Lewis-Burke worked closely with Senate Majority and Minority staff to provide input for the new Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) Pilot, authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill. This included everything from the general scope of the program to technical assistance on specific mechanisms AGARDA would be authorized to use.
The goals of AGARDA, as summarized from the legislative text, are to develop and deploy solutions to protect against threats to agriculture and food in the US; overcome barriers to enhance export competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and resilience to extreme events; ensure the U.S. maintains its leadership in developing agricultural technologies, research tools, and qualified projects and products that increase economic competitiveness and security; and undertake advanced research and development in areas industry by itself is not likely to go.
Since its authorization, Lewis-Burke has worked with an informal coalition of other interested stakeholders to bolster congressional support for AGARDA.