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WYDEN, SMITH SECURE MILLIONS
FOR OREGON,
OSU AGRICULTURE RESEARCH
Omnibus measure provides nearly $11
million for NW projects
January 22, 2004
Washington,
DC – Today
U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) announced
that agricultural projects in Oregon and the entire Northwest
will receive nearly $11 million in federal funds. Oregon State
University, a regional agriculture research leader, will directly
receive more than $2.2 million in new funding and increases over
Fiscal Year 2003 amounts, and will share in more than $7.1 million
in new funding and increases. These funds were included in omnibus
funding measure that will now be signed into law by the president.
“Oregon and OSU lead the way in the agricultural research
that puts food on tables from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine,” said
Wyden. “This research funding will help to ensure a safe
and abundant food supply for Oregonians and all of America’s
families.”
“All industries benefit greatly from successful research
and development, and so too do the areas that are home to those
innovations,” said Smith. “By promoting agricultural
discovery and invention we can ensure Oregon is a future industry
leader.”
Oregon State University in Corvallis will receive funding for
numerous projects, including:
• $357,000 for the Northwest
Center for Small Fruits Research, to be shared among Oregon,
Idaho and Washington. In addition,
the Center will receive $225,000 over its FY2003 funding level
for a genetics research initiative;
• $357,000 for multi-commodity
agricultural marketing research;
• $353,000 for research at the
National Laboratory for Molluscan Broodstock in Newport;
• $599,000 for the Solutions
to Environmental and Economic Problems (STEEP) III project;
• $264,000 for the meadowfoam
research project, an effort to increase the supply of renewable
industrial oils;
• an increase of $225,000 over
FY2003 funding for powdery mildew research, a disease that
continues to threaten hops production
in the Pacific Northwest; and,
• an increase of $270,000 over
FY2003 funding for the Shellfish Research Program.
OSU will also share in $680,000 for a regional Barley Genome
Mapping Project, and in a $6.1 million multi-state appropriation
for wood utilization research.
The omnibus bill also provides:
• an increase of $135,000 over
FY2003 funding for research on turf and forage grasses at Corvallis;
• an increase of $225,000 over
FY2003 funding for conservation tillage research at Pendleton;
• an increase of $270,000 over
FY2003 funding for western grazing lands research conducted
at Burns and Reno, Nevada;
• $325,000 for Oregon Garden,
a public display garden and botanical complex currently under
construction in Silverton;
and
• $409,000 to be shared among
Oregon, Idaho and Washington for research to identify improved
grass seed crop management
and conservation practices.
