Rep. Glenn Thompson on Innovations in American Agriculture and Policy

The Legacy of Agricultural Innovation

• 🇺🇸 For generations, American farmers have fed the nation and the world by adapting and embracing new tools, technologies, and practices.
• 💡 The success of US agriculture is attributed to ingenuity, hard work, and the strategic application of science and technology from seed to harvest.

Historical Breakthroughs in Crop Production

• 🌽 The introduction of hybrid corn in the early 20th century significantly improved yield and reliability.
• 🧪 The expansion of modern fertilizers drove unprecedented productivity.
• 🌱 Biotechnology traits, such as insect-resistant Bt cotton and glyphosate-tolerant soybeans, provided farmers with tools to combat pests and weeds, enabling practices like no-till farming for soil conservation.

Next-Generation Agricultural Technologies

• 🔬 Innovations in crop protection offer targeted solutions with improved efficacy and reduced off-target impacts.
• 🌿 Biological products like biostimulants are enhancing plant health and productivity.
• 🧬 Gene editing tools are leading to crops more resilient to drought, disease, and environmental stress, with traits tailored to specific needs.

The Importance of a Supportive Regulatory Environment

• ⚖️ To ensure new tools benefit consumers, rural economies, and the environment, a regulatory environment grounded in science, transparency, and predictability is crucial.
• ⏳ Delays, unclear jurisdiction, and litigation can lead to loss of investment, competitiveness, and falling behind global competitors.
• 🎯 Congress has a responsibility to modernize and streamline regulations, clarify approval pathways, and base rules on measurable risk, not hypotheticals.

Keeping American Agriculture on the Cutting Edge

• 🚀 The goal is to create conditions for future success by embracing emerging technologies and addressing the challenges faced by innovators.
• 🤝 Smarter, science-based policy is needed to keep American agriculture on the cutting edge.