Jimmy Parnell: Agriculture research funding needed
American agriculture has long been the envy of the world. Thanks to investment in plant and animal breeding, pest management, conservation and automation, U.S. farmers have more than doubled productivity since 1980, while reducing erosion and protecting the environment. If America is to remain a farming superpower, we must strengthen research efforts at our colleges and universities. That’s why Alabama Farmers Federation is calling on Congress to increase support for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Since 1921, the Farmers Federation has worked to build public support for agriculture and forestry. Securing funding for research at Alabama’s land grant universities was an early focus of the organization, and it remains a priority today. Each year, farmers set aside a portion of their harvest revenue to fund education, promotion and research through checkoff programs. Over the years, these voluntary efforts have provided millions of dollars to Auburn University and other research institutions. Likewise, private companies leverage the intelligence and innovation at our universities to develop new products and technologies. Still, public investment is needed to ensure American agriculture and forestry remain globally competitive. Alabama’s Congressional delegation has been supportive of agriculture and forestry research. But in recent years, Brazil and China have outpaced America’s commitment to food and agricultural research. In fact, China is now investing twice as much as the U.S. on potentially groundbreaking research to help farmers feed, clothe and shelter a growing world. NIFA provides a vehicle for coordinating research that can have immediate impact on the agriculture and forestry industries. In one example, over $18 million in competitive grants through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program have been awarded to research projects at Auburn University, Alabama A&M University, Tuskegee University and other state institutions. These AFRI grants, under NIFA, have allowed researchers to discover new ways for farmers to prevent infectious diseases that threaten farm animals; developed strategies to ward off pests that could affect soybean production; and helped farmers embrace data to increase profitability. h The Farmers Federation was founded in the decades following the passage of federal laws establishing land grant universities and Cooperative Extension Systems. Our country’s investment in the threefold land grant mission of instruction, research and outreach had a direct impact on the growth of productive and sustainable agricultural and forestry practices. By pairing the scientific curiosity and initiative of researchers with the innovation and hard work of farmers, America became the world leader in agriculture. Our farmers learned to produce more food and fiber with fewer inputs. We developed conservation practices to reduce erosion and create habitat for wildlife. Families were given access to a greater variety of high-quality, nutritious food. And, we were able to export much of this technology to help poor and impoverished people around the world. If the U.S. is to remain the leader in agriculture, we must invest in the future. Alabama’s 40,000 farms generate $70 billion in economic impact and create one in every five jobs. These men and women possess the work ethic, ingenuity and dedication to take agriculture and forestry to the next level. They are investing their own hard-earned money in research. We ask Congress to join us in keeping American agriculture the envy of the world. Jimmy Parnell is the President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Alabama Farmers Federation.
City hopes to fill empty downtown Birmingham building with two federal agencies
The City of Birmingham, Ala. is looking to fill an empty downtown building with two federal agencies. The former Liberty National Building is one of the largest office spaces in the Magic City and has sat vacant since 2010. The city is now hoping to fill the building with the national headquarters of two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies: the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), whose purpose is to to consolidate all federally funded agricultural research, and the Economic Research Service (ERS), which provides key indicators, outlook analysis, and a wealth of data on the U.S. food and agricultural system. In August, the Trump Administration announced plans to move the two government agencies out of Washington, D.C. where their headquarters are located currently. “The need for a proposed NIFA facility would be approximately 90,000 square feet to house approximately 360 employees. The need for a proposed ERS facility would be up to 70,000 square feet to house up to 260 employees,” read a Federal Register notice requesting “expressions of interest” for the relocation of ERS and NIFA. The notice notes that both the ERS and the NIFA are now housed in space rented from the General Services Administration, and that the lease for the NFIA offices is expiring. According to the Birmingham Business Journal, the City of Birmingham is preparing a bid for the two agencies. Incentives to relocate to Birmingham will be included in the bid, but have yet to be disclosed. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a news release the USDA would pay relocation expenses, as the agencies have had a hard time recruiting staff, especially graduates of land-grant colleges. But part of the appeal of relocating to Alabama could be that the state has three land-grant universities: Alabama A&M, Tuskegee, and Auburn University.
