Federal Research Environment for the Agricultural Sciences A Presentation to UC Riverside

1. Federal Research Environment for the Agricultural SciencesA Presentation to UC Riverside Kaitlin Chell, Karen Mowrer, and Michael Ledford Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC January 2014

2. Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC 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 research and 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 2

3. 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 3

4. 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 programs 4

5. 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 5

6. 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 6

7. 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 7

8. 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

9. 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 9

10. Contact Kaitlin Chell Lewis-Burke Associates LLC 1341 G Street, NW Eighth Floor Washington, D.C.  20005 e: kaitlin@lewis-burke.com p: 202.289.7475 f: 202.289.7454 www.lewis-burke.com 10