The story of this decade doesn’t have to be one of scarcity and strain. A different future is within reach: one of abundance, affordability, and sustainability. The U.S. has a historic opportunity to shorten supply chains, safeguard long-term food security, and decrease the environmental costs of agriculture. Innovation can make this possible–but only if America invests in new farming technologies. Not only to feed ourselves but to reaffirm our role as the world’s greatest exporter of both food and innovation.
Unless you’re in the industry, you might not know that agriculture is undergoing a quiet technological revolution. Agriculture is poised to become the next great success story of sustainable innovation–as foreign governments increasingly recognize. For example, the Netherlands–the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter–has invested in new growing technology and cell-based meat production. Small, land-poor states like Singapore and the UAE, as well as massive countries such as Russia and China, are working to build food systems that can withstand the changing climate and reduce their reliance on tumultuous trade relationships.
The U.S. must do the same. The global challenges of climate change and food insecurity will accelerate the development of new farming technologies everywhere humans live and eat. America has an opportunity to lead this revolution and to spread the benefits around the world. As a matter of foreign policy and economic policy, the new Congress must act.
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