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| R&D in the Department of Agriculture
Elizabeth Allred and Mortimer Neufville, NASULGC |
HIGHLIGHTS
BUDGET OVERVIEW The mission of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is "to increase U.S. agricultural productivity by ensuring that markets function fairly and predictably and that farmers and ranchers do not face unreasonable risk." R&D efforts play a significant role in fulfilling this mission. The FY 2000 USDA budget would establish three strategic goals: (1) expand economic and trade opportunities for agricultural producers and other rural residents, (2) ensure food for the hungry and a safe, affordable, nutritious, and accessible food supply, and (3) promote sensible management of our natural resources. Each USDA agency establishes priorities, including research priorities, to support them. The FY 2000 budget proposes an overall decrease in USDA funding: $55 billion for FY 2000, down from $67.5 billion in FY 1999 and $58 billion in FY 1998. The jump in funding for FY 1999 relates to emergency assistance given to distressed farmers and is not useful in establishing any trends. In FY 1993, total funding for USDA was $63 billion. Since that time, USDA has experienced a 13 percent reduction in total funding, reflecting reform efforts to make government smaller. While the FY 2000 budget proposal offers significant increases for some research activities, such as the National Research Initiative (NRI), decreases are proposed for formula funds and special research programs (see details below). Formula funds are those monies that go directly to established research systems, such as the Agricultural Experiment Stations, at the nation's land-grant universities. USDA INITIATIVES National Research Initiative (NRI): NRI is the principal program of competitive agricultural research grants that are available to all of the nation's scientists. The FY 2000 budget proposes a 68 percent increase in funding to $200 million, an $80.7 million increase from $119.3 million in FY 1999. The NRI focuses research efforts in several areas: environment, biotechnology, animal and plant genetics, global change, food safety and human nutrition, animal waste management, and value-added agricultural commodities. Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems: Mandated under Section 401 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA), the new Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems would receive $120 million in FY 2000. Competitive grants of up to five years would be awarded to address agricultural competitiveness, improved food safety, and greater farm efficiency and profitability for small- and medium-sized farms. Special emphasis would be placed on awarding grants to small and mid-sized institutions that have not previously obtained NRI competitive grants. Priority would be given to multi-institutional and multistate projects that integrate agricultural research, extension, and education activities. Food Safety Initiative: Food safety remains high on the list of USDA's priorities. The FY 2000 budget proposes $151 million for this initiative, a $35 million increase from FY 1999. This funding would provide for a variety of activities, only one of which is research. Research activities would be distributed among the following agencies: the Agricultural Research Service (ARS); the Cooperative State Research, Extension, and Education Service (CSREES); the Economic Research Service (ERS); and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The initiative targets several areas: (1) continue development of a nationally integrated food safety system, (2) continue enhancing surveillance of foodborne diseases and increasing the speed and efficiency of responses to outbreaks of foodborne illness, and (3) place greater emphasis on the control of foodborne hazards in the pre harvest phase. Global Change: Research in the Global Change Research Program targets mitigation tactics to minimize the adverse effects of climate change on agricultural production, including effects of changes in temperature, carbon dioxide levels, and other plant stresses. Other activities include participation in the National Assessment Activities that would augment understanding of the consequences of global climate change and study economic consequences. The FY 2000 budget requests an increase of $34 million for this program, including $10 million for the ARS and the Forest Service to study the role of agriculture and forests in the carbon balance and ways to increase carbon storage in soils (see Table I-10). The NRI would also include research in this area. Climate Change Technology Initiative (CCTI): The FY 2000 budget requests $16 million for CCTI, part of the 21st Century Research Fund. The Forest Service would spend $6 million to increase research on forest and rangeland carbon sequestration. ARS would spend $7 million to develop technology for predicting and adapting agricultural production to global change impacts. Finally, the Natural Resources Conservation Service would spend $3 million to demonstrate and test various greenhouse gas mitigation strategies and monitoring mechanisms. USDA AGENCIES Agricultural Research Service (ARS): ARS is the principal in-house research agency in USDA in the area of natural and biological sciences. The FY 2000 budget requests a total funding level of $901 million, an $11 million increase from FY 1999. Of this total, $837 million would be used for research activities, a $51 million increase from the FY 1999 funding level of $786 million. ARS research is conducted in several areas: soil, water, and air science; plant science; animal science; commodity conversion and delivery; human nutrition; integration of agricultural systems; and information and library services. ARS also actively participates in several USDA initiatives: food safety, global change, human nutrition, and climate change technology. Food safety research would receive an increase of $11.7 million: $7.3 million within the Animal Science budget for preharvest food safety research targeting antibiotic resistance of animal pathogens, and $4.4 million within the Commodity, Conversion, and Delivery budget for postharvest research targeting detection and measurement of microbial pathogens. Global change research would enjoy an increase of $15.3 million in the budget of Soil, Water, and Air Sciences. This would include $7 million for CCTI and $3.3 million to develop methods to mitigate adverse effects of climate change on agricultural production. Human nutrition research would receive an increase of $20 million that would be used to gain a larger understanding of the impacts of nutrition on human health and well being. An emphasis would be placed on nutrition's role in individual body composition and weight gain; improved brain and cognitive function; prevention of osteoporosis and bone loss in the elderly population; and reduction in the occurrence of serious chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Cooperative State Research, Extension and Education Service (CSREES): CSREES has established six goals that support the mission and goals of the department: (1) an agricultural production system that is highly competitive in the global economy, (2) a safe and secure food and fiber system, (3) a healthier, more well nourished population, (4) a greater harmony between agriculture and the environment, (5) an enhanced economic opportunity and qualify of life for Americans, and (6) responsive and effective management systems. These goals are accomplished through the federal-state partnership of the national agricultural research, extension, and higher education system: the State Agricultural Experiment Stations, the State Cooperative Extension Systems, land-grant universities, colleges, and other institutions. While the CSREES budget request for FY 2000 exceeds $1 billion, an increase of $143 million, there are both gains and losses for research built into the budget proposal. The big winners are the National Research Initiative and the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems. Decreased formula funding requests reflect a diversion of funds toward competitive grants. Formula funds would suffer the following decreases in FY 2000: (1) Hatch Act (funding for the Agricultural Experiment Stations of the land-grant universities): $154 million, down $27 million; (2) Evans-Allen/1890 Research: $27.7 million, down $2 million; (3) McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry: $19.9 million, down $2 million; and (4) Animal Health and Disease, Section 1433: $4.7 million, down $0.4 million. Two programs would be discontinued: Critical Agricultural Materials ($0.6 million in FY 1999) and Supplemental and Alternative Crops ($0.7 million in FY 1999). Following tradition, the USDA budget does not request any of the special grants that reflect the special interests of members of Congress. A new category of integrated research, extension, and education activities, authorized by the AREERA of 1998 (Section 406), emphasizes USDA's growing interest in administering a stronger competitive grants program that has a broader base. Several well-established research, extension, and education programs (water quality, food safety, and pesticide impact assessment) have been shifted into this new category. Water quality activities have received a funding request for $16.2 million, an increase of $3 million. Food safety activities in CSREES would receive $36 million, a $15 million increase above FY 1999. Pesticide Impact Assessment programs would be slated for a funding level of $4.6 million, an increase of $1.4 million. There is continuing interest in USDA for improved pest management practices. This interest intersects with the requirements of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996, which established stricter safety standards for pesticide registration, especially for pesticides used on foods consumed by infants and children. Jointly responsible with the Environmental Protection Agency in fulfilling the requirements mandated by the FQPA, USDA builds on its well-established pest management research programs: Expert IPM Decision Support System ($0.5 million, up $0.3 million); Integrated Pest Management and Biological Control ($2.7 million, level funding request); Minor Crop Pest Management/IR4 ($10.7 million, up $1.8 million); and Pest Management Alternatives ($4.2 million, up $2.6 million). Economic Research Service (ERS): The mission of ERS is to provide "economic analysis on efficiency, efficacy, and equity issues related to agriculture, food, natural resources, and rural development." The ERS budget would decrease from $65 million in FY 1999 to $56 million in FY 2000. Funding requests include $1 million for Global Change: (1) $700,000 to support an initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gases while improving the economic performance of agricultural resources and reducing other environmental problems and (2) $300,000 to support the U.S. Global Change Research Program National Assessment Activities to provide a detailed understanding of the consequences of climate change for the U.S. and to examine the mechanisms that could help in adapting to climate changes. National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS): The mission of NASS is "to meet the basic agricultural and rural data needs of the people of the United States . . . by providing important, objective, usable, and accurate statistical information and services for informed decision making." Research activities include $2.5 million to conduct a Fruit and Vegetable Food Safety Survey (part of the department-wide Food Safety Initiative). The survey would establish a baseline for good agricultural practices as they relate to microbial food safety issues. Forest Service (FS): The Forest Service houses one of the world's largest forest research organizations. Its mission is to "develop the knowledge and technology needed to enhance the economic and environmental values of all the Nation's forests and related industries" while supporting special research needs pertaining to the management of the National Forest System. The FY 2000 budget proposes $235 million for FS research. This represents a 19 percent or $38 million increase above the estimated amount for FY 1999. The increase would allow for $5 million for Global Change; $6 million for CCTI; $5 million for optimization research related to decision support systems such as land management planning; and $14 million for the Administration's Integrated Science for Ecosystem Challenges Initiatives, including a $5 million increase for research related to controlling invasive species. | |
