To Finally Conquer Inflation, the U.S. Needs to Invest More in Agricultural Research

Consumers in the U.S. have had a difficult year, to put it mildly. Prices have risen significantly for almost everything, and increasing costs of food have hit consumers particularly hard.

Staple products including eggs, butter, meat and vegetables have all jumped in price over the past 12 months, spurring an increasing number of Americans to turn to food banks to feed their families.

In recent months, overall U.S. inflation has begun to ease, but food prices have remained stubbornly high. Economists are now warning of “sticky inflation,” meaning costs may stay elevated for an extended period of time.

The war in Ukraine, supply chain issues stemming from COVID-19, labor challenges and extreme weather events linked to climate change are all to blame for rising prices. A major outbreak of avian influenza further

By Dan Glickman

stressed U.S. egg and poultry supplies, temporarily pushing prices for those products even higher.

For decades, the U.S. has been fortunate when it comes to food and agriculture. American farmers are among the most productive in the world, and our food supply chain has consistently delivered safe, abundant and most of all, affordable supplies to consumers.

But, challenges in the past year have exposed cracks in the system. To keep increasing production and ensure prices remain affordable for consumers, the food and agriculture sector must invest more in innovation.

Unfortunately, U.S. spending on agricultural research and development (R&D) has slipped in recent years in real terms – a fact that imperils us all.

Agricultural R&D

Agricultural R&D is vital to our food system for many reasons.

New scientific innovations can help increase crop production and farm efficiency – allowing farmers to harvest more food with fewer resources such as fuel, fertilizer and water.

Research can also uncover new ways to stop pest and disease outbreaks like avian influenza, address supply chain and labor challenges and enable farmers to grow crops under increasingly volatile conditions due to climate change.

Research can also help improve the nutritional content of foods, which is under threat from climate change.

Importantly, the U.S. needs investment in agricultural research from both the public and private sectors.

Private agribusinesses tend to focus R&D spending on only a few large crop markets – such as corn and soybeans – leaving other smaller but vitally important areas like wheat,

WSGLT welcomes new hire

On May 8, the Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust (WSGLT) announced Becky Hall was hired as the new finance and office manager. As the finance and office manager, Hall will oversee all aspects of WSGLT’s business administration and finances.

She will be replacing current Office Manager Kaylee Wilkins.

Hall has an extensive background in private, governmental and nonprofit organizations and was most recently employed as the office manager for Poudre School District. She has also served as a board member and officer for Weld Food Bank.

Born and raised in Casper, Hall is excited to return to her home state to aid in conserving the open lands, natural resources, wildlife habitat and rich legacy that makes Wyoming, Wyoming.

USDA proposes rule

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to adjust membership on the Beef Promotion and Research Board to reflect shifts in cattle inventory levels since the last board reapportionment in 2020, as required by the rules governing the board.

Under the proposal, total board membership would decrease by two members, from 101 to 99, and would include the following changes: domestic cattle producer representation on the board would decrease from 94 to 92 members, the remaining seven members would be importer representation; the state of Idaho would gain one member; the states of Montana, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin would lose one member and the revised representation would be effective with nominations in 2023 for appointments effective early in 2024.

Additionally, under the proposal, a technical amendment to the Beef Promotion and Research Order would correct the list of qualified state beef councils by removing the Maryland Beef Industry Council who voted unanimously to dissolve their council on Sept. 14, 2022.

A state or unit must have an inventory of 500,000 head of cattle to be represented on the board and is entitled to an additional member for each additional one million head of cattle.

Comments concerning the proposed change can be submitted to Agricultural Marketing Specialist Lacey Heddlesten at 620-717-3834 or sent to the Research and Promotion Division, Livestock and Poultry Program, AMS, USDA, Room 2092-S, STOP 0251, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20250-0251.

Written comments on the proposed rule must be received by June 1.