Specialty Crop Research Initiative and the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative.

What is FFAR and how does it leverage private dollars?

FFAR, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, is a public-private partnership created by the 2018 Farm Bill. It matches federal research funds with private-sector dollars to expand agricultural research capacity. The 2026 bill is reported to continue FFAR authorization without major structural change. Agribusiness startups and small food companies can participate through FFAR public-private matching grants alongside SBIR set-asides.