Dr. Peter Goldsmith, an agricultural economist, led the Soybean Innovation Lab (SIL) at the University of Illinois for 12 years, overseeing research on soybean production, disease resistance, and market expansion. SIL was part of a nationwide network of 19 Innovation Labs, but it will shut down on April 15, 2025, due to the cessation of USAID funding under the Trump administration. Goldsmith lamented the closure, highlighting the economic and agricultural losses for U.S. farmers and developing countries. He hopes for federal review or alternative funding but faces an uncertain future.
