Illinois Congressman Learns About Agriculture Research At University of Illinois
University of Illinois researchers in Urbana are researching new ways to increase crop yields to combat world huger. The RIPE Project
Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis says agriculture research at the University of Illinois will help find new ways to feed the world. And now, that research has funding for five more years.
The Republican Davis attended a reception and South Farms field tour for the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency, or RIPE, project.
RIPE’s goal is to research new ways to increase crop yields to combat world hunger.
Davis says crop research is something that needs more federal attention. "We need to talk more about Ag research. We need to talk more investing federal dollars into Ag research so we can continue to look ahead and feed the world," Davis said. He continued, "Today’s investment is about creating the next generation of scientific improvements to all us to continue to grow even more advanced nutritious foods to feed the world."
RIPE is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, and the U.K. Department for International Development.
Those groups will reinvest 45-million dollars into the RIPE program for continued research led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.