The passage this month of the Agricultural Act of 2014, or Farm Bill, provides $512 million for scientific research over five years. Funding each year will be 3.8% less than the previous Farm Bill. However, the legislation provides mandatory funding, which will not require approval by Congress each year. The Bill increases funding for organic farming research to $100 million but reduces funds for biofuels and bioproducts research. Research on specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables and nuts, will receive $400 million, about a third of which must be used toward diseases in citrus. Newly established by the Bill is the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, a nonprofit organization that will raise funds for research. It will receive $200 million from the government, provided funds are matched by donations from other sources. Also new is a policy for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture that stipulates that, with the exception of those from land-grant universities, applicants for competitive grants must be able to match funds from their own institutions.

Source: Science