National Barley Improvement Committee signs onto support for agricultural research
The American Malting Barley Association and the National Barley Improvement Committee are engaged in the Friends of the Agricultural Research Service (FARS) Coalition and recently signed onto a letter to Congress with fifty-seven other organizations urging continued support of the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Specifically, the letter calls for $1.877 billion in total funding for ARS in FY27 appropriations for the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies budget. A strong federal investment in food, agricultural, and natural resources research at ARS provides the foundation for a vibrant domestic agricultural supply chain. Barley directly benefits from ARS research and programs, including through four targeted initiatives: Resilient Barley Initiative, Barley Pest Initiative, U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative, and the Small Grains Genomics Initiative. The full letter can be read here.
AMBA and NBIC have also signed onto a community support letter for the Agriculture and Food Research Institute (AFRI) with sixty-seven other organizations, advocating for $500 million in agricultural appropriations for FY27. AFRI is USDA’s premier competitive grants program that supports merit-based, fundamental and applied research, extension, and education that strengthens U.S. agriculture across crops, livestock, food systems, and rural economies. Increased investment in AFRI is one of the most effective ways Congress can help American producers remain competitive, protect animal health, and grow demand for U.S. products. The full letter can be read here.
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