Written Public Witness Testimony of Karl E. Anderson

Director of Government Relations American Society of Agronomy

Crop Science Society of America Soil Science Society of America kanderson@sciencesocieties.org

Before the

House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development

March 20, 2015 Subject: FY 2016 Appropriations—  Department of Energy’s Office of Science Dear Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Kaptur and Members of the Subcommittee: The American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) urge the subcommittee to support $5.4 billion for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science in fiscal year 2016 appropriations. Within the DOE Office of Science, we specifically support:

$1.849 billion for Basic Energy Sciences (BES) $612.4 million for Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

The American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), represent over 18,000 scientists in academia, industry, and government, 12,500 Certified Crop Advisers (CCA), and 781 Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS), as the largest coalition of professionals dedicated to the agronomic, crop and soil science disciplines in the United States. We are dedicated to utilizing science to manage our agricultural system and sustainably produce food and fuel for a rapidly growing global population in the coming decades. Energy, agriculture, and food production are inextricably linked. In 2007, 16 percent of the national energy budget went to producing, distributing, processing, preparing and preserving the plant and animal matter we consume. Plant breeding and advances in biotechnology can develop new plant varieties with characteristics that could help mitigate greenhouse gases by increasing crop yields, increase the storage of carbon in soil, and improve efficiency of fertilizers produced from fossil fuels. Understanding fundamental life processes requires investigations that reach

across multiple levels, from the information encoded in individual genomes to the functioning of cells as communities and plants in an ecosystem. Strong investments in energy, food, and agriculture research have enabled U.S. farmers to be among the most efficient in the world. The United States is the global leader in meeting the world’s demand for food. Agriculture and agriculture-related industries contributed $742.6 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011, a 4.8-percent share. In 2012, 16.5 million full- and part-time jobs were related to agriculture—about 9.2 percent of total U.S. employment. However, in the coming decades, our agricultural system will face significant challenges in the form of an increasingly variable climate, limited natural resources and a rapidly expanding global population. Our Nation’s economic prosperity and security depend on our dedication to developing innovative, science-based solutions to meet our growing agricultural needs and managing efficient food systems. In order to meet these challenges, our nation needs the best and brightest minds to do the research that will lead to innovations and technologies that will help ensure the U.S. maintains its position as a global leader The DOE Office of Science prepares the next generation of American scientific talent by supporting a diverse portfolio of research at colleges and universities nationwide. It sponsors half of all university energy research and more than 25,000 Ph.D. scientists, engineers, graduate students, undergraduates and technical personnel at over 300 institutions through competitively awarded grants. DOE-funded research and education programs strengthen our Nation’s scientific knowledge base and prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers. Six of the largest life science companies show they expect to hire more than 1,000 domestic scientist-level FTEs before the end of 2015, representing 13% of their current scientist workforce. The largest numbers of scientists to hire will be in the disciplines of plant sciences, plant breeding/genetics, and plant protection. Nearly half (46%) will need to hold doctoral degrees. Given the current state of the research workforce pipeline, these companies are concerned about their ability to successfully fill this workforce need. A steadily increasing need for industry professionals outpaces the supply. Both new job growth and retirements help explain the large number of monthly job postings employers release each month. For occupations in plant research, economics and engineering fields, an average of 11,600 job ads were posted each month – and nearly 34,000 people were hired in these fields each month – from January to August 2014. Basic Energy Sciences (BES) The Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program is a multipurpose, scientific research effort that fosters and supports fundamental research to expand the scientific foundations for new and improved energy technologies and for understanding and mitigating the environmental impacts of energy use. The research disciplines that the BES program supports include chemistry, soil, mineralogical, and geosciences. These subjects influence virtually every aspect of energy production, conversion, transmission, storage, efficiency, and waste mitigation.

The Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences subprogram supports the quest to understand and control chemical processes and the transformation of energy at the molecular scale in systems spanning simple atoms and molecules, active catalysts, and larger biochemical or geochemical systems. Only through the greater understanding of these basic energy processes, can we hope to ensure a sustainable energy future for our Nation and the world. Biological and Environmental Research (BER) The Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program produces advanced environmental and biological knowledge and operates unique scientific user facilities that are critical to national security through improved energy production, international scientific leadership, and research that improves the quality of life for all Americans. BER-supported biological research aims to achieve a predictive understanding of complex microbial and plant systems of importance to bioenergy and environmental remediation. For example, by using systems and synthetic biology to understand and re-engineer microbes and plants specifically for biofuels and other bio-based products, and to clean the water, soil, and air. BER environmental science research aims to achieve a predictive understanding of the environmental consequences of energy production and use, such as understanding the movement of nuclear and other contaminants underground through soils. Genomic science within BER supports basic, multidisciplinary research aimed at achieving a systems-level understanding of plants, microbes, and microbial communities relevant to Department of Energy missions in bioenergy, carbon management, and the environment. By revealing the genetic blueprint and fundamental principles that control plant and microbial systems, the Genomic Science program is providing the foundational knowledge underlying biological approaches to producing biofuels, sequestering carbon in terrestrial ecosystems, and cleaning up contaminated environments. The fundamental scientific advances emanating from this program are transferable to a broad range of application areas and lay a foundation for new generations of industrial biotechnologies. Support for Department of Energy’s Office of Science is essential to maintain the capacity of the United States to conduct both basic and applied agricultural research, to improve crop and livestock quality, and to deliver safe and nutritious food products while protecting and enhancing the nation’s environment and natural resource base. Now is not the time to reduce federal funding for the basic research and scientific facilities that are so critical to our economic growth and energy security. China, India, South Korea, the European Union, and others are copying our approach to innovation and increasing their R&D investments. Strong and sustained funding for DOE science programs is needed to maintain scientific leadership, build a world-class technical workforce, improve the nation’s energy security, and ensure continued U.S. competitiveness in the global economy. Thank you for your consideration. For additional information or to learn more about the ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, please visit www.agronomy.org, www.crops.org, or www.soils.org.