In late December 2023, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reopened the comment period on a recent proposal that outlined five additional exemptions for “plants with modifications that could be achieved through conventional breeding.” USDA APHIS coordinates responsibilities for Biotechnology Regulatory Services, which protect plant health and implement … Read more
In March 2023, US Senators Michael Bennet and Roger Marshall introduced the Advancing Cutting Edge (ACE) Agriculture Act with the goal of supporting “high-risk, high-reward agricultural research and development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).” ASPB was one of 65 organizations that signed a recent letter to the Senate and House Agriculture Committee members … Read more
In late September, ASPB joined a diverse group of organizations representing state, research, scientific, and private industry interests to sign a letter urging support for the Advancing Research on Agricultural Climate Impacts (ARACI) Act as part of the 2023 Farm Bill. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Todd Young (R-IN), and … Read more
The American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) remains active in supporting the advancement of scientific research and recently signed a letter to the leadership of the Committee on Appropriations urging inclusion of language regarding the Microbiome Interagency Working Group in the final Senate Fiscal Year 2024 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill. … Read more
In mid-September, while the 2023 Farm Bill reauthorization was under-way, ASPB, together with 130 organizations from industry, academia, and agriculture, signed a community support letter for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) in the Farm Bill. Refreshed every five years, the last Farm Bill passed in 2018. The 2023 Farm Bill includes critical … Read more
ASPB recently joined more than 50 food, farm, and conservation organizations in urging Congress to protect public investment in agricultural research. “Investing in research at the intersection of agriculture and climate change is critical to both short-term and long-term efforts to protect the viability of the agricultural industry,” the letter reads. “Unfortunately, the U.S. is … Read more
As the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) budget is being developed, ASPB joined forces with more than 400 organizations sending a letter to House and Senate Budget and Agriculture Committee members calling for providing the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and House Committee on Agriculture with sufficient budgetary resources. These budget resources could be … Read more
On March 8, 2023, ASPB, together with 64 other organizations, signed a letter addressed to the Subcommittee on Agriculture to urge $50 million in funding for the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AgARDA). “Advanced research agencies have been effectively deployed in defense, energy, and health to tackle the biggest challenges facing these industries in … Read more
ASPB, together with more than 50 other organizations, signed a letter to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees requesting $8 billion in food and agriculture research, facilities, Extension, and education in the Farm Bill. The letter urges the committee to consider that the most important “food and agricultural advancements rely on a continuous pipeline of … Read more
On June 13, 2022, ASPB, together with 90 scientific organizations, signed a letter in support of the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act. The bill would require federal surveys to include data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity on a voluntary basis and ensure that lawmakers and federal agencies have the comprehensive data they need to … Read more
On April 19, 2022, the Ag Biotech Alliance, of which ASPB is a member, sent a letter to key members of Congress to include in the Fiscal Year 2023 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (Agriculture) Appropriations bill to provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the necessary resources to … Read more
ASPB is pleased to sign a letter urging U.S. House and Senate Democratic leadership to prioritize and protect the vital investments in agricultural climate research, agricultural innovation, and agricultural research infrastructure within the Build Back Better human and climate infrastructure package. These proposed investments are a generational down payment to fill critical R&D gaps and … Read more
ASPB is pleased to sign a letter urging U.S. House and Senate Democratic leadership to prioritize and protect the vital investments in agricultural climate research, agricultural innovation, and agricultural research infrastructure within the Build Back Better human and climate infrastructure package. These proposed investments are a generational down payment to fill critical R&D gaps and … Read more
ASPB has signed on a letter to Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member John Boozman, Chairman Patrick Leahy, Vice Chairman Richard Shelby, Chairman Jeff Merkley, and Ranking Member John Hoeven expressing support for the America Grows Act of 2021 (S.1371), a bipartisan bill Senators Durbin and Moran have recently introduced that would significantly increase our nation’s … Read more
ASPB is pleased to be a signee in support of funding of $11.5 billion to support America’s agricultural research infrastructure. As you consider new initiatives to support rural America and investments in the agricultural economy, we strongly urge you to include a federal agricultural research infrastructure investment of $11.5 billion over a period of five … Read more
ASPB is pleased to be a signee in support of creating a Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation (FESI), which would fill a critical gap in successfully transitioning new energy technologies into the market and meeting the nation’s energy security and climate goals. We believe that it is time for DOE to have a foundation … Read more
Genome to Phenome FY 2022 Letter: ASPB is pleased to be a signee in support of increased funding for the USDA Genome to Phenome program, authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill. We, the undersigned organizations, are writing to request your support for $10 million in appropriations for the Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative. Established in … Read more
ASPB is pleased to be a signee in support of the highest possible funding allocation (302(b)) for the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bills for fiscal year (FY) 2022. In sum, the federal government has a unique role in funding the R&D crucial for our national needs, but the federal share of R&D spending remains at … Read more
ASPB is pleased to be a signee in support of the bipartisan Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act that would provide $25 billion to help restore our nation’s research capacity to its pre-pandemic strength, prevent setbacks against the formidable challenges our nation faces, and further the goal of a robust, diverse, and inclusive … Read more
ASPB is pleased to be a signee in support of increasing the funding allocation (302(b)) for the Agriculture Appropriations bills for fiscal year (FY) 2022. America’s farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers are at the fulcrum of multiple challenges: the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to strengthen our interconnected food and agricultural systems, the inequity in those … Read more