S. 2897 — Tropical Plant Health Initiative Act

This section adds a new high-priority research and extension area—tropical plant health initiative—to the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) by inserting a new paragraph (21) in 7 U.S.C. 5925(d), authorizing competitive grants to (A) develop and disseminate science-based tools and treatments for plant pests and noxious weeds affecting tropical plants (e.g., coffee plants, macadamia trees, cacao trees, plantains and bananas, mangos, floriculture and nursery crops, vanilla plants, and others determined by the Secretary of Agriculture); (B) establish areawide integrated pest management programs for affected or at-risk areas; (C) survey and collect data on production and health of those plants; (D) investigate their biology, immunology, ecology, genomics, and bioinformatics; and (E) research factors contributing to plant immune systems and other threats. (As background, SCRI provides competitive grants under 7 U.S.C. 5925 for research, extension, and education activities benefiting specialty crops, such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops, generally requiring non-Federal matching funds equal to the grant amount, subject to waiver.) This section also extends SCRI's authorization of appropriations through 2030 (from 2023).