World Food Prize and Nobel Laureates Stress Agricultural Research

150 World Food Prize and Nobel Laureates have together called for an increase in funding for agricultural research. We released our statement last week in the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Hearing Room. We argued that the world won’t be able to feed its people without increased agricultural research, focused on food-insecure parts of the world and climate resilience.

I’m pictured here with Dr. Cary Fowler, one of the current World Food Prize Laureates. He led the development of an international seed bank on an arctic island. Plant breeding depends on seed diversity, and the cold and isolation of Svalbard, Finland, now protects a global depository of crop-related seeds. Fowler also led the process of developing the Laureates’ statement on agricultural research.

There will be huge pressure to cut government spending this year. But I was encouraged by supportive remarks at this event from Senator Amy Klobuchar, now Ranking Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Representative Jim Baird, Republican member of the House committees on Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, and Science, Space and Technology.

2 Priorities for the Next President and Congress

Congress and the new administration are setting their policy agenda—an agenda that will shape the future of programs for people who experience hunger and poverty. Together, as a collective Christian witness, we have the opportunity to speak truth to power and urge our nation’s leaders to act with compassion and justice.

This week, the Circle of Protection—a diverse coalition of Christian leaders—sent President Donald Trump and members of Congress a letter outlining two key priorities for the next administration and Congress. These priorities, grounded in scripture, reflect a shared commitment to building a more just and equitable society.

The letter calls on our elected leaders to:

1. Protect and fund programs that help people in poverty. Robustly fund poverty-related programs, such as housing and international aid, and oppose cuts to vital programs like SNAP that prevent hunger and poverty from worsening.

2. Support tax policies that reduces poverty. Expand the Child Tax Credit and ensure the tax system supports families with low incomes while asking more from those with greater financial resources.

   
   

These priorities reflect God’s call to care for those in need and to work toward justice for all. The full letter and more information are available at circleofprotection.us.

My Two Sons

My sons Andrew and John are both bringing good news into the new year. 

Andrew (in the blue shirt) is starting a new job with Stripe. Stripe provides thousands of companies with software that allows financial transactions on the web. Andrew and his partner Erik are looking for an apartment in New York City.

John (in the red shirt) and his wife Megan are entering the new year as homeowners. They both have good jobs and are devoted parents to their four children.

David (in the purple shirt) is a proud father.