Research for Healthy Soils Act

This bill, titled the Research for Healthy Soils Act, would designate research on microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in farmland as a high-priority area for USDA-supported research and extension. Specifically, it adds a new item (21) to Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, authorizing research and extension grants to study the agricultural impacts of microplastics and PFAS in land-applied biosolids or compost. The bill outlines broad research goals, including data gathering on concentration, particle size, and chemical composition; development of treatment or remediation methods; assessment of effects on crops and soil health (including uptake by crops or livestock); understanding how wastewater processing affects these substances; and investigating their fate, transport, and remediation on farmland. Additionally, the bill extends the authorization window for certain high-priority research initiatives from 2023 to 2031. In short, the bill aims to bolster federally funded research and extension programs to better understand and address the presence and impact of microplastics and PFAS in soil and agricultural systems, particularly where biosolids or compost are used on farms.