Urgency for Enhanced Agricultural Research and Trade Funding Evident Among NASDA Members for the 2023 Farm Bill

Members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) are advocating for a boost in funding for agricultural research and trade programs in the 2023 Farm Bill, highlighting a noticeable lag in the US’s investment in these areas. CEO Ted McKinney expressed concerns about the diminishing priority given to research funding for land-grant institutions in recent farm bills. This decline is visibly impacting laboratories and departments of agriculture at universities, potentially hampering the influx of new talent into the agricultural sector. Furthermore, McKinney emphasized the necessity for the upcoming farm bill to allocate increased funds towards market access and foreign market development, despite noted progress in trade policy dialogues with regions like the UK and the Indo-Pacific. These steps are deemed crucial to ensure competitive parity on the global stage by mitigating tariffs and eliminating other trade barriers. Additionally, NASDA members are endorsing the incorporation of a robust safety net in the 2023 bill to safeguard agricultural interests.