Major Ag Investment

Major Ag Investment

Major Ag Investment. I'm Greg Martin with Washington Ag Today.

Ag research is getting a boost from the USDA that will include land grant universities.

Dr. John P. Holdren, President Obama's Science and Technology Advisor and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy along with Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement yesterday morning.

HOLDREN: Federal investments in agricultural research are essential for U.S. farmers to meet the challenges of 21st century agriculture. The Unites States leads the world in agricultural productivity and efficiency stemming from centuries of strong commitments to the agricultural enterprise in general and the agricultural research enterprise specifically.

The announcement was that they intend to invest $700-million dollars in USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative or AFRI.

HOLDREN: U.S. investments in agricultural research have been estimated to return twenty dollars to the economy for every dollar spent. With that kind of return, obviously, we need to keep doing it and it will enable America to continue to lead the world in agricultural performance and sustainability.

Through existing AFRI funding, $30.1 million in grants will be awarded to fund 80 projects at universities, research institutes and laboratories across the nation.

And that's Washington Ag Today. I'm Greg Martin, thanks for listening on the Ag Information Network of the West.

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