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Ag research and its role in securing the US food supply

Agricultural research and its role in securing the US food supply was the topic of a Senate Ag Committee hearing on Wednesday.

Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow says expanding ag research is critical to the future of the industry.  

“Accelerating agricultural research is vital to feeding a growing global population and addressing the climate crisis, which threatens farmers’ livelihoods and our entire food supply,” she says.

Testifying during the hearing, former Ag Secretary Dan Glickman says ag research and food-related research deserves a much higher priority among our nation’s leaders.

“With all the vexing problems impacting agriculture, it is really important that there be an across the board system in our government to give priority to these issues,” he says.

Glickman is vice president of the Aspen Institute.

Stephen Higgs, director of the Kansas State University Biosecurity Research Institute, says there are biological threats to US agriculture and research can help prevent an introduction of foreign pathogens.

“Research is absolutely essential in order for the US to defend itself against foreign threats to US agriculture and our food supply,” he says. “However, funding must be strategic to support research that will provide the information, knowledge, and understanding that are needed.”

Kansas Producer Amy France, representing the National Sorghum Producers, and General Mills Soil Scientist Steven Rosenzweig also testified during the hearing.

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