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Section 704 of the 2002 Farm Bill
created a “Research, Education, and Economics Task Force” to
“evaluate the merits of establishing one or more National Institutes
focused on disciplines important to the progress of food and
agricultural science.” |
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Led by Dr. William Danforth (Chancellor
Emeritus, Washington University), the Task Force presented its
report in July 2004, recommending that: |
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A National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) should be
created within the USDA for the purpose of ensuring the
technological superiority of American agriculture. |
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The mission of NIFA should be to support the highest caliber of
fundamental agricultural research through competitively-awarded,
peer-reviewed grants. |
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NIFA should supplement and enhance (not replace) existing USDA
research programs, with an annual budget building to $1 billion
over a five-year period. |
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The Director of NIFA should be a distinguished scientist appointed
by the President and confirmed by the Senate. |
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The CREATE-21 legislation embraces all
of these key elements of the NIFA proposal. However, the CREATE-21
proposal goes further by integrating all existing USDA research,
education, and extension programs/activities within the National
Institute and by authorizing enhanced capacity funding for America’s
land-grant and related universities/institutions. |
