Research for farming of kelp and seagrass - conduct and review research to help meet USDA obligations under the 2019 fiscal year appropriations bill as follows: SEC. 770. (a) the secretary of…

Research for farming of kelp and seagrass - conduct and review research to help meet USDA obligations under the 2019 fiscal year appropriations bill as follows: SEC. 770. (a) the secretary of agriculture, in coordination with the administrator of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration, shall establish a working group (referred to in this section as the ‘‘working group’’)- (1) to study how mangroves, kelp forests, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows could help deacidify the oceans; (2) to study emerging ocean farming practices that use kelp and seagrass to deacidify the oceans while providing feedstock for agriculture and other commercial and industrial inputs; and (3) to coordinate and conduct research to develop and enhance pilot-scale research for farming of kelp and seagrass in order- (a) to deacidify ocean environments; (b) to produce a feedstock for agriculture; and (c) to develop other scalable commercial applications for kelp, seagrass, or products derived from kelp or seagrass. (b) the working group shall include- (1) the secretary of agriculture; (2) the administrator of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration; (3) representatives of any relevant offices within the national oceanic and atmospheric administration; and (4) the assistant secretary of energy for energy efficiency and renewable energy. (c) not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this act, the working group shall submit to congress a report that includes- (1) the findings of the research described in subsection (a); (2) the results of the pilot-scale research described in subsection (a)(3); and (3) any policy recommendations based on those findings and results.