Senators Marshall & Bennet Reintroduce Bill to Strengthen Advanced Agriculture Research

Washington - This week, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) and Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), alongside Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) and Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-California), reintroduced the Advancing Cutting Edge (ACE) Agriculture Act, legislation to strengthen American leadership in agriculture research by supporting high-risk, high-reward innovation at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"Kansas farmers face new challenges every day - from extreme weather and biological threats to supply chain disruptions and foreign adversaries," said Senator Marshall. "That's why cutting-edge research is more important than ever. Reauthorizing AgARDA will help USDA fund breakthrough innovation that puts our farmers and food supply first and keeps America the world's agricultural leader."

"Strengthening American leadership in agricultural research and driving real breakthroughs requires sustained investment," said Senator Bennet. "As Colorado's family farmers and ranchers face persistent drought, higher costs, extreme weather, and increased global competition, the ACE Agriculture Act focuses those investments on practical tools that help producers adapt to a changing climate and agricultural landscape."

"Research in agriculture is essential to drive innovations that support our Iowa farmers who feed and fuel our nation," said Rep. Feenstra. "This legislation supports President Trump's agenda to advance cutting-edge research that helps our farmers and producers tackle rising input costs, extreme weather, and foreign animal disease, while growing our export markets. I'm proud to lead this effort to strengthen the farm economy and help our producers be successful."

"Our farmers face an evolving set of challenges and need new, groundbreaking agricultural technologies, approaches, and data systems to continue to survive, provide, and thrive," said Rep. Panetta. "This bipartisan legislation would double our investment in agricultural innovation and expand our efforts to provide for our nation's food security and climate resiliency. For our farmers to continue to compete, they need to be equipped with cutting-edge tools that will push both American and global agriculture forward."

"The U.S. must regain and maintain leadership in agricultural innovation by developing and deploying cutting-edge agricultural technologies and practices. Sens. Marshall (R-KS) and Bennet's (D-CO) and Reps. Feenstra (R-IA) and Panetta's (D-CA) ACE Agriculture Act supports American innovation, ensuring American farmers and ranchers have the most up-to-date tools and technologies needed to increase profitability, participate in bioproduct markets, protect from pests and disease, and promote soil health, all while reducing emissions," said ClearPath Action CEO, Jeremy Harrell.

"By reauthorizing AgARDA, the ACE Ag Act reaffirms the powerful role the federal government can play in de-risking innovative agricultural technologies. AgARDA is uniquely designed to strategically fund advanced research with large potential benefits, but that is too early-stage or technically risky for private sector investment alone. This type of high-risk, high-reward research will complement existing federal research initiatives, strengthen U.S. agricultural productivity, and ensure American producers remain globally competitive," said Emily Bass, Director of Federal Policy for Food & Agriculture at the Breakthrough Institute.

"Investing in agricultural research is essential to maintaining America's leadership in the global ag economy and safeguarding our national security," said Richard Linton, president of Kansas State University. "A healthy, safe, and resilient food system, together with a secure supply chain, is critical for the well-being and strength of our nation. The ACE Ag Act empowers universities to drive research and innovation efforts, advancing forward-thinking solutions for agriculture's most urgent challenges-such as improving soil health, conserving water, and maintaining the health and resilience of crops and livestock."

The Advancing Cutting Edge (ACE) Agriculture Act would:

• Double the authorization of the existing program from $50 million to $100 million to ensure access to more transformative agricultural innovation projects across multiple states.
• Expand the existing program's scope to:
  • Enhance America's biosecurity research efforts around emerging threats like African Swine Fever, Avian Flu, and Hoof and Mouth Disease.
  • Address animal and plant pathogens and pests to help farmers increase production capacity and competitiveness.

AgARDA funds projects to help address:

• Pathogens and pests: Improve early detection of emerging pathogens and pests and coordinate vaccine development for known pathogens, such as African Swine Fever.
• Drought: Catalyze technological breakthroughs and practices to monitor, analyze, and distribute data on soil moisture in fields to help farmers and ranchers better manage their resources.
• Soil health: Boost soil health and reduce the need for crop inputs.
• Extreme weather: Develop crops to become genetically resistant to drought, heat, and high-speed winds.
• Increasing production demand: Cut food waste, optimize food production on less land, and improve the nutrient content of food.

Click here to read the full text of the legislation.

###

Contact: