500+ organizations rally for farm bill update

Jul 23, 2024

Broad coalition presses for urgent farm bill passage

By Farms.com

Recently formidable alliance of more than 500 organizations led by the American Farm Bureau Federation has delivered a united message to Congress - pass a new farm bill without delay.

This coalition represents a broad spectrum of interests including agriculture, environmental conservation, and rural development, reflecting the farm bill's extensive influence on various aspects of American life.

The groups’ collective letter to congressional leaders underscores the farm bill’s critical role in food production, environmental conservation, and economic stability across rural America. They caution that without swift action, a temporary extension could lead to indefinite postponements due to the political changes from the upcoming presidential election and the new Congress.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall emphasized the remarkable consensus among diverse organizations, highlighting the farm bill’s pivotal role in navigating current global challenges like the pandemic and inflation.

The coalition’s plea is for bipartisan commitment to forge a forward-looking farm bill that continues to secure America's food supply and supports sustainable practices.

The urgency conveyed by these 500+ groups underscore the essential nature of the farm bill in maintaining the nation’s agricultural integrity and economic resilience.

Video: Democratizing Gene Editing - Pairwise’s Vision for the Future of Agriculture

Pairwise has built its business around an idea that runs counter to how many companies approach innovation: make transformative technology easier to access.

In this Seed World interview, CEO Tom Adams discusses why broader access to gene editing could speed crop improvement, expand innovation opportunities and help agriculture address emerging challenges. He explains why Pairwise believes no single company can solve all of agriculture's problems alone—and why making advanced breeding technologies available to more organizations could accelerate progress across the industry.

The conversation explores how consumer trust influences technology adoption, why innovations like pitless cherries and seedless blackberries matter beyond convenience, and how future crop improvements could help address labor shortages, automation, harvest efficiency and other production challenges. Adams also shares his perspective on what the industry may be underestimating about the next wave of gene editing innovation.

Watch the full interview to hear why Pairwise believes agriculture is approaching an important inflection point for gene editing, and why the pace of innovation over the next decade could surprise the industry.

Topics Covered:

o Democratizing agricultural innovation

o Consumer trust and technology adoption

o The business case for sharing innovation

o Expanding innovation beyond major crops

o Next-generation breeding technologies