Honoring National Agriculture Day with a look at related Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) achievements and collaborations.
American agriculture remains the backbone of the nation's economy and a crucial asset that requires protection. Today and every day, S&T recognizes the vital role our farmers and the agricultural industry play in ensuring Americans have enough food to sustain their families.
To keep our food supply chains safe and our economy healthy, S&T is dedicated to advancing U.S. food and agricultural defense (Ag-Defense) capabilities. Ag-Defense is crucial for keeping harmful products and animal diseases from entering our borders.
S&T does the science to protect our nation’s farms and livestock against the threat of high consequence diseases, ensuring deadly pathogens do not damage key agricultural industries. If a pathogen such as the African Swine Fever virus (ASFV) or Foot-and-Mouth Disease virus (FMDV) reached the U.S., it could kill thousands of pigs, sheep, goats and cattle, leading to higher food prices for kitchen staples like pork and beef, and causing job losses across the agricultural industry. S&T’s unique partnerships, scientific programs and solutions, many facilitated through our International Cooperative Programs Office (ICPO) and Office of National Laboratories, provide the means for comprehensive research, modeling, detection and technology to protect our nation's agriculture or help it recover from an outbreak.
One example is our research on livestock diseases. S&T scientists are combatting threats from non-zoonotic animal diseases—diseases that can only be transmitted between animals and cannot infect humans, such as ASFV and FMDV— by conducting specialized laboratory research.
S&T Ag-Defense experts have studied dangerous diseases and have developed effective decontamination methods, should those diseases be identified within the U.S. pork and beef domestic supply chains. Another achievement is a vaccine for Foot-and-Mouth Disease, which will significantly curb the spread of the disease in the event of an outbreak, leading to substantial cost savings for both farmers and consumers.
For ASFV, we work closely with farmers and agriculture industry leaders to address questions and meet decontamination needs. As a result, S&T has identified methods to decontaminate ASFV from products commonly found in farm stores and has provided guidance about the virus’ endurance on various surfaces. Thanks to our essential relationship with the agricultural community, farmers are now better equipped to protect their livestock and respond swiftly in the event of an ASFV outbreak in the U.S.
By researching these diseases and developing vaccines and decontamination methods, S&T is playing a critical role in protecting American farms, stabilizing food prices, and safeguarding millions of jobs across the agricultural sector.
S&T is ensuring that the U.S. maintains a technological edge
Technology continues to evolve, posing new threats to the agricultural industry. In response, we continue to collaborate with international partners to ensure that the U.S. remains a leader in agricultural defense. S&T has a mission mandate to put Americans first by protecting the industries that sustain our economy, which includes mitigating threats to the agricultural industry. ICPO has partnered with Australia and New Zealand to exchange methods and procedures that benefit American border security. These countries are global leaders in agriculture and biosecurity, enforcing strict import and export regulations to protect their unique native flora. They have invested in robust biosecurity measures to safeguard their agricultural industries from pests and diseases.
S&T scientists are currently working with the New Zealand Institute of Environmental Science and Research on biosecurity efforts and collaborating to develop new ideas that enhance biosecurity networks and proactively address future threats. This partnership, which comes at no additional cost to American taxpayers, leverages our allies to ensure that U.S. agricultural defense technology remains the best in the world, reinforcing U.S. leadership and expertise on a global scale.
Let’s keep American agriculture at the forefront
As we celebrate National Agriculture Day, it is imperative to acknowledge the unwavering commitment of our farmers and the agricultural industry in sustaining our nation's food supply and economic stability. S&T is dedicated to prioritizing American agriculture, recognizing its indispensable role in our nation's prosperity and security.