How the 2024 Farm Bill Impacts Plant Health and Sustainable Farming
July 18, 2024 
Farm Bill graphic | House Committee on Agriculture
The National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) plays a vital role in safeguarding the U.S.’s agricultural and natural ecosystems, contributing more than $1 trillion annually to the U.S. economy. As lawmakers debate the next Farm Bill, it’s imperative to enhance the NPDN’s capabilities to detect and combat biological threats. Failure to do so could have severe economic and environmental repercussions.
Current State of the Farm Bill
The Farm Bill, which recently passed out of a congressional committee, has sparked mixed reactions. Advocacy groups express disappointment that the bill maintains the status quo, failing to address pressing issues like climate change and sustainability adequately. Khara Strum, Executive Director of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA), criticized the bill for not shaping a more resilient and equitable food system.
The bill, supported by both parties, faced opposition from Democrats due to cuts to nutrition assistance programs. Despite an extension of the 2018 Farm Bill through the end of 2024, the current draft has removed some climate guide rails on conservation programs and made cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The Economic Importance of NPDN
The NPDN’s early detection and diagnostic capabilities are estimated to save tens to hundreds of millions of dollars annually, preventing significant economic losses and preserving essential ecosystem services. For instance, in one case involving a regulated pathogen, the NPDN potentially saved over $990,000 in plant value. This underscores the network’s role in averting costly repercussions of disease outbreaks, making a strong economic case for full funding.
Risks of Underfunding
Without adequate funding, the NPDN risks outdated diagnostic equipment failing to detect new pathogen strains, leading to unchecked spread and crop destruction. The oak and tanoak trees in California and Oregon, for example, could have been decimated by a regulated pathogen, resulting in losses exceeding $50 million in timber and ecosystem services. With pests and diseases costing the global economy more than $220 billion annually, the U.S. must prioritize plant health diagnostics to stay ahead.
Aligning with National Goals
The NPDN’s mission aligns seamlessly with national security and biosecurity goals. In 2023 alone, NPDN detected over 1,800 pathogens in new locales, underscoring its critical role in preempting threats to the U.S. agricultural system, worth billions in trade. The absence of the network could lead to profound cascading effects on crop yield, trade embargoes, and food supply resilience.
Federal Funding Efficiency
Current funding levels allow the NPDN to operate on just 20% of the funds required for state-based diagnostic labs. Static funding threatens the network’s ability to respond to emerging threats, maintain critical equipment, and provide essential training. Despite its unparalleled efficiency in utilizing federal dollars, the constant threat of budgetary stagnation jeopardizes its ability to protect an agricultural export market valued at $135.5 billion in 2021.
The Need for Modernization
Investing in technological advancements and first-detector training is essential for the NPDN to keep pace in the ever-evolving battle against new pathogens. Without such investment, diagnostic labs could fall critically behind, leading to unchecked pathogen spread. This neglect could result in annual industry losses amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars through reduced yields, increased control measures, and market restrictions. A proactive fiscal commitment is indispensable to prevent sizable economic deficits and ensure ongoing innovation in agricultural protection.
Expanding Collaboration
Current funding constraints mean missed opportunities for collaboration and expansion. The potential for a multiplicative effect of invested dollars is immense: For every dollar spent on the NPDN, the return is not just in safeguarded crops but also in educational outreach and enhanced biosecurity. Investment here would pay dividends in building a more resilient agricultural sector capable of withstanding the trials of climate change and globalization.
Provisions in the Current Farm Bill
The House proposal includes authorizing research programs to address fertilizer use efficiency, plant pests, noxious weeds, wildfire smoke exposure on specialty crops, invasive species, agricultural impacts of microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and specialty crop mechanization and automation research. It also proposes creating centers of excellence around the country to improve research and extension activities and increasing funding for specialty crop research and development related to mechanization and automation.
The Senate proposal includes similar R&D increases for specialty crop technologies, increased funding for competitive grants to support international agriculture partnerships, and authorizes $50 million for regional research corridors in agricultural technology. It adds high-priority research and extension initiatives for PFAS agricultural effects, peanut aflatoxin, biochar, spotted wing drosophila, spotted lanternfly, wheat resiliency, invasive species, agricultural application of artificial intelligence, aquaculture, white oak, and sunflower breeding. It also increases financial support for research on wheat diseases.
Advocacy and the Path Forward
The American Farm Bureau Federation has urged quick passage of the bill, while other agriculture advocacy groups are disappointed that it doesn’t do more to address climate change. The OEFFA, in particular, argues that increases in reference prices mainly benefit large farms growing commodity crops and do little for specialty farms. They also criticize the removal of climate-smart policy requirements on agricultural conservation programs.
Conclusion
The NPDN requires only a fraction of the Farm Bill‘s multi-billion-dollar allocation to operate at full capacity. Fully funding the NPDN means protecting billions in agricultural assets, securing millions of American jobs, and preserving the cornerstone of our food security. The cost of inaction extends beyond financial losses; it threatens irreversible damage to our nation’s agricultural heritage and the future it sustains. Now is the time to contact your elected officials and advocate for comprehensive support of the NPDN within the Farm Bill.
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