Setting Agricultural Science Strategy in Tumultuous Economic Times

Jennifer S. James, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Julian M. Alston, University of California - Davis
Philip G. Pardey, University of Minnesota

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Copyright © 2009 by Julian M. Alston, Philip G. Pardey and Jennifer S. James

Abstract

The international competitiveness and prosperity of U.S. agriculture depends on steady and rapid productivity growth fueled by public agricultural research and development (R&D). Agricultural science benefits consumers and the environment, not just farmers. Enhanced productivity as a result of agricultural R&D means that consumers have access to a more abundant, cheaper, safer, higher quality, and more diverse and convenient food supply, produced with less stress on natural resources and the environment. From a global perspective, productivity growth allows agricultural production to increase faster than demand; food has become much cheaper over time in spite of a rapidly growing world population with rising per capita incomes. In the future, continuing productivity growth will be necessary to meet the challenges of ever-increasing demand for food along with mounting pressures on the natural resource base, exacerbated by new demands for biofuels crops.