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Agriculture Research Foundation expects support from Senate

 

The head of an ag research foundation is hopeful Congress will continue to support its mission in the 2018 Farm Bill.

The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research was created with $200 million from the 2014 Farm Bill and leverages non-federal funding for ag research.

Executive director Dr. Sally Rockey tells Brownfield while the House Ag Committee’s draft bill did not include the program, she does expect the Senate Ag Committee’s version to provide full funding.  “This is not unfamiliar territory for us because we were basically envisioned by the Senate side.”

She says the House farm bill is supportive to ag research in general and expects the conference process to maintain support for the organization.

Rockey says every federal dollar they’ve invested in ag research has been more than doubled by funding partners.

The House Ag Committee says the foundation was granted a one-time investment of $200 million and was created in permanent law which means it can continue its mission to spur private investment in ag research.

AUDIO: Interview with Dr. Sally Rockey