Federal Research Environment for the Agricultural Sciences

A Presentation to UC Riverside

Kaitlin Chell, Karen Mowrer, and Michael LedfordLewis-Burke Associates, LLC

January 2014

Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC is a leading full-service government relations firm specializing in advocating for the public policy interests of institutions of higher education and other researchand education organizations

• Began working with UC Riverside in November 2012• 23 professional staff members• 26 clients, all nonprofits involved in research and/or education

– 15 universities– 3 contractors running national research facilities– 8 associations

Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

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U.S. Department of Agriculture

• USDA’s core mission (food and nutrition) a priority for Obama Administration – Priorities include: climate change, food safety, global food security, sustainable

bioenergy, and childhood obesity prevention (First Lady)– PCAST ag research report (Dec. 2012) calls for a rebalancing of intramural (ARS) and

extramural (NIFA) research; increased funding for AFRI– Climate Hubs initiative

• USDA leadership is engaged in research– NIFA Director, Sonny Ramaswamy, is eager and honest with the “community” and is

well-liked on the Hill– Secretary Vilsack met with PCAST in advance of its report on ag research

• AFRI has support in Congress, despite the fiscal climate– 2013 House and Senate Farm Bills maintained AFRI’s authorization level at same

level as 2008 Farm Bill ($700 million)– AFRI seeing incremental increases in appropriated funding (competition with SNAP

and WIC)– Contention in Farm Bill not related to research, but more to commodities, SNAP,

and dairy

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USDA/NIFA

• Strategic planning– REE plan’s comment period closed in November – NIFA’s plan due this spring for comment

• Formula funds holding steady from FY 2012 to FY 2013– Slight increases proposed by House and Senate for

FY 2014 (~2-3%)• New NIFA funds likely would go to new areas

of focus, instead of additional funding to existing programs4

USDA/AFRI

• Changing initiatives– Climate variability and change and sustainable bioenergy RFAs won’t

be issued in FY 2014– Instead, food safety; food security; and childhood obesity prevention

will be issued in FY 2014 (expected this month)– New water resources challenge area in FY 2014 (expected this month)

• Webinar and request for comments in summer 2013• Ensuring agricultural water security – focus on various sources of

water, including surface water, groundwater, and the use of reclaimed water;

• Nutrient management in agricultural land, specifically focusing on nitrogen and phosphorous; and

• Addressing the impacts of chemicals that might cause concern to agriculture and identifying possible waterborne pathogens

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National Science Foundation

• Plant Genome Research Program-staple of plant sciences at NSF

• BREAD program– Joint with Gates Foundation– “Proposals must make a clear and well-defined connection

between the outcomes of the proposed basic research and its direct relevance and potential application to agriculture in the developing world.” 

• Sonny Ramaswamy pressuring NSF (esp. BIO) to become more active in “food systems” and to partner with NIFA

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Feed the Future

• USAID, MCC, State, Treasury, USDA– Access to food in developing countries in a

sustainable way– Comprehensive/holistic look at agricultural

systems (not just research)– Metric based-specific target countries and specific

benchmarks each country has to it– No major developments since initial push

• No major developments since initial push

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USAID

• USAID and State– Use of science, technology, and innovation to modernize global development a top priority– USAID programs including HESN, Development Innovation Ventures, and

Grand Challenges for Development continue to provide opportunities– HESN being re-imagined

• Grand Challenge in Securing Water for Food BAA– Three focus areas: Water efficiency and reuse; water capture and storage; and

salinity and saltwater intrusion– Supports scaling up and dissemination technologies with potential to advance

global technologies (does not support basic research)– Stage 1: $100,000-$500,000– Stage 2: $500,000-$3 million– $15 million total for 30-40 projects– Concept notes due January 17

Looking Ahead

• Universities have to adjust to changing science bureaucracy in a flat budget environment; NIFA holding steady but significant increases unlikely

• R&D and basic ag research still a priority on both sides of the aisle in Congress, but there is competition for limited dollars (NIFA vs. SNAP and WIC)

• Public-private partnerships will remain the favored mechanism for large-scale efforts (i.e., Feed the Future)

• Increased compliance burden continues

• Advisory committees still key to determining and influencing agency policy and research directions, especially at NSF BIO

• Traditional research funding agencies are placing an increased emphasis on cooperative agreements (with shared milestones) for new initiatives

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Contact

Kaitlin ChellLewis-Burke Associates LLC

1341 G Street, NWEighth Floor

Washington, D.C. 20005e: kaitlin@lewis-burke.com

p: 202.289.7475f: 202.289.7454

www.lewis-burke.com

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