This bill establishes a National Interagency Seed and Restoration Center within the Department of the Interior to coordinate efforts to develop, preserve, and distribute native plant seeds and materials for ecological restoration projects across the United States. The center will work with federal agencies including the Departments of Agriculture, Transportation, and Defense, as well as Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, to research native plant species, provide guidance to land managers, and create resilient plant communities that can withstand climate change and natural disasters. The legislation specifically emphasizes the importance of "genetically appropriate" and locally adapted native plants and includes protections for Indigenous food systems, medicines, and intellectual property related to seeds. The bill authorizes $100 million per year for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to establish regional "ecoregional hubs" that will coordinate seed collection, storage, production, and distribution in each state and territory, with required progress reports to Congress within one year and every five years thereafter.
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