AAU joined 50 other associations in sending a letter encouraging members of the Agriculture Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to support “increased investments to advance agricultural research in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)” in the FY22 agriculture appropriations bill. “Federal investments in the broad suite of research, education, and extension programs within USDA is critical to ensuring agricultural resilience, nutrition security, and food systems sustainability,” the letter stated.
The letter asks lawmakers to provide $450 million in funding for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which supports research to “address challenges in public health, food production, national security, and global competitiveness.” The letter also asks for $2 million in funding for the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AgARDA), which supports “transformational, high-risk, high-reward agricultural research and development within USDA.” With the American food and agricultural enterprise facing “unprecedented challenges” due to climate change and threats from pests and diseases, investments in USDA research and education programs will be crucial to “developing the scientific outcomes and workforce urgently needed to meet identified and as-yet unknown challenges in the future,” the letter said.