ASPB has joined a broad coalition of agricultural, scientific, and farmer organizations in calling on Congress to strengthen oversight of recent changes within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area. The letter emphasizes that federal agricultural research is “the backbone of American agricultural innovation” and plays a critical role in supporting farmer productivity, food security, and global competitiveness.
The coalition expresses concern that workforce reductions, proposed laboratory closures, and delays in distributing congressionally appropriated research funds could undermine the research enterprise that has helped make U.S. agriculture a global leader. As the letter notes, “America’s agricultural global dominance is not an accident; it is the earned result of decades of sustained, strategic federal investment in research and science.”
By signing this letter, ASPB reaffirms its support for a strong federal agricultural research system and for the scientists, institutions, and partnerships that drive innovation, resilience, and discovery across the plant sciences.
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