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Jan. 27, 2025 By Whitney McFerron, AgWeb.com There are many benefits of having strong agricultural industries and thriving food systems both in the U.S. and abroad. In the U.S., agriculture contributes over $1.5 trillion to our GDP, thanks to our farmers' high production efficiency and strong exports into global markets. It's also important that agricultural industries outside of the U.S. remain strong. History shows when countries have better food security and growing economies, they can actually increase imports, creating new trading partners for the U.S. Countries that are more food and nutrition secure are also more stable. A recent report from Farm Journal Foundation found global hunger and malnutrition are linked to numerous geopolitical risks, including immigration, radicalization, terrorist threats and environmental degradation, so it's important smallholder farmers abroad have the tools they need. The more than 30 farmers in Farm Journal Foundation's Farmer Ambassador program, who come from 23 states and represent all aspects of American agriculture, understand the value of investing in ag innovation and development both in the U.S. and overseas. In 2024, Farmer Ambassadors and Farm Journal Foundation staff held more than 100 meetings in Washington, D.C., with members of Congress, legislative staff and executive branch officials to educate them on the value of investing in agricultural research, global food and nutrition security programs, and international agricultural development. Using Innovations to Solve Challenges Farmers all over the world face significant challenges as volatile input costs, extreme weather events and shocks such as COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war have made agriculture more unpredictable than ever. One way to help farmers prepare for risks is to invest in agricultural research and innovation. Drought-resistant crops, new treatments for crop and livestock diseases, and precision agricultural technologies are all innovations that can make a big difference for farmers operating on razor-thin margins. Public institutions that conduct agricultural research are extremely important for driving innovation. They often focus research on underrepresented areas, such as food safety, animal health, pests and disease treatments, and crops with smaller acreage in the U.S., such as wheat, rice and sorghum. Importantly, public sector research often helps unlock early stage innovations that can later be developed by the private sector. One important institution funded by the U.S. government is the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), which invests in impactful public-private partnerships in agricultural research and matches on average an additional $1.40 in private sector funding for every taxpayer dollar. Public investment in agricultural R&D has an extremely high return on investment, returning about $20 to the U.S. economy for every $1 spent, according to USDA. In spite of this, USDA data also shows public funding for agricultural research has been declining for the past two decades. At the same time, competitors, including China and the European Union, already outspend the U.S. on public agricultural research, putting America's position in global agricultural trade at risk, according to a Farm Journal Foundation report. Championing Agricultural Innovation Across the Country Farm Journal Foundation's Farmer Ambassadors are working hard to reverse this trend. Along with meetings in Washington, D.C., they held numerous events around the country to educate important stakeholders about the value of investing in and scaling innovation. They also participated in public speaking engagements, interviews with media outlets, and wrote op-eds in news publications about this important issue. For example, Farmer Ambassador Kassi Tom-Rowland hosted U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym, R-Ind., on a tour of her Indiana row-crop farm, followed by a public discussion about how global food and nutrition security impacts U.S. national security. California Farmer Ambassador Colby Pereira hosted U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., at her produce operation, Braga Fresh, to discuss how U.S. agricultural innovations can support international development. To read the entire article click here. Tweet |
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