Agroecology and Healthy Soils: How Much Are We Investing?.

Food system challenges are growing and include widespread pollution, soil degradation, public health concerns, socioeconomic inequities, and climate change. Fortunately, research suggests that healthy soils, which can be achieved through agroecological practices, can be the foundation of a food system that meets the needs of society while addressing these issues. The promise of such systems implies an urgent need for agroecological research. Yet, despite the clear importance of public funding, US government funding for agroecology has remained unknown. To address this gap in knowledge, we identified projects beginning in 2014 from the USDA Current Research Information System (CRIS) and searched key sections of project reports for major components of sustainable agriculture. Components were grouped into levels (L) according their focus on (L1) input efficiency, (L2) substituting sustainable inputs into farming systems, (L3) redesigning systems based on ecological principles (agroecology), or (L4) reestablishing connections between producers and consumers to support a socio-ecological transformation of the food system. We found 740 projects representing $267 million and 8% of the USDA Research, Extension, and Economics (REE) budget. Although 36% of projects were unrelated to sustainable agriculture, many (467) had at least one relevant component. A large number of projects (39% of funds) included a L1 component, but fewer referenced L2 (23%), L3 (17%), or L4 ($9%). Projects including both agroecology (L3) and socioeconomic sustainability (L4) were particularly poorly funded (<3%), as were L3 projects including complex rotations (3%), rotational or regenerative grazing (<1%), or integrated crop-livestock systems (<1%). Projects with an approximate overall level of L3 represented about 15% of all analyzed funds. Results indicate that increased funding is urgently needed for REE, especially for improved grazing and diversified farms.