While U.S. farmers and ranchers grapple with economic uncertainty and global volatility, another threat is quietly gaining ground. China is investing heavily in agricultural biotechnology, positioning its state-backed sector to outpace the United States in food production and innovation. A recent Harvard Belfer Center report warns that among five key emerging technologies, biotechnology is where China is most likely to surpass the U.S. in the near term. 

The implications are staggering. American producers could be shut out from breakthrough technologies that enhance yields, improve disease resistance, and boost efficiency from planting to processing. But it's not just about production. The erosion of U.S. leadership in biotechnology threatens food sovereignty, economic competitiveness, and our global standing. In agriculture, national security begins in the soil. 

Falling Behind Hurts Everyone The consequences of ceding biotech leadership are far-reaching. U.S. farmers rely on scientific advances to keep pace with growing global demand, manage environmental challenges, and stay competitive in a crowded export market. Losing access to critical tools like gene editing or biotech traits could kneecap American agriculture. 

Meanwhile, federal funding for agricultural research has stagnated for more than two decades-while China surges ahead with a coordinated, well-financed biotech strategy. According to the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, the U.S. lacks both vision and infrastructure. "It's not that we can't run fast," the Commission notes, "it's that we trip over our own shoelaces." The Farm Bill Must Step Up The solution begins with the farm bill. More than just a budget, it is the legislative framework for ensuring the U.S. remains a global agricultural leader. 

Yet current proposals fail to adequately support the use of emerging biotech, including tools that can reduce pesticide use, improve resilience, and strengthen our food systems. Congress can correct this by expanding research funding, modernizing the biotech regulatory process, and streamlining the patchwork oversight shared between USDA, FDA, and EPA. 

Entrepreneurs currently face a bureaucratic maze that delays commercialization and inflates costs. Global Trade and Local Resilience Beyond biotech, the farm bill also supports USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, a crucial player in international trade negotiations. Empowering this office ensures the U.S. can defend science-based biotech standards on the world stage-especially in disputes like last year's standoff with Mexico over genetically modified corn. At home, the bill strengthens food security with programs like the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, which helps shield the U.S. from threats like avian flu. It also supports the biofuels sector, reducing foreign energy dependence and generating economic opportunity in rural America. 

Time to Lead Again America's ability to lead in global agriculture isn't a given. It's a choice-one that must be made now. By passing a strong, future-focused farm bill, Congress can unlock the next generation of biotech innovations, level the global playing field, and secure the food future of the nation. We can't afford to watch from the sidelines while others set the pace. Our farmers-and our future-are depending on it.