With heavy shifts to privately-funded research and a diverse set of regional priorities, the landscape of soybean research has changed dramatically. Such changes have posed new challenges for the industry in determining how research should be conducted in the future.
The deans of three of the nation’s top land-grant university agriculture programs – Purdue, Missouri and Iowa State – will lead an interactive discussion on this question at CONNECTIONS 2014, hosted by the soy checkoff on Dec. 10 in St. Louis.
The United Soybean Board hosts the conference every other year as a forum for perspectives across the soy value chain to share ideas and discuss strategies for the future.
Leading the discussion on research will be a panel consisting of Jay Akridge, Ph.D., dean of Agriculture, Purdue University; Tom Payne, Ph.D., vice chancellor for Agriculture and dean of the College of Agriculture, University of Missouri; and Wendy Wintersteen, Ph.D., endowed dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Science, Iowa State University. They and DuPont Senior Soybean Research Director Paul Stephens will discuss the distinct roles private and public research play – and should play – in the future.
Here are 5 things you might not know about the soybean-research industry:
- Since 1996, there has been a rapid decrease in foundation seed programs in the United States.
- Spending on state extension programs has consistently decreased since the early 1980s.
- Genetic advancements get to farmers almost exclusively from major commercial companies.
- There is significant variation in research priorities depending on regional geography.
- Vacancies in university research positions continue to increase.
Source: Unitedsoybean