For years agricultural research has not been the recipient of much congressional aid and according to a July 2011 report the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) research and development budget has been flat since the 1980s. There are currently bipartisan proposals in congress that would give tax breaks to wealthy individuals or groups will to finance agricultural research. The proposal would allow groups or individuals to set up agricultural research organizations (ARO) in exchange for a tax exempt status giving private charitable donors a way to support agricultural innovation. The structure of the AROs would follow closely the medical research organizations that were established decades ago. It is still unknown if the legislation will be included in a future farm bill or in a tax-overhaul package planned to be introduced by Republicans.
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