USDA's $1 million cricket farming study

By Blake Jackson

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing nearly a million taxpayer dollars into research to find cost-effective ways to raise crickets as a sustainable protein source. This funding has sparked controversy, with some critics labeling it as government waste. In a recent letter to Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, co-chairs of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Senator Joni Ernst, R-IA, highlighted this expenditure as an example of wasteful spending. She argued that such projects do not sufficiently support agriculture, a critical sector in the U.S. economy.

Ernst, who represents Iowa, a major agricultural state, emphasized the hard work of American farmers and ranchers. She expressed frustration that taxpayer dollars were being allocated to projects that do not directly benefit the agriculture industry, which generates billions annually. “Nothing bugs me more than the USDA giving away farm aid for pet projects,” she stated in her letter.

In 2023, the USDA awarded a $131,500 grant to Mighty Cricket, Inc., based in Baldwin, Missouri, for research into cost-effective cricket protein production. For fiscal year 2024, the company received an additional $650,000. While cricket protein is touted as a sustainable alternative to traditional proteins, it remains more expensive, retailing at more than twice the price of conventional sources.

These grants are part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, which are designed to fund scientific and technological innovation. However, the USDA has also funded studies unrelated to agriculture, such as a project investigating whether pigs can learn to use joystick video game controllers. Critics argue that these projects do not support the agricultural community and are a misuse of taxpayer funds.

“At the end of the day, many farmers in America are struggling to make ends meet,” said Kelly Lester, policy analyst for the Center for Food, Power and Life at the John Locke Foundation. “Government subsidies already favor mega-farms; the last thing small and midsize farmers need is wasteful spending on useless endeavors.”

Photo Credit: usda