In early 2014, RMF and Iowa State University led the development of a partnership that included Mississippi State University, Texas Tech University, Colorado State University, and the Soil and Water Conservation Society. The objective of this partnership is to develop a unifying message in support of food, agricultural, and natural resources research. The first step in that process was to develop the report on Pursuing a Unifying Message: Elevating Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research as a National Priority, that was released at the National Press Club on December 5, 2014. The report and its release was envisioned to be the first of several activities involving different interest groups that will be involved in pursuing the uniform message.
RMF Position Statement
The RMF’s position statement outlines the critical importance of increasing public investment in food, agricultural and natural resources research, and key points the RMF supports in moving forward with a unifying message. Read the RMF Position Statement.
Overview
A major activity of RMF is a collaborative effort to pursue a unifying message among many stakeholders towards a goal of elevating food, agricultural and natural resources research as a national priority. The unifying message efforts have been led by RMF and Iowa State University, along with partners that include Mississippi State University, the Soil and Water Conservation Society, Texas Tech University, Colorado State University and the American Society of Plant Biologists. Read an overview of activities and partnerships in the unifying message initiative.
Eight Reports in the Unifying Message Initiative
From 2014 to 2018, RMF published 8 reports linked to the unifying message effort — an original report, six summarizing roundtable discussions conducted in collaboration with over 120 organizations and a final report, released in June 2018.
NEW June 4, 2018 — A Unifying Message: Pulling Together
Leaders from 25 national agricultural commodity organizations gathered tor a facilitated discussion on the value of pursuing a unifying message to increase federal investment in agricultural research. An RMF report summarizing the meeting is now available: Pursuing a Unifying Message: Elevating Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research as a National Priority. A Commodities Research Perspective. The meeting was convened at the American Association for the Advancement of Science headquarters in November 2016 by the Riley Memorial Foundation, Iowa State University, the National Corn Growers Association and Purdue University.
A Natural Resources Research Perspective
Leaders from more than 20 organizations shared their perspectives on how natural resources research fits with the concept of a unifying message on increased federal investment in research. An RMF report summarizing the discussion, Pursuing a Unifying Message: Elevating Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research as a National Priority. A Natural Resources Research Perspective, is now available. The meeting was convened in December 2016 by the Riley Memorial Foundation, Iowa State University, Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR) Foundation, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the Soil and Water Conservation Society.