Photo courtesy of National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Breakthroughs 2030 will tap into the knowledge and experience of the U.S. research community to respond to the numerous reports issued by government and non-governmental organizations on the relationship of the food and agricultural system to public health, food security, national security, trade, economic development, and the environment.
The initiative will be chaired by John Floros and Susan Wessler. Floros, Ph.D., is dean of the College of Agriculture and director of Research and Extension, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, U.S. Wessler, Ph.D., is distinguished professor of genetics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute professor at the University of California, Riverside, California, U.S., as well as home secretary for the National Academy of Sciences.
“Given the challenges facing agriculture — from producing more food, to using less land and fewer resources — we need innovation more than ever,” said Thomas Grumbly, president of the Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR) Foundation, which helped conceive and fund Breakthroughs 2030. “Dr. Wessler and Dr. Floros have excellent reputations, and their backgrounds are ideal for the crucial task ahead.”
Sally Rockey, Ph.D., executive director of the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), added, “I look forward to the leadership of Dr. Wessler and Dr. Floros as co-chairs of this important effort to identify prime areas of scientific opportunity and spur collaboration across disciplines and stakeholder groups. I am confident that with these outstanding co-chairs at the helm, Breakthroughs 2030 will result in a compelling scientific vision for the future that incorporates the diverse expertise and innovative approaches being applied to address food and agriculture challenges.”
Breakthroughs 2030 will work through the National Academies independent study process, and will include input from hundreds of researchers and stakeholders to determine a vision that capitalizes on emerging trends, encourages greater interdisciplinary research, and informs the decisions of policymakers and academic leaders. Food and agriculture research stakeholders also will be invited to participate in the process through a still-to-be-developed interactive website and a town hall planned for this summer.
A public launch reception for Breakthroughs 2030 is scheduled for June 14 at the National Academies of Science headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S. For more information on the Breakthroughs 2030 study and to sign up for updates, go to: http://nas-sites.org/dels/studies/agricultural-science-breakthroughs.
Current funders of the initiative include:
Supporters of Agricultural Research Foundation
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
Agricultural and Applied Economics Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Society for Horticultural Science
American Society for Nutrition
American Society of Agronomy
American Society of Plant Biologists
American Soybean Association
American Veterinary Medical Association
Association of American Universities
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
Crop Science Society of America
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research
National Corn Growers Association
National Pork Board
Soil Science Society of America
