Agricultural Research: Background and Issues

The USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area invests billions of dollars in biological, physical, and social science research each year. In FY2020, discretionary funding for the REE mission area totaled approximately $3.4 billion. The 2018 farm bill mandated funding adds a $177 million per year on average. Ongoing issues include whether federal funding is adequate to support agricultural research, education, and extension.