RMF Position Statement on Pursuing a Unifying Message
Elevating Food, Agricultural and
Natural Resources Research as a National Priority
TheUnitedStatesisunpreparedtomeet
thiscentury’sformidablechallengesof
hungerandmalnutrition,climatechange,
environmentaldegradationandemerging
plantandanimaldiseases.Theenormityof
theseissuesisunprecedentedandcanonly
beviewedintheglobalcontextofthe
inexorableadditionofmorethan2billion
peopletotheworld’spopulationoverthe
next40years.Astheclockisticking,the
pressuresaremounting.Asustainable
futureforAmericaandtheworldisinthe
balance.
ADeficitofSolutions?Publicinvestmentin
researchtomeetloomingfood,
agriculturalandnaturalresources
problemsiswoefullyinadequate.For
decades,supporthasbeenstagnantorina
stateofdecline.TheUnitedStatesisin
dangeroflosingitsleadershippositionin
food,agriculturalandnaturalresources
researchasothernationsincreasetheir
investments.Adeficitofpublicresearch
fundingtranslatesintoaninnovation
deficitand,ultimately,adeficitof
solutions.
ForthePublicGood.Resultsoffood,
agriculturalandnaturalresourcesresearch
impactthelivesofeveryoneonadaily
basis—safe,nutritiousandhealthpromotingfood,cleandrinkingwater,
sustainablenaturalresources,renewable
energyandarobusteconomy.Agriculture
isnotonlyakeynationalengineof
economicgrowth,itisthefoundationfor
nationalsecurity.Wedependon
agricultureforasafe,plentifulfoodsupply
andtheaccessible,nutritionallysoundand
affordabledietnecessaryforthepublic
health.Globally,foodinsecurityisfoundat
theheartofconflictandpolitical
instability.Publiclyfundedfood,
agricultural,andnaturalresources
researchmustleadinaddressing
challengesunlikelytobetakenonbythe
privatesectororthatrequirethelongview
—asustainedfocusandefforttoachieve
futuresuccess.Publiclyfundedresearch
emphasizesreturnstosocietyandthe
rapid,widespreadavailabilityofnew
science-basedknowledge.Steady,
sustainedsupportforpublicresearchlays
thefoundationfordiscoverythatthe
privatesectorbuildsuponforhighlyvalued
productsandtechnologies.
ChangingtheParadigm.Tosuccessfully
advocateforthepublicresourcestomake
food,agriculturalandnaturalresources
researchahighernationalpriority,a
paradigmshiftmustoccur.Theoldmodel
ofmanystakeholdervoicespittedagainst
eachother,advocatingfornarrowand
shrinkingslicesoffederalresources,must
berecastasaconvergenceofvoices
workingtogetherwithaunifiedmessagein
supportofexpandingtotalresearch
fundinginthiscriticalarea.
APivotalMoment.Since2013,theCharles
ValentineRileyMemorialFoundation
(RMF)anditspartnershaveinvitedkey
stakeholdersandinterestedpartiesto
envisiontheopportunityforaconvergence
ofeffortsthatresultindevelopmentofa
unifiedmessage—onethatcallsforpublic
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investmentinfood,agriculturaland
naturalresourcesresearchasahigher
nationalpriority.Acommonthreadofthe
dialoguehasbeenexploringtheformation
ofabroadcoalitioncommittedtodevelop
thecompellingcaseforenhanced
investmentinresearch.Thetimescallfor
aninspiringvision,boldactionanda
heightenedsenseofpurpose.Forour
commonfuture,fundingthisresearchmust
begiventhepriorityitdeserves.
The Riley Memorial Foundation Supports:
•
Ongoingeffortstoelevatepublicfood,agriculturalandnaturalresourcesresearchasanational
priority.
•
Participationinabroadcoalitionofstakeholderstodevelopanddeliveraunifiedmessageontheneed
forstrengtheningtheU.S.food,agriculturalandnaturalresourceresearchportfolio.
•
Developmentofaunifiedmessagethatmakescleartheessentialnatureofthisresearchandrelated
educationandtechnologytransferactivitiesthatcontributetothepublicgood,includingeconomic
growthandjobs,andqualityoflifeimprovements.
•
Acommitmentforincreasedinvestmentinresearchthroughoutthefederalagencieswithsignificant
rolesinaddressingcriticalprioritiesassociatedwithfood,agriculture,nutritionandhealth,natural
resourcesandtheenvironment.
•
Growingeachofthekeycomponentsoftheagriculturalresearchfundingportfoliothatsupportsthe
nationalsystemdeliveringresultsforthepublicgood:
o Competitivegrants,totakeadvantageofinnovationatpublicandprivateuniversities,federal
laboratoriesandotherorganizationswithscientificandtechnicalexpertise—andthe
commitmenttomulti-partner,multidisciplinarycollaboration—thatcontributetobeneficial
resultstosociety.
o Capacityfunds,forstate(universities)andfederal(suchasUSDAAgriculturalResearchService
andForestService)institutionstocontinuetoprovideastablescientificworkforceand
researchsitesthatconductresearchrequiringlong-termcommitmentandpotentialhighrisk/high-payoffsolutions,whilemaintainingthecapacitytorapidlydealwithcrisissituations.
o Public-privatepartnerships,tosupportgrowingthenumberofeffortsliketheFoundationof
FoodandAgriculturalResearch,anonprofitcorporationthatmatchespublicfundswithprivate
fundstoconductresearchonproblemsofnationalandinternationalsignificance.
•
Anationalfoodandagriculturalresearch,educationandextensionsystemthat:
o buildsandmaintainsacriticalmassofwell-trainedscientists,educatorsandextension
personneltoensurethattheU.S.remainstheleaderinglobalagriculturalproduction;
o providesasafe,affordableandnutritiousfoodsupply;
o increaseseconomicopportunitiesforfarmers,businesses,familiesandcommunities;and
o conservesnaturalresourcesandprotectstheenvironmentforasustainablefuture.
•
Ensuringthataneffective,efficienttransferofscience-basedknowledgeandtechnologyforthe
benefitoffoodandagriculturalproducersandconsumersremainsahighpriorityinfuturebudgets:a
criticalcomponenttosuccessfullymeettheglobalchallengeoffeedingmorethan9billionpeopleby
theyear2050.
Moreinformation:CharlesValentineRileyMemorialFoundationrileymemorial.org
April20,2016
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