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Nebraska farmer calls on Congress to address ag research funding

A former American Soybean Association president says sufficient federal investment in ag research is essential if the U.S. is to continue to be a global leader in agriculture.

Nebraska farmer Steve Wellman testified Thursday at a Senate Ag Committee hearing on ag research. He says a modern federal research enterprise is needed to capitalize on new developments in ag science.

“Traditionally, we have thought of agriculture science in terms of improving yields, preventing soil erosion, and adapting crops to a variety of growing conditions,” Wellman said. “Today, agriculture stands to realize significant gains through interdisciplinary research across numerous scientific fields, including data science, nanotechnology, biotechnology, biologicals and genomics.”

Wellman says federal funding of ag research in the U.S. has fallen behind that of global competitors.

“China, Brazil and, increasingly, Europe are investing at a double-digit pace,” he said. “China now spends more on government agriculture research and development than the U.S. and funding rates for agriculture research grant proposals in many EU countries are nearing 40 percent. In the U.S., grant applications are between 10 and 15 percent.”

Wellman, who testified on behalf of the Supporters of Agricultural Research Foundation (SoAR), called for full funding for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), the USDA’s competitive grants program.

AUDIO: Excerpt from Steve Wellman’s testimony