Federal agencies are prioritizing the development and adoption of Non-Animal Models (NAMs). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently announced a $150 million investment in research to reduce reliance on animal models, and other agencies may follow this lead. This shift in policy represents a distinct opportunity to leverage plant systems as powerful, ethical, and cost-effective research models across federal funding agencies.
Plant biology offers unique advantages for studying fundamental biological processes, environmental stress responses, chemical interactions, and gene function. Strategic investment in the application of plants as NAMs can accelerate innovation in biotechnology, toxicology, sustainable agriculture, and human and environmental health.
ASPB members are well-positioned to help shape how plant research is incorporated into the growing federal focus on NAMs. Given that this is an emerging and still loosely defined policy space, strategic and targeted engagement is essential.
You can take action by:
· Engaging directly with federal program officers (e.g., NSF, NIH, USDA, EPA) to initiate internal conversations about the use of plants as NAMs. Early dialogue can help ensure plant-based approaches are considered in future solicitations, workshops, and program priorities.
· Highlighting the value of plant models as scalable, cost-effective, and biologically informative systems for studying gene function, environmental stressors, and chemical interactions.
· Sharing specific examples from your research that demonstrate how plant systems can replace or complement animal models in areas such as toxicology, biotechnology, and environmental health.
· Contact your Members of Congress to highlight the importance of including plant-based systems in federal NAM strategies, authorizations, and appropriations. o Find Your Representative here.
As the federal government works to modernize research frameworks and reduce reliance on animal testing, it is critical that plant science is recognized as a central component of this transition.
Your voice can help ensure that plant-based research is included in future U.S. science policy.