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Food security leaders push for increased ag research to strengthen global food supply
The Food Security Leadership Council says greater investments in U.S. agriculture research would help lower costs for farmers and consumers while strengthening global food security.
Executive Director Anna Neslon tells Brownfield public investments have declined by about one-third since the early 2000’s.
“We need more investment, we have said we should have $100 billion at least in additional ag R&D investment over the next 10 years,” she says. “That sort of, on an average basis, would be tripling the budget every year.”
China now invests twice as much as the U.S. in ag research and development.
“It’s a question of national strategy and national security, and it should be on everyone’s mind the same way folks might want to be at the forefront of AI advancements,” she stresses. “We should feel the same way about agricultural innovation.”
She says a coordinated national strategy for ag research funding and workforce development would increase ag productivity and support a more sustainable food system.
The nonpartisan council launched last year to help guide U.S. policy on global food security.
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