Federal Marijuana Agriculture Research and Education Bill Doubles Sponsor Count to Four
- The EDUCATE Act (H.R. 9344) aims to fund marijuana agriculture research and education at minority-serving colleges and universities, with four Democratic sponsors in the U.S. House.
- The bill proposes a competitive grant program through the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to support research on marijuana cultivation, environmental sustainability, and economic opportunities for minority farmers.
- It authorizes $5 million annually from 2026 to 2030, reserving at least 25% of funds for Hispanic-serving institutions, and includes scholarship programs for students pursuing careers related to marijuana and hemp agriculture.
- The legislation includes protections for institutions, researchers, and students to prevent loss of federal benefits or prosecution related to authorized marijuana research activities.
Federal legislation to fund marijuana agriculture research and education at minority-serving colleges and universities gained two new sponsors Monday, doubling its total number of supporters in the U.S. House.
Representatives LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) joined the Establishing and Developing University Cannabis Agriculture Techniques and Excellence Act of 2026, known as the EDUCATE Act.
The lawmakers join Representative Dina Titus (D-NV) and the bill’s lead sponsor, Representative Troy Carter (D-LA), bringing the proposal to four total sponsors, all Democrats.
Filed June 18 as H.R. 9344, the measure has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
The bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to establish a competitive grant program supporting marijuana cultivation and processing research at eligible institutions.
Research could examine marijuana cultivation and harvesting practices, soil health, water conservation, pest management and environmental sustainability. The program could also fund research into economic opportunities for minority and disadvantaged farmers, as well as marijuana agriculture workforce development and training.
The proposal would authorize $5 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030, with at least 25% of available funding reserved for Hispanic-serving institutions. Eligible recipients would include certain historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and other minority-serving institutions with qualifying agricultural programs and federal authorization to conduct marijuana research.
H.R. 9344 would also establish a scholarship program for students pursuing careers in marijuana or hemp agriculture, cultivation, plant science, agricultural technology or agricultural policy. Scholarships could be worth up to $10,000 per student each academic year.
The legislation would provide protections preventing participating institutions, researchers and students from losing federal benefits solely because of authorized marijuana research. It would also shield participants from federal prosecution or penalties when their activities remain within the scope of applicable federal registrations and program requirements.