Agricultural Innovation

Agricultural innovation refers to cutting-edge practices and technologies U.S. farmers, ranchers, and foresters utilize to enhance productivity and efficiency, while also reducing emissions.

Successful innovations give American farmers and ranchers the proven tools to voluntarily use on their lands.


Farmers are the best stewards of their land.

Why are agricultural innovations so effective?

Advancements in U.S. agricultural innovation:
  • Tripled agricultural productivity over the last 50 years.
  • Have economic benefits: Every $1 spent on agricultural innovation generates $20 for the U.S. economy.
  • Innovation and improvements to efficiency reduce emissions from the Agricultural sector- which accounts for 25-35% of global emissions.
However, China, India and Brazil have been outpacing U.S. investments in agricultural innovation. In fact, Chinese investments are more than double that of the U.S.
Public Agricultural Research and Development Investments by Country

Solutions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E), and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) are supporting some of this work, but more is needed.
Investing in advanced agricultural research to further drive our highly efficient and productive farming system. This includes developing new crop varieties with higher yields and the ability to store more carbon; investing in innovations that reduce nitrous oxide emissions; using computers to optimize fertilizer and pesticide application; and promoting technologies that recycle byproducts into fuel.
Deploying innovations like biochar, enhanced efficiency fertilizers, and microbial soil amendments that improve crop productivity and reduce nitrous oxide and carbon emissions. These innovations also optimize the use of fertilizer, which improves water quality and lowers costs for farmers.
Supporting legislation that advances these solutions, such as the Advancing Cutting-Edge (ACE) Agriculture Act, the Biochar Research Network Act and the DOE and USDA Interagency Research Act.
There are a number of innovations to enhance productivity, increase efficiencies, and reduce emissions.