This week, leaders from agInnovation, the network of agricultural experiment stations at the nation’s land-grant universities, revealed a new 10-year Research Roadmap in Washington D.C.

The plan was created by a working group consisting of state agricultural experiment station directors from each of agInnovation’s regions: North Central, Northeastern, Southern, Western and 1890 land-grant universities, as well as members of the Association of Public and Land-grant University’s (APLU) Boards on Agriculture Assembly and Natural Resources, 1994 land-grant institutions and others.

The Roadmap will address some of the primary obstacles to a prosperous future, according to George Smith, Michigan State University AgBioResearch director and agInnovation chair.

Smith noted that 70% of publicly funded research and development is conducted by universities and other nonfederal institutions. Those research results deliver $20 of economic activity for every $1 invested. He said university-led research plays a critical role in the daily lives of all Americans, but there are limitations caused by current funding levels.

“We’ve constructed the 10-Year Research Roadmap around the themes of climate solutions, water resiliency and sustainable agriculture systems, which broadly encompass the central issues we need to grapple with,” Smith said. “To do that, we need strategic investment from the federal government. As many of our nation’s leaders have repeatedly said, food security is national security. The U.S. must devote greater resources to agricultural innovation to keep pace with countries like China, the top investor in the world in this area.”

The Roadmap advocates for an increase in research funding over the next decade to agInnovation institutions that amounts to just 1% of the federal research and development budget, $1.9 billion per year.

The proposed funding will support agInnovation’s core tenets, including ensuring food security, economic prosperity, protection of natural resources, and improving the health and well-being of all Americans.

“Since the enactment of the Hatch Act of 1887 that provided federal funds to state land-grant colleges to create a series of experiment stations across the country, agriculture research has been a foundation for productivity, food security and sustainability,” said Doug Steele, vice president of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources for the APLU. “The creation of a new 10-Year Research Roadmap will assist in directing a national research agenda that will continue to keep U.S. agriculture as a world leader in addressing the issues of today while adapting to the needs of tomorrow.”

Woven throughout agInnovation’s future plans is workforce development through training the next generation of agriculture scientists and leaders. The Roadmap proposes putting resources toward training an additional 20,000 students annually in food, agriculture and renewable natural resources.

Additionally, the organization has made a commitment to diversity in research and education, securing funding for world-class innovation, and improving climate resiliency.

“The Roadmap is crucial because it outlines strategic goals for advancing agricultural innovation, ensuring that investments in research and development yield maximum benefits for society,” said Alton Thompson, executive director of the Association of 1890 Research Directors. “The 1890 institutions — historically Black land-grant universities — play a vital role in this effort by conducting research that tackles unique challenges faced by underserved communities, thus contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable agricultural system. Their involvement helps bridge gaps in innovation, ensuring that all regions and populations benefit from advancements in agriculture, climate, public health and the economy.”

Leaders of agInnovation aren’t simply asking for additional support without detailing specifically how it will be used. The 10-Year Research Roadmap outlines ambitious-but-achievable goals, powered by an outcome- and stakeholder-driven approach. Input from a diverse set of stakeholders, including federal science agencies, producers and nongovernmental organizations, is being collected through Nov. 1, 2024, in order to complete and implement the stakeholder-informed plan in early 2025.

“The Roadmap underscores our unwavering commitment to accountability,” said Jeanette Thurston, executive director of agInnovation’s North Central Regional Association. “The agInnovation leadership team has crafted a robust implementation strategy that includes ongoing progress reports and forward-thinking funding models, leveraging our collective expertise and strategic partnerships. Our goal is to ensure this investment delivers tangible, positive outcomes for the American people, and we are dedicated to proving that value consistently throughout this 10-year journey.”

 

Climate solutions

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, July 2024 was the warmest July in its 175-year global database. It was the 14th consecutive month of record-high global temperatures.

Variable weather conditions and severe weather events — from wildfires to droughts and flooding — are on the rise, and the unpredictability has wreaked havoc on agriculture, natural resources, community economic vitality, and individual health and well-being.

"In response to these increasing weather extremes, we must prioritize climate-smart agriculture and natural resource management practices that improve soil health, sustain water resources and enhance biodiversity,” said Linda Nagel, dean and professor in the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources at Utah State University. “Failure to do so will have catastrophic consequences — reduced crop yields and increased vulnerability of forests, rangelands, livestock, fisheries and wildlife."

The 10-Year Research Roadmap describes a series of climate objectives that can be accomplished by reducing barriers among communities, researchers, farmers and policymakers, as well as employing new technologies such as gene editing. These include:

• Improving yield stability and soil health through carbon sequestration, reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture by 40%.

• Improving nitrogen fertilizer-use efficiency and minimize nutrient runoff, while reducing costs of production for farmers and related greenhouse gas emissions by 35%.

• Fostering new forestry land management, land cover and harvesting approaches that promote forests resilient to fire and other extreme weather events, while aiding in the uptake of 30% of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

• Improving adaptation of climate-smart practices and enhancing resilience of agriculture, rangeland and forest ecosystems. This could reduce federal crop insurance payments by 25% — $3.5 billion annually.

 

Water resiliency

Perhaps no topic transcends agricultural research as much as water. All communities require clean, safe drinking water. Nearly all aspects of agricultural operations involve water. And there is an enduring responsibility to protect the nation’s precious natural water resources.

“It’s important to consider that water resiliency goes far beyond agricultural research,” George Smith said. “This is a public health and environmental issue. We can’t afford less water to be available for drinking, irrigation or recreation. But there are additional, less obvious challenges. Increasing our withdrawal of groundwater can damage important infrastructure such as buildings, roads, bridges and water wells. It’s imperative that we find water conservation-focused solutions.”

Using novel agricultural applications of technology such as artificial intelligence-driven irrigation systems and drought-resistant crops, the Roadmap’s goals in this area are:

• Increasing water-use efficiency by 50% across food and agriculture systems.

• Enhancing the health and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency compliance of our coastal waters, groundwater, lakes, rivers and streams by reducing water quality impairment within agricultural watersheds by 40%.

• Enhancing agricultural system resilience by reducing production losses to drought, flooding and waterlogging by 50%.

 

Sustainable food systems

The Roadmap indicates that creating sustainable food systems means ensuring they are economically viable, environmentally conscious and socially just.

Supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, global conflicts and geopolitical turmoil have shocked food systems worldwide in recent years.

“Nutritional security is national security,” said Max Teplitski, chief science officer for the International Fresh Produce Association. “An investment into research and development that advances the nutritional security of our nation and the globe affords the agriculture industry an opportunity to face and overcome challenges, from climate change to labor shortages. The Roadmap clearly delineates opportunities for future-proofing supplies of nutritious and safe foods grown sustainably for generations to come.”

Leaders of agInnovation state this can be achieved through cost-benefit analyses and environmental impact surveys, as well as the development of diverse crop and livestock genetics to increase resiliency against diseases and pests.

The Roadmap presents objectives such as:

• Producing 95% of food domestically, increasing local and regional farm revenues by 20% and reducing food waste by 50%.

• Strengthening the supply chain by helping local and regional markets to meet between 15% to 25% of the local demand, while reducing the carbon footprint of food transportation by 25%.

• Reducing food insecurity and decreasing diet-related diseases by 40%.

• Increasing foods’ nutritional value and protecting the food supply from foodborne contaminants and plant and animal disease outbreaks during production, processing, retail and transportation.

For more information about agInnovation and the 10-Year Research Roadmap, visit agInnovation.info.