Science Policy News
Read about ASPB members in the news and other items of interest for the plant biology community on our Policy Blog. The blog features news and information before they hit the pages of the ASPB Newsletter. It also provides an opportunity for you to engage in dialogue on policy developments affecting the plant biology community.
You can also join science policy discussions online at Plantae.org.
Recent Science Policy Updates
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ASPB Message about Proposed OMB Changes to Universal Guidance
ASPB is deeply concerned by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed revisions to Universal Guidance – formally “Regulation Codifying Policies on Federal Financial Assistance; revisions to 2...Read more
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Call to Action: Support the NSF BIO Plant Biology Act
Strengthening U.S. Leadership in Plant Science The NSF Plant Biology Act (H.R.7949), introduced by Rep. Josh Riley (D-NY-19) and Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN-4), is bipartisan legislation to strengthen the...Read more
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Protecting U.S. Agriculture at the Front Lines: A Call for APHIS Investment
Safeguarding U.S. agriculture begins long before threats reach farms, fields, or food systems. It starts at our borders, in our laboratories, and through coordinated national surveillance systems designed to prevent...Read more
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A Call for Investing in USDA’s Agricultural Research Service
ASPB, together with a coalition of 56 other scientific societies, academic institutions, and industry partners, recently sent a letter to to House and Senate Appropriations leaders to emphasize the critical...Read more
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Supporting Bold Innovation in Agricultural Research: Why AGARDA Funding Matters
As Congress begins work on the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations process, ASPB joined a broad coalition of scientific societies, research institutions, and agricultural stakeholders in calling for increased investment in...Read more
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Washington on Pause: Funding, Fallout, and What’s Next
By Elizabeth Stulberg, Lewis-Burke Associates At the beginning of the new fiscal year, Wednesday, October 1, with no new funding bills or continuing resolution passed by Congress, many agencies within...Read more
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ASPB Advocates Against Relocation of USDA Biotechnology Regulatory Services
Earlier this summer, the US Department of Agriculture announced reorganization plans that included relocating the majority of its staff to regional hubs around the country. Included in the relocation would...Read more
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Advocating for Increased USDA Agricultural Research Service Funding
Amid a quickly changing research funding landscape in the United States, ASPB continues to be a vocal and engaged advocate for federal funding that supports plant scientists. The Society recently...Read more
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Policy Update: Research Impacts of Recent Executive Orders and Memos – and a Call to Action to the ASPB Community
Since President Donald Trump took office on January 2025, a series of executive actions have shaken the research community. Several executive orders were released that targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion...Read more
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ASPB Signs Coalition Letter in Support of Science; Publication Pending in the Chronicle of Higher Education
ASPB has joined a coalition of scientific organizations, led by the American Psychological Association, in signing onto a letter that serves as a powerful, collective statement from the signatories. The...Read more
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ASPB Calls on Congress to Take Action to Restore Data
Organizations and individuals across the nation signed a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to address the recent removal of federal data at various agencies. Public data has been selectively...Read more
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ASPB Reaffirms Its Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Statement from ASPB’s Board of Directors, February 11, 2025 Along with many others, we have done our best to absorb the deluge of executive actions that have taken place over...Read more
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ASPB Joins Call for Increased USDA Program Funding
On February 4, 2025, ASPB joined more than 40 organizations in urging Congress to increase crucial US Department of Agriculture (USDA) program funding in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). In a...Read more
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Policy Update: Federal Judge Vacates USDA Rule Regulating Biotech Crops
On December 2, 2024, the United States District Court of the Northern District of California vacated the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) SECURE Rule, which was finalized in 2020 as...Read more
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Science Policy Update: EPA Releases Final Herbicide Strategy
By Elizabeth Stulberg, PhD, and Victoria Swiler, Lewis-Burke Associates LLC The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a final Herbicide Strategy on August 20, a move that it anticipates will protect...Read more
Read more Science Policy News on the ASPB blog.