Sen. Jerry Moran, US Senator for Kansas | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Sen. Jerry Moran, US Senator for Kansas | Official U.S. Senate headshot
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas, alongside Senator Mazie Hirono from Hawaii and Representatives Tracey Mann and Kim Schrier, has introduced the Augmenting Research and Educational Sites to Ensure Agriculture Remains Cutting-edge and Helpful (AG RESEARCH) Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to tackle deferred maintenance at U.S. agricultural schools, including Kansas State University.
Senator Moran emphasized the importance of maintaining top-tier research institutions for American farmers and ranchers to continue producing high-quality food, fuel, and fiber. He stated, "This legislation will support the work at institutions like Kansas State University by allowing them to modernize their facilities."
The AG RESEARCH Act addresses decades of underinvestment that have left many agricultural research institutions with significant maintenance backlogs. The proposed bill provides financial support for necessary upgrades. Senator Hirono remarked on the importance of these institutions in supporting farming communities and driving innovation.
Land-grant universities have expanded beyond their original educational mission to conduct advanced agricultural research crucial for global food security. Despite a $20 return on every dollar invested in agricultural research, funding has declined over two decades, affecting facility maintenance. The bill aims to restore investment in these universities.
Representative Schrier highlighted the critical role of research institutions in discovering solutions to agriculture's challenges amid climate change and other pressures on food supply. She noted that prolonged underfunding risks falling behind globally.
The AG RESEARCH Act proposes mandatory funding grants: $1 billion annually for five years in the Senate version and $500 million annually in the House version. It includes a 1-to-1 match requirement unless waived by the Secretary of Agriculture, equitable distribution of grants, and a cap limiting any one state from receiving more than 20% of funds.
A 2015 study estimated $8.4 billion in deferred maintenance at U.S. agricultural schools, which grew to $11.5 billion by 2021 as reported due to insufficient funding addressing these backlogs.
The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) endorses this legislation.
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