Washington, D.C. — This area’s congressman and one from California have introduced legislation to double funding for agriculture research and development.
Congressman Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, and Congressman Jimmy Panetta, a Democrat from California have introduced the Advancing Cutting Edge (ACE) Agriculture Act, which they say is to double funding from $50 million to $100 million for the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AgARDA) administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Feenstra says that continued investment in agricultural research and development is vital to the success of our family farmers and rural main streets in Iowa. He says that from foreign animal disease mitigation to increased crop yields, cutting-edge agricultural research and innovation “will help make our farmers and producers more profitable, productive, and competitive in global markets. I am proud to help introduce the ACE Agriculture Act to provide our nation’s brightest minds with the resources they need to power American agriculture and support Iowa farmers.”
AgARDA was authorized as a pilot program in the 2018 Farm Bill to support high-risk, high-reward advanced research and development projects in the agricultural sector. This legislation also expands the scope of AgARDA to address animal and plant pathogens and pests that can harm farm productivity and study efforts to help farmers conserve water, protect soil health, combat drought, and mitigate the devastating impacts of extreme weather events.
Feenstra says that China has nearly doubled its funding on agricultural research and development, underscoring the need for the United States to remain competitive in this space and protect our national, economic, and food security.
U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) have introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
You can find the text of the legislation HERE.
