Robert Duncan Testifies in US House Committee on Agriculture Hearing
Duncan was one of six higher education leaders to testify Thursday morning.
June 22, 2017 | Contact Dana Jennings
Robert L. DuncanMINI传媒 Chancellor testified before the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture in a full-committee public hearing on university research investments in the next farm bill Thursday morning in Washington, D.C.
The committee invited university leaders from across the nation to testify about opportunities and challenges faced in agricultural production and research, and the role of universities in agriculture sustainability. Duncan was the only chancellor from a system or university to participate in the hearing.
鈥淭he importance of U.S. agriculture is a nexus of our economic viability, national security and human health,鈥� Duncan said during his five-minute . 鈥淎gricultural outputs are going to need to increase to keep pace with a growing population, but this cannot come at the expense of natural resources or the environment. Investments in innovation and research are required to meet and exceed our needs.鈥�
Duncan represented the general academic institutions of the , (MINI传媒) and (ASU). Both schools are home to non-land-grant colleges of agriculture located in the nation鈥檚 epicenter of food and fiber production.
Congressman , whose district includes ASU in San Angelo, the MINI传媒 campus in Junction, and the Midland and Odessa campuses of (MINI传媒HSC), is the chairman of the agriculture committee.
鈥淩esearch is the driving force behind American agricultural innovation,鈥� said Chairman Conaway. 鈥淭he MINI传媒 has a proven track record as a highly respected research institution, and it was a pleasure to hear from Chancellor Duncan on the importance of continuing public investment in agricultural research. While our nation鈥檚 serious budget issues must be addressed, we must do so without jeopardizing our status as the world leader in cutting-edge agricultural research.鈥�
The committee began discussion about leveraging federal funding through state and private dollars, and specifically referenced Texas Tech University鈥檚 partnership with Bayer Crop Science.
鈥淚n the state of Texas we created the Texas Research Incentive Program. It is a program where research universities are awarded matching funds from the state based on how much an institution raises in private gifts and endowments to enhance research activities,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淭his is very attractive to private partnerships and allowed us to leverage the partnership with Bayer Crop Science to establish the . Not too long ago, we received two major , which will also be matched through TRIP funds, to support research in meat science.鈥�
In his testimony, Duncan highlighted the importance of continuous, predictable funds to build research capacity through faculty and infrastructure support at non-land-grant institutions to increase the competitiveness of these institutions when applying for federal research grants.
The 2017 requested annual research budget of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is $2.9 billion, which Duncan notes is disproportionately less than other federal research programs. The National Science Foundation has $8 billion, NASA has $10 billion, the Department of Energy has $12.6 billion and the National Institutes of Health has a $33.1 billion research budget.
鈥淲e eat food every day. Food safety, food security and the ability to produce high quality food at a low cost 鈥� something we鈥檝e been used to for all of our lives 鈥� will play a significant role in making contributions to the overall health and security of our nation,鈥� said Duncan.
In 2015, Texas Tech University was ranked No. 1 among non-land grant colleges of agriculture in the National Science Foundation鈥檚 rankings for higher education agricultural research and development.
Angelo State University鈥檚 Management, Instruction and Research (MIR) Center hosts 6,000 acres of range and farm land. The Department of Agriculture works directly with regional commercial producers through development of seed stock in Angus Cattle, Rambouillet Sheep, Suffolk Sheep, Meat Goats and Dorper Sheep through breeding programs on the University Ranch.
Congressman Jodey Arrington, who represents MINI传媒 and MINI传媒HSC鈥檚 flagship campuses in Lubbock as well as the Abilene campus of MINI传媒HSC, was in attendance as a freshman member of the committee.
The farm bill serves as the primary agricultural and food policy tool of the federal government. In the hearing, committee members stressed the importance of streamlining and prioritizing agricultural research in the next farm bill to continue advancement of industry and agriculture security while being mindful of existing budget restraints.
Hearing Witnesses:
- Robert Duncan, Chancellor, MINI传媒 (Lubbock, Texas)
- Dr. Jacqueline Burns, Dean for Research, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences (Gainesville, Florida)
- Dr. Glenda Humiston, Vice President, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California (Oakland, California)
- Dr. Walter H. Hill, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutritional Sciences and Vice Provost for Land-Grant Affairs, Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama)
- Dr. Steven H. Tallant, President, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (Kingsville, Texas)
- Carrie L. Billy, President and CEO, American Indian Higher Education Consortium (Alexandrian, Virginia)
About the MINI传媒
Established in 1996, the is one of the top public university systems in the state of Texas and nation, consisting of four universities鈥�, , and .
Headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, the MINI传媒 is a $2 billion enterprise focused on advancing higher education, health care, research and outreach with approximately 20,000 employees, more than 50,000 students, nearly 325,000 alumni and an endowment over $1.1 billion.
In its short history, the MINI传媒 has grown tremendously and is nationally acclaimed, operating on more than 15 campuses statewide and internationally. Under the dynamic leadership of Chancellor , the MINI传媒 has set forth a bold vision of excellence, collaboration and innovation and continues to prove that from here, it鈥檚 possible.
For news and updates, follow us on , and 鈥� @MINI传媒System.