,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #fjia  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #ac1 #bjah,ms4 
,adams 7for herself and ,mr4            
,luetkemeyer7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,agriculture  ,a ,,bill   
,to provide for the reform and          
continuation of agricultural and other  
programs of the ,department of          
,agriculture through fiscal year #bjbc1 
and for other purposes4  #a4 ,short     
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,recognizing and ,encouraging           
,agricultural ,leadership ,opportunity  
,act or the ,,real ,opportunity ,act4   
#b4 ,centers for ,excellence and        
,leadership at #ahij ,institutions ,the 
,food1 ,agriculture1 ,conservation1 and 
,trade ,act of #aiij is amended by      
inserting after section #afgc 7#g       
,u4,s4,c4 #eibf7 the following3         
#afgc;,a4 ,centers for ,excellence and  
,leadership  7a7 ,establishment ,the    
,secretary shall establish not more than

 #f ,centers of ,excellence and         
,leadership 7in this section referred to
 as the ,centers7 to be led by not fewer
 than three and not more than #d lead   
#ahij ,institutions selected by the     
,secretary of ,agriculture in           
consultation with the ,director of the  
,national ,institute of ,food and       
,agriculture4 ,a lead #ahij ,institution
 may not be selected to lead more than  
one ,center4  7b7 ,technical committee  
7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall  
establish a technical committee for each
 ,center to manage and administer the   
,center--  7,a7 to ensure the           
identification of appropriate priorities
 for the scope of the work of the       
,center2  7,b7 to ensure a competitive  
grant process with respect to grants    
awarded by the ,center2 and  7,c7 to    
conduct appropriate assessments and     
evaluations of activities carried out by
 the ,center4  7#b7 ,composition ,a     
technical committee established under   
paragraph 7#a7 for a ,center shall be   

composed of--  7,a7 one representative  
from each #ahij ,institution            
participating with the ,center2 and     
7,b7 a designee of the #ahij            
,universities ,foundation4  7c7 ,center 
areas of focus and goals ,the ,secretary
 shall designate ,centers of ,excellence
 and ,leadership to focus on one or more
 of the following areas and             
corresponding activities3  7#a7 ,with   
respect to student success and workforce
 development1 such activities as may be 
necessary to ensure that students have  
the skills and education needed to work 
in agriculture and food industries1     
agriculture science1 technology1        
engineering1 mathematics1 and related   
fields of study4  7#b7 ,with respect to 
nutrition1 health1 wellness1 and quality
 of life1 research1 education1 and      
extension activities that increase      
access to healthy food1 improve         
nutrition1 mitigate preventable         
diseases1 and develop strategies to     
assist limited resource individuals in  

accessing health and nutrition          
resources4  7#c7 ,with respect to       
farming systems1 rural prosperity1 and  
economic sustainability-- 7,a7 sharing  
best practices with farmers to improve  
agricultural production1 processing1 and
 marketing2  7,b7 activities designed to
 reduce urban food deserts2  7,c7       
examining new uses for traditional and  
nontraditional crops1 animals1 and      
natural resources2 and  7,d7 such       
activities as are carried out1 as of the
 date of the enactment of this section1 
by the ,center of ,innovative and       
,sustainable ,small ,farms1 ,ranches1   
and ,forest ,lands4  7#d7 ,with respect 
to global food security and defense--   
7,a7 engaging in international          
partnerships that strengthen            
agricultural development in developing  
countries2  7,b7 partnering with        
international researchers regarding new 
and emerging animal and plant pests and 
diseases2  7,c7 engaging in agricultural
 disaster recovery2 and  7,d7 such      

activities as are carried out1 as of the
 date of the enactment of this section1 
by the ,center for ,international       
,engagement4  7#e7 ,with respect to     
natural resources1 energy1 and the      
environment1 such activities as may be  
necessary to protect and manage domestic
 natural resources for current and      
future production of food and           
agricultural products4  7#f7 ,with      
respect to emerging technologies1       
activities related to-- 7,a7 developing 
of emerging technologies to increase the
 agricultural productivity2  7,b7       
enhancing small farm economic viability2
 and  7,c7 improving rural communities  
by--  7i7 developing genetic and sensor 
technologies for food and agriculture2  
and  7ii7 providing technology training 
to farmers4  7d7 ,reports ,beginning not
 later than one year after the date on  
which funds are first allocated under   
subsection 7g77#b7 and annually         
thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit 
to ,congress a comprehensive progress   

report describing--  7#a7 the resources 
invested in the ,centers2 and  7#b7 the 
work done by the ,centers4  7e7 ,lead   
#ahij ,institution defined ,in this     
section1 the term lead #ahij            
,institution means an #ahij ,institution
 7as defined in section #b of the       
,agricultural ,research1 ,extension1 and
 ,education ,reform ,act of #aiih 7#g   
,u4,s4,c4 #gfja77 that has the critical 
mass of faculty1 special facilities1 and
 capacity to engage in and support the  
identified education1 extension1 and    
research priorities of a ,center4  7f7  
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
are authorized to be appropriated to    
carry out this section #bj1jjj1jjj for  
each of fiscal years #bjai through      
#bjbc4  4