Triple Helix Releases Report: 'Catalyzing U.S. AgTech Innovation: Opportunities for the Federal Government'
Emerging innovations could transform U.S. agricultural productivity and resilience and need to be prioritized now to prepare us for generations to come.
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American dominance in agricultural innovation was historically driven by strong federal investment, in collaboration with research institutions and private sector actors. But decades of declining public sector support threaten U.S. agricultural leadership and national security. Today, both the EU and China significantly outspend the U.S. on agricultural research and development. With compounding challenges such as pests and diseases, extreme weather, and volatile supply chains, efforts to increase American agricultural resilience are critical. Emerging innovations could transform U.S. agricultural productivity and resilience and need to be prioritized now to prepare us for generations to come.
Triple Helix's report is the culmination of an initiative to identify key inflection points in the U.S. AgTech pipeline where strategic federal support could drive growth. Through roundtable discussions held in New York, Illinois, California, and North Carolina, the organization gathered perspectives from academic researchers, startup founders, investors, commodity group representatives, farmers, and agribusiness leaders, among others. Stakeholders emphasized the federal government's crucial role across the U.S. AgTech ecosystem and stressed the need to close public sector support gaps in three key areas:
Prioritizing proactive discovery-stage research and data accessibility
Facilitating entrepreneurial translation and scale-up
Building an efficient AgTech implementation ecosystem
'This report outlines actionable opportunities for the federal government to strengthen the U.S. AgTech innovation ecosystem,' said Dr. Sarah Garland, Founder and Executive Director of Triple Helix. 'Catalyzing the American AgTech sector requires effective collaboration across research, investment, and policy. Reestablishing and optimizing federal government leadership in this space is crucial.'
'I represent some of the best agricultural research institutions in Central and Southern Illinois and I've consistently fought for increased federal investment in the groundbreaking work our scientists do every day. Their research is essential to strengthening American agriculture, lowering food costs, improving nutrition, and supporting the farmers who power our economy. As Triple Helix highlights, staying at the top of agricultural technology is key to maintaining our global leadership in this vital sector," added Congresswoman Budzinski.
To access the full report, please visit: https://www.triplehelix.institute/resources/agtech-federal-government-2025
About Triple Helix
Triple Helix Institute for Agriculture, Climate, and Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to building cross-sector awareness and engagement around agriculture technology (AgTech). Led by scientists and rooted in evidence, Triple Helix presents an interdisciplinary and nuanced voice that is crucial for creating a more resilient future of agriculture. In a space often fraught with polarization and factions, Triple Helix emphasizes unity behind common goals and commitment to shared values. Triple Helix recently produced reports targeted at policymakers and investors on the topics AgTech for Biodiversity Conservation and AgTech for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions. These reports succinctly connect the dots between ambitious agricultural goals and various food and agriculture technologies that can help achieve them.
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