I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1454 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 8, 2023 Mrs. González-Colón (for herself and Ms. Tokuda ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to establish a cacao tree health initiative, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Cacao Tree Health Initiative Act of 2023 . 2. Cacao tree health initiative (a) In general Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 ( 7 U.S.C. 5925(d) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (21) Cacao tree health initiative Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of— (A) developing and disseminating science-based tools and treatments to combat plant pests (as defined in section 403 of the Plant Protection Act ( 7 U.S.C. 7702 )) that affect cacao trees; (B) establishing an integrated pest management program for cacao trees in areas affected by or at risk of being affected by such pests; (C) surveying and collecting data on cacao tree production, health, and markets; (D) investigating cacao tree biology, ecology, genomics, and production systems; (E) conducting research on factors that may contribute to, or be associated with, resilient cacao production systems, including— (i) the selection and propagation of cacao tree varieties that improve the market advantage of cacao grown in the United States; and (ii) best management practices in cacao-growing regions under various climate conditions; and (F) conducting research on factors that may contribute to, or be associated with, serious threats to cacao trees, including the sublethal effects of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides on beneficial insects and cacao tree growth. . (b) Authorization of appropriations Section 1672(h) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 ( 7 U.S.C. 5925(h) ) is amended by striking 2023 and inserting 2034 .