Agriculture in the US losing ground in innovation

Funding for the basic research that makes American agriculture a world leader in innovation and production is stagnant if not in decline.

America used to account for 21 percent of all research and development focused on agriculture in the world. Today, it is China that holds that lead position. The U.S. investment has shrunk to 14 percent, according to Dr. Brian Buhr, head of the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota. Buhr was part of a panel of U of M department heads speaking at Farmfest on Thursday.