Committee hears bill to create higher‑education grants for regenerative agriculture research

House Bill 5,339 would create the Higher Education Regenerative Agriculture Grant Program within the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to fund research into regenerative agriculture at public institutions of higher education, a committee staff member explained.

The bill’s sponsors said targeted higher‑education research support is not currently available to accelerate adoption of regenerative, science‑based farming practices that improve soil health and water retention. The program would fund studies of regenerative operations, research into soil microbiology and crop yields, and education and technical assistance using transparent protocols; it would also direct the coordinating board to coordinate with the State Soil and Water Conservation Board and local conservation districts.

Jonathan Cobb, a fourth‑generation rancher who testified in support, described switching to regenerative methods in 2011 and said the changes improved soil quality, infiltration and drought resilience on his family’s land. “We haven’t purchased fertilizer in over 10 years, and we are now a financially viable business,” Cobb told the committee, arguing that more research and extension capacity would help other farmers and ranchers adopt similar practices.

Committee members debated whether existing university research programs (Texas Tech, Texas A&M, West Texas A&M) already provide similar work and whether additional funding should focus on coordinating and consolidating ongoing efforts. The chair said the bill could also create a mechanism to increase coordination among existing pockets of research effort.

Public testimony was limited and closed after Cobb’s remarks. The committee left the bill pending for further consideration.