Aspen Institute: We Must Invest in the Future of Food and Ag Research

The next Farm Bill will be incremental rather than transformational change, written to help producers weather a downturn in prices and income while setting them up for success when prices recover.

That means crafting a Farm Bill that continues to improve risk management, introduces new specialty crop incentives and enhances conservation programs. Critical nutrition programs like SNAP and school meals must also be protected.

It’s essential that we invest in the future of food and agriculture by funding research. This will be difficult, as the president’s budget raises defense spending while cutting discretionary programs like those administered by the USDA.

– Dan Glickman, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Congressional Program