42 U.S.C. § 19068 — Advancing IoT for Precision Agriculture Capabilities Act

(a) Short title. This section may be called the “Advancing IoT for Precision Agriculture Act of 2021.”

(b) Purpose. This section promotes scientific research and development opportunities for connected technologies that advance precision-agriculture capabilities.

(c) Foundation directive on agricultural sensor research. When making awards under the Foundation's sensor-systems and networked-systems programs, the Director^* must include in the consideration of portfolio balance research and development on sensor connectivity in environments with intermittent connectivity and intermittent computation—

(1) to improve the reliable use of advanced sensing systems in rural and agricultural areas; and

(2) that considers—

(A) direct gateway access for locally stored data;

(B) weakening of signal transmission;

(C) loss of signal transmission; and

(D) wireless-power performance at scale.

(d) Omitted. This subsection is omitted from the supplied text.

(e) GAO review. No later than 18 months after August 9, 2022, the Comptroller General of the United States must provide—

(1) a technology assessment of precision-agriculture technologies, such as the existing use of—

(A) sensors, scanners, radio-frequency identification, and related technologies that can monitor soil properties, irrigation conditions, and plant physiology;

(B) sensors, scanners, radio-frequency identification, and related technologies that can monitor livestock activity and health;

(C) network connectivity and wireless communications that can securely support digital-agriculture technologies in rural and remote areas;

(D) aerial imagery generated by satellites or unmanned aerial vehicles;

(E) ground-based robotics;

(F) control-systems design and connectivity, such as smart irrigation control systems;

(G) Global Positioning System-based applications; and

(H) data-management software and advanced analytics that can assist decision-making and improve agricultural outcomes; and

(2) a review of Federal programs that, on August 9, 2022, provided support for precision-agriculture research, development, adoption, education, or training.