The American Soybean Association (ASA) applauds the leadership of Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) for their efforts to establish a Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), an organization designed to encourage greater investment in research, public/private research partnerships and other ventures that foster innovation in the industry. The senators are sponsoring a bill to establish FFAR that will be introduced to the Senate today. ASA President Steve Wellman, a soybean producer from Syracuse, Neb., offers the following statement of support:

"For so many years, American agriculture has met the challenge of producing better, healthier and more abundant food, feed, fuel and fiber, all while using fewer resources. Moving forward, our industry will be put to the stiff test of feeding a global population projected to pass 9 billion by 2050. Time and time again, our industry has met these challenges with creativity, innovation, and groundbreaking best practices that reach far beyond the farm. These advances depend on the continued investment of both the public and private sectors in agricultural innovation. ASA and soybean farmers across the country applaud Ranking Member Roberts and Chairwoman Stabenow for their foresight in proposing the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, and we look forward to working together to tackle the challenges on the horizon."