The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) has joined 60 scientific societies, ag-tech startups, environmental nonprofits, public universities, and research organizations in sending a letter to leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, prompting them to make robust investments in public agricultural research in the next farm bill.
“The need for significant increases in investment in public agricultural research has never been greater,” the letter argues. “Public investment in U.S. agricultural R&D has declined by one-third over the last two decades. As the U.S. continues to underinvest in public agricultural research, spending in China, the European Union, and Brazil has continued to rise.”
The letter commends the proposed investments for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), and the Sustainable Research and Education (SARE) program included in both the Senate and House proposals. It goes on to support the Senate’s proposed investments in USDA Climate Hubs and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) and urge their inclusion in the final farm bill agreement.
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