The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) brought together experts in Washington on Wednesday, March 7, for a panel discussion on the future of food and farming and the role of technology in helping to ensure a sustainable food supply-a topic particularly timely for today’s celebration of National Ag Day.

Dr. Roger Beachy explained that solutions must include genetic research aimed at improving plant disease resistance and enabling crops to last longer. “I’d like to see the day when disease resistance is king, not disease,” he said.

He emphasized the need for effectively leveraging public and private resources for scientific research, and called for harmonizing food safety guidelines globally and regionally to reduce barriers for approving new technologies and food products.

Watch the full video of yesterday’s panel discussion here.