IA signs on to letter requesting program funding through farm bill

The Irrigation Association, Fairfax, Virginia, signed on to a letter with a diverse group of interests from a wide range of industries asking legislators to include $750 million in funding for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research through the 2023 Farm Bill. 

Congress established the foundation in the 2014 Farm Bill, which provided $200 million to build public-private partnerships to fund research addressing challenges in food and agriculture. Funding for FFAR was renewed in the 2018 Farm Bill. 

“Meeting the need for enhanced global agricultural productivity while ensuring the sustainability of our natural resources for future generations requires robust, cutting-edge research,” says Nathan Bowen, vice president of public affairs and advocacy at the Irrigation Association. “Investments in FFAR yield significant returns for society and are a catalyst for innovation, bridging public and private sectors.” 

According to the letter, FFAR has allocated a total of $605 million, leveraging more than $1.4 million private sector dollars with every dollar of federal investment. At that rate, more than $1.8 billion could be spent on agriculture research through FFAR public and private partnerships over the next 10 years, which is a significant return on the $750 million federal investment. 

Bowen says the investment goes beyond the agriculture sector. 

“With its focus on adaptive solutions, from tackling supply chain issues to confronting climate change impacts, FFAR is laying down the groundwork for comprehensive advancements in agricultural research,” he says. “By supporting FFAR, we’re not just investing in research; we’re investing in the future of agriculture and, by extension, our planet.”