WASHINGTON - The United States risks losing its global leadership in agricultural innovation as public funding for agricultural research and development declines while China rapidly increases investment, according to a new report released Tuesday. The issue matters for U.S. farmers, agribusinesses, and policymakers because research spending directly affects crop yields, productivity growth, food prices, and the long-term competitiveness of the American farm sector.

The report from the Food Security Leadership Council, presented during a Farm Foundation Forum, highlights a significant shift in global agricultural research spending. While the United States historically led the world in public agricultural R&D investment, emerging economies - particularly China - are now rapidly expanding their funding and research capacity.

According to the report, the U.S. share of global public agricultural R&D spending fell from more than 20% in 1960 to just 11.5% in 2011. During that same period, China dramatically expanded its investments and now spends roughly twice as much as the United States on public agricultural research. The gap is also becoming visible in innovation indicators. Researchers note that U.S. agricultural patent filings have declined, while China's filings continue to rise annually. At the same time, Chinese institutions are producing an increasing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications focused on agricultural science and technology.

Keith Fuglie, chief economist for the Food Security Leadership Council, said during the forum that the decline in U.S. research investment has accelerated in the past two decades. Between 2002 and 2021, public agricultural R&D funding in the United States dropped by roughly one-third, while China's spending surged well beyond American levels. For producers and agribusiness leaders, the trend has important implications. Agricultural innovation is a major driver of productivity growth, enabling farmers to increase output while reducing pressure from rising input costs, environmental constraints, and market volatility.

Historically, publicly funded research has supported advances in crop genetics, livestock production, precision agriculture technologies, and sustainable agriculture practices. These breakthroughs have allowed American farmers to boost yields, improve efficiency, and maintain their competitiveness in global commodity markets. The report warns that maintaining those gains will require a renewed national strategy focused on agricultural innovation. Researchers recommend policies aimed at achieving 2% annual agricultural productivity growth by 2040, a level considered necessary to keep pace with rising global food demand.

Global population growth is expected to add approximately 1.5 billion people over the next 25 years, increasing pressure on agricultural systems worldwide. Strong research investment, the report argues, would allow the United States to expand agricultural exports, stabilize food prices, and strengthen the resilience of the agricultural supply chain. Investment in agricultural science also plays a key role in biosecurity, climate adaptation, and disease prevention, areas that are becoming increasingly important for U.S. farmers facing extreme weather events, emerging pests, and plant and livestock diseases.

Another notable finding is the shifting balance of global research spending. Middle-income countries such as China, Brazil, and India now collectively invest more in public agricultural R&D than high-income nations, reflecting a broader transformation in global agricultural innovation. For policymakers debating future USDA research programs and farm bill priorities, the report suggests that strengthening public investment in agricultural science could be essential to preserving the United States' long-standing leadership in food production, agricultural technology, and global agricultural trade.