This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to establish the National Synthetic Biology Center. The purpose of the center is to provide a hub for researchers and U.S. industry partners to discover and develop science-based solutions based on synthetic biology to improve agricultural performance while (1) minimizing environmental impact, and (2) improving the overall resiliency of the food system.
The center must provide grants to certain land-grant universities to carry out projects in partnership with nonprofit organizations, state entities, national laboratories, or other land-grant universities. In awarding grants, the center must prioritize certain areas of research, including microbiomes or microbes, gene editing, digital agriculture, and controlled environment agriculture.
In addition, the center must establish and maintain a website with a user-friendly portal in order to disseminate synthetic biology findings and connect researchers and innovators.
