Sand County Foundation Submits Comments on USDA's Agriculture Innovation Agenda

The global population is projected to increase by two billion people in the next 30 years. To meet the growing demand for food, fiber and feed the U.S. Department of Agriculture has set a goal of increasing agricultural productivity by 40 percent while cutting the environmental footprint of U.S. agriculture in half. To meet this goal, the USDA solicited comments on objectives and opportunities leading to research goals and informed product goals to facilitate transformative breakthroughs.

In August, Sand County Foundation submitted feedback, suggestions and insights from our staff's on-the-ground experience.

We highlighted results from our 2020 Prioritizing Resources to Meet Water Quality Goals report because although the report pertains to water quality, the outcomes are applicable to reducing agriculture's environmental footprint, and relevant to the four innovation clusters identified by the USDA.

For the outcome of any innovative research to gain traction and widespread acceptance, the functionality of the practice, crop or approach must seamlessly integrate into the current farm system and supply chain infrastructure with minimal disruption in management. Collaborative and interdisciplinary partnerships with consistent dialogue throughout the research process will be critical to unearthing these solutions and reducing barriers to adoption.

To view the letter, click here.