At OFRF, we know that strong, transparent, and farmer-informed federal agencies are essential for the success of all U.S. agriculture, but especially organic agriculture. This month, we acted on that knowledge when we submitted three different comments on USDA actions: one to the USDA on their reorganization plan and two to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) on proposed changes to the Application Kit and Scientific Review Process. Each of these actions may seem bureaucratic and technical on the surface, but together they shape the future of agricultural research and technical service delivery.
NIFA Comments
Earlier this summer, NIFA announced that they are requesting public input on proposed changes to its Application Kit and Proposal Review Process. These processes, and the changes described, directly affect the accessibility, quality, and impact of all USDA-funded research projects.
OFRF raised concerns with the proposed addition of a “Disclosure of Foreign Relationships” form added to the Application Kit, related to a recent memo from the Secretary. While framed as a transparency measure, this new requirement risks chilling international collaborations and excluding non-citizen scientists who have long contributed to the strength of the United States’ agricultural research system. Already, we are seeing foreign-born researchers being impacted. Rather than strengthening national security, this has the risk of hollowing out our research capacity and weakening America’s leadership in agricultural innovation. OFRF urged NIFA to pause implementation of this requirement and engage with agricultural communities, from farmers to university researchers, in assessing its real-world impacts on research quality, workforce development, and international collaboration.