Agricultural Research Supports Consumers and the Economy

April 30, 2015

U.S. Department of Agriculture studies show that agricultural research provides benefits far beyond farms and ranches.
Advances in farm productivity have led to abundant and affordable food and fiber in the U.S. and most other developed nations. Public and private agricultural research programs have been the foundation of this success.

In addition to food and fiber, such research has created substantial returns for national economies. Public investment in agricultural research has generated annual rates of return between 20 and 60 percent.

For an overview of the subject, visit http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eb-economic-brief/eb10.aspx.