Issues and Trends in Agricultural and Agricultural Economics Research Funding

Abstract

Many pages in the Journal have been devoted in the past two decades to discussions about funding and productivity of agricultural science and economics research. Much of the funding debate is related to the pros and cons of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) support of agricultural research with traditional Cooperative State Research, Extension and Education Service (CSREES) formula funds versus support with funds from the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (NRICGP). The debate has been fueled by an increasing federal emphasis on competitive project funding of agricultural research in academic institutions (USDA 1993, Weaver). Bredahl, Bryant, and Ruttan pointed out that the competitive funding system has been defended by claims that a competitive mechanism forces research units to become more responsive, and stated that We find no fault with this argument [in favor of competitive grants] as long as project research support remains relatively small-as long as its impact is to encourage the exploration of new opportunities within the broad research mission of an institu-