Central ND News

Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota recently held a roundtable discussion to explore opportunities for expanded joint agriculture research in the state. The senator brought together various stakeholders, including Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics, and Dr. Simon Liu, Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

During the roundtable, Senator Hoeven emphasized the importance of collaboration and innovation in the agricultural sector. He highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the Food systems Adapted for Resiliency and Maximized Security (FARMS) project and the AgTech Cooperative Agreement between ARS, NDSU, and Grand Farm. These initiatives aim to foster effective partnerships and drive technological advancements in agriculture.

Senator Hoeven expressed his gratitude to Under Secretary Jacobs-Young and Administrator Liu for their participation and continued partnership with research institutions and industry leaders in North Dakota. He stated, "Over the last 50 years, innovations in agricultural research and technology have allowed farmers and ranchers to produce more, with less. Today's roundtable builds upon these decades of work to realize new opportunities for collaboration and lead to the next big leaps in ag technology."

As the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, Senator Hoeven has been instrumental in securing funding for various agricultural research priorities in North Dakota. He secured $1 million for the NDSU-Grand Farm-ARS cooperative agreement in Fiscal Year 2023 and included $2.5 million in the Senate's FY24 funding legislation to continue the partnership. Additionally, he included $2 million in the Senate-approved FY24 funding legislation to establish a new agriculture policy research center at NDSU.

The proposed agriculture policy research center at NDSU aims to address farm and agribusiness challenges through in-depth policy and economic analysis. It also seeks to bring North Dakota's expertise to policymakers in Washington, D.C., and complement the work conducted at similar centers in other universities.

Furthermore, Senator Hoeven has advanced over $50 million in agriculture research funding for North Dakota as part of the Senate's FY24 agriculture funding bill.

One of the significant initiatives discussed during the roundtable was the FARMS Project. Under a National Science Foundation (NSF) award, NDSU and Grand Farm, in collaboration with other organizations, will receive up to $160 million over 10 years to carry out the FARMS initiative. This funding will support efforts to address global food challenges and improve agricultural practices.

Senator Hoeven played a crucial role in securing the approval for the FARMS project, advocating for its significance to the NSF Director. The project aims to leverage NDSU and Grand Farm's existing agriculture research expertise to tackle issues such as agricultural workforce shortages and implement best practices.

The roundtable discussion highlighted the commitment of Senator Hoeven and other stakeholders to foster collaboration and innovation in the agricultural sector. By leveraging partnerships and investing in research, North Dakota aims to remain at the forefront of agri-tech advancements and address the challenges facing the global food system.