Presidential Report Calls for New Innovation Ecosystem for Agricultural Research

In a report, the President's Council of Advisors on Science & Technology recommends that the federal government should launch a coordinated effort to boost American agricultural science by increasing public investments.

The report prioritizes seven key scientific challenges facing U.S. agriculture in the 21st century: increasing water efficiency; managing threats posed by new pests, pathogens, and invasive species; accommodating demands for bioenergy production; climate change adaptation; and reducing the environmental footprint of agricultural production while continuing to produce safe and nutritious food for domestic and international markets.

To re-focus the USDA's mission on these emerging challenges to U.S. agriculture the report proposes rebalancing the department's research portfolio and the creation of a public-private network of six multi-disciplinary agricultural "innovation institutes" to leverage the strengths of government scientists and commercial interest. Innovation institutes would be operated as a partnership between the USDA, NSF, DOE, NIH, and private partners.

Other specific proposals mentioned in the report call on the USDA to refocus funding for land grant universities to cover research as opposed to funding researcher salaries; redirecting the majority of USDA research funding to institutions outside of the government; and increasing NSF funding for agricultural research. The report notes that government-directed agricultural research has, on average, produced $10 in public benefits for every $1 of public dollars invested.

Read the report...