We underfund agricultural research at our peril

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Homegrown research has been the engine of Minnesota agriculture since its earliest days.

The University of Minnesota released its first wheat variety to farmers in 1895. At the time, Minnesota farmers harvested about 10 bushels of wheat per acre. Today, yields of more than 60 bushels are typical thanks to the decades of steady investment in research.

In the early 1990s, the U’s fruit breeding program released the Honeycrisp apple, which was such a hit with consumers that it was declared the state fruit in 2006 while also being exported far and wide.

Today, research at the U’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences is creating high-tech breakthroughs like identifying how artificial intelligence and satellite monitoring can protect soybean crops from aphids. We’re also pioneering new techniques for hardier, healthier and more sustainable row crops, fresh produce and livestock.

Over the decades, this research has helped ensure Minnesotans have an abundant, safe and nutritious food supply. It also supports one of the pillars of Minnesota’s economy. Our state is sixth nationally in total agricultural production and ranked higher for many individual products. Agricultural industries constitute more than 15% of Minnesota’s economic activity and support more than 10% of all Minnesota jobs — with rates much higher in rural areas. For those of you in the Twin Cities that think all those jobs are just in rural Minnesota, Hennepin County has the most people of any county employed in agricultural dependent jobs.

But right now, those two bulwarks that benefit Minnesotans — good food and good jobs — are at real risk.

Uncertainty about federal research funding is grabbing headlines. But the reality is that as a country and a state, we have been underinvesting in agricultural research for decades — and are in danger of other countries eating our lunch.

China surpassed the U.S. in public funding for agricultural research in 2009 and hasn’t looked back. Other countries like India and Brazil are similarly doubling down on agriculture because they know how critical it is to their growing populations and their economies.

Meanwhile, American public investment in this area has dropped by more than one-third over the past two decades. Adjusted for inflation, investments by federal and state governments in agricultural research at land-grant universities like the U have reverted to levels last seen in 1976.

State funding has unfortunately followed the same course. In 1980, Minnesota ranked seventh nationally in its investment in ag and forestry research. Our state funding has been declining or flat for the last 15 years. When adjusted for inflation, these dollars are stretched much thinner than in decades past.

Our ability to conduct research is suffering as a result. For instance, despite being the top turkey-producing state in the country, one of our best scientists for poultry research must now conduct research in Maryland because of inadequate facilities.

There are few smarter bets out there than agricultural research, where every dollar of public investment is estimated to yield $20 in economic return. In Minnesota, that number is even greater — every dollar spent on agricultural R&D returns more than $40.

Given the years required for scientific discovery to come to fruition, the public sector is best situated to conduct this research. The resulting new tools can keep our farm economy strong with dependable jobs at all levels, ensuring rural prosperity and growth across the food and ag sectors. What’s more, consumers will see lower prices and more options in the supermarket aisles.

But for this to happen, we need to reverse the current trend in agricultural research.

Forget about growth — research dollars are urgently needed just to preserve the productivity gains we’ve already made as the food system faces disruption from climate change, new pests and disease, and other threats. A strong and sustainable Minnesota starts with agriculture. And agriculture starts with research.

Whether you work in agriculture or not, it’s safe to say you eat every day. I urge you to contact your legislators and encourage them to increase agricultural research funding.

Minnesota’s research institutions are wired to create breakthroughs and prepare a technologically savvy farm workforce. Our farmers are ready to produce what we need.

Together, we can meet the moment and keep Minnesota agriculture growing for the future.

Brian Buhr is dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) at the University of Minnesota, as well as director of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) and a professor of applied economics.