Purdue Joins Coalition Calling For More Ag Funding

The USDA launched the SET program in 2009.

Purdue University has joined a coalition of research institutions calling for more federal funding for food and agriculture research. The Supporters of Agricultural Research Foundation has released a report saying the country’s ag production is losing ground to China and others.

The report, titled "Retaking the Field," cites the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which says the ag sector was responsible for nearly 1 in 10 jobs in 2014 and contributed $835 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product. SoAR says federal ag research funding has remained flat for decades, despite the fact that every public dollar invested in ag research provides $20 in economic returns.

"Publicly supported research is critical if we are to meet the grand challenge in front of us – the need for more food, energy and other products from agricultural feedstocks, produced in a more sustainable way, using even fewer natural resources, in the face of a changing climate," said Jay Akridge, dean of the Purdue College of Agriculture. "And, given lags between when research is initiated and when the knowledge generated by that research makes its way into the hands of farmers and the broader food sector, we need to be investing now to maintain a globally competitive agricultural sector."

Thomas Grumbly, president of SoAR, says as the number of people on Earth grows, more food must be produced. He says that cannot be done with "yesterday’s science."

"Researchers are discovering incredible breakthroughs, helping farmers produce more food using fewer resources and keeping our meals safe and nutritious," said Grumbly. "However, the science behind agriculture and food production is starved of federal support at a time of unprecedented challenges. A new surge in public funding is essential if our agricultural system is going to meet the needs of American families in an increasingly competitive global market."

You can view the full report below: