Taking On Ag Research

Roger Beachy, from the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, will be heading up the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The goal of the institute, which is under the auspices of the USDA, is to encourage and fund research to "make American agriculture more productive and environmentally sustainable while ensuring the economic viability of agriculture and production," says a release from the Danforth enter. An article at ScienceInsider adds, "Advocates for agricultural research hope that by putting a high-profile scientist in charge, the Administration can boost Congress's interest in supporting competitive research at USDA."