On December 2, 2024, the United States District Court of the Northern District of California vacated the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) SECURE Rule, which was finalized in 2020 as an update that enabled the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to provide regulatory guidance for gene-edited crops. The SECURE Rule was adopted after … Read more
With a new Senate majority, a new incoming Administration, and new leadership of the Senate Agriculture Committee coming in the next Congress, changes are afoot in Washington, DC, with unknown consequences on the much-anticipated farm bill. These changes present continued opportunity for ASPB to advocate for funding for programs that benefit and support stakeholders in … Read more
The federal government has many opportunities for researchers, including not only funding calls but also opportunities to provide feedback, such as requests for information (RFIs). With so many potential ways to engage, it is easy to miss something important, such as a well-aligned funding opportunity from an unexpected agency or a request for comment that … Read more
By Elizabeth Stulberg, PhD, and Victoria Swiler, Lewis-Burke Associates LLC The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a final Herbicide Strategy on August 20, a move that it anticipates will protect more than 900 federally endangered and threatened (“listed”) species from the potential impacts of herbicides. Since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed in 1973, … Read more
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
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
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
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 recently signed a letter that encourages and supports a conference agreement for House and Senate competitiveness legislation that will, “reflect a bipartisan, bicameral commitment to maintaining U.S. global competitiveness through increased long-term investments in NSF research and education programs.” Read the Full Letter Here
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
On February 6, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a new strategic document to steer future science activities for the Department through 2025. The USDA Science Blueprint is intended to provide direction and focus as the agencies within USDA strive for a more coordinated scientific enterprise. A primary goal of the document is the … Read more
Following the streamlining of biotechnology regulations in the fall of 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) have launched the “Unified Website for Biotechnology Regulation.” This website comes as part of the Trump Administration’s broader effort to streamline the regulation of biotechnology that was kicked … Read more
On January 10, the Department of Energy (DOE) released its fifth funding call under the Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program, and the second for its Biological Sciences program. The “Systems Biology Research to Advance Sustainable Bioenergy Crop Development” solicitation provides a total of $15 million in fiscal year (FY) 2020 and $75 million over … Read more
Dr. C. Robertson “Rob” McClung, who served as ASPB President from 2007 to 2008, has been named as the newest member of the National Science Foundation’s Biological Sciences Directorate (BIO) Advisory Committee (AC). Dr. McClung, currently a Professor of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth College, was nominated by ASPB based on his expertise and leadership in … Read more
The Administration has announced its nomination of Dr. Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan, Executive Vice President at Arizona State University, to be the next Director of NSF following the pending conclusion of Dr. France Córdova’s term this spring. By training, Dr. Panchanathan is an electrical and computer engineer. Among several possible changes, Dr. Panchanathan’s nomination brings with … Read more
October 2019 Washington Update – Prepared by Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC for the American Society of Plant Biologists Employees of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Economic Research Service (ERS) have begun work in Kansas City, with the first report-to-work date occurring on September 30. Although the agencies have begun to hire new … Read more
