The formation of our Coalition has been well received and our membership is growing. National C-FAR is dedicated to fostering public confidence in food, agricultural, nutritional and natural resource research through public participation in planning and evaluating the process and impact of research activities. While National C-FAR does not have a list of research project recommendations, through our members and their association with other related coalitions, we are well aware of urgent research needs to address and opportunities to explore. While several emerging needs and opportunities have been identified, we also want to stress the continuing need to build the capacity to do quality research and education, including human resources, infrastructure support, formula funds, and core programs. It is important to maintain a balanced portfolio of federal research and education programs, including competitive grants, formula funds and intramural programs.
Agriculture is a biologically based industry and many of the problems are site specific.
Hence, we need to maintain a diversified research and education system. Our coalition arose from a shared mutual concern about the capacity of our agricultural research system as a whole to meet the future demands and capitalize on emerging opportunities. We will need a research system that simultaneously satisfies needs for food quality and quantity, resource preservation, producer profitability and social acceptability. This coalition will be working on ways to help assure these needs are met. In conclusion, Mr. Chairman and distinguished members, our new and growing Coalition of a broad cross-section of stakeholders in food and agricultural research recommends that federal investments in food and agricultural research be doubled over the next 5 years.