USDA’s international science and technology (S&T) engagements are critical for advancing the interests of American agriculture. Strategic bilateral and multilateral engagements accelerate research progress through sharing information and leveraging foreign and domestic resources (human, financial, and infrastructural) to accelerate innovation and develop agricultural solutions. USDA collaboration with our international partners stimulates the U.S. economy, enhances market efficiencies, provides the basis for science-based and data-driven decision-making for farmers, consumers, and policy-makers, improving the quality of life for all Americans.
The Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) leads and coordinates strategic international S&T engagements for USDA’s Chief Scientist. OCS helps strengthen international research collaborations to support reproducibility of results, promote accurate interpretation of findings, disclose conflicts of commitment or interest and support research values of openness, transparency, reciprocity, and merit-based competition.
Key OCS International S&T Efforts
Agriculture Innovation Mission
for Climate (AIM for Climate)
AIM for Climate has the goal of increasing and accelerating global innovation, research and development on agriculture and food systems in support of climate action. Ambitious investment in support of climate-smart agriculture will enable the world to meet nutritional needs, improve livelihoods, conserve nature, build resilience to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists
The Meeting of the G20 Agricultural Chief Scientists (G20 MACS) identifies global research priorities and targets, facilitates collaboration between public and private sector organizations in the key areas, and tracks progress on established goals over time.
U.S.-Ireland R&D Partnership - Agriculture
The U.S.-Ireland R&D Partnership brings together the U.S., Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland to support innovation. To apply for agricultural research funding under the Partnership, visit the National Institute of Food and Agriculture website.
Guidance on S&T Cooperation with the Russian Federation
The United States is committed to international scientific cooperation that flows from mutual recognition of shared values, including scientific freedom, openness, transparency, honesty, equity, fair competition, objectivity, and democratic principles. The Kremlin’s unlawful and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is an affront to the principles we seek to affirm and our efforts to advance international science, technology, and innovation. In response, the U.S. government has taken active measures to limit bilateral science and technology research cooperation with the Russian federation.
Feed the Future Interagency Working Group on Research
Feed the Future (FTF) is the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative implementing the Global Food Security Act. The Act mandates that FTF align and leverage US strategies and investments. The Working Group, co-led by USDA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), was established to advance this goal for S&T, agricultural research, and extension and support USDA contributions to the Global Food Security Strategy, including the research agenda.
Protecting and Promoting the R&D Enterprise
USDA is committed to promoting scientific and technological progress through international cooperation, while at the same time protecting the R&D enterprise. USDA is working with other Departments and Agencies to better protect the research enterprise through policies that are clear and uniform, support openness and encourage diversity. To learn more, read the White House blog.
