Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) have introduced the “Charitable Agricultural Research Act” that would create public-private partnerships to increase funding and spur innovation for agriculture research.

Thune said the legislation would help “facilitate the transfer of much-needed private investment to agricultural research, which would better equip our producers with the tools they need in order to meet the demands of the 21^st century global marketplace.” The legislation is modeled on medical research organizations which were created by Congress in 1956.